Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Housetops Quilted

This is a lovely, soft quilt that I hope will be used daily by the baby. So I wanted a quilting design that enhances the softness as well as the durability. Baptist Fans work well with the spacing and direction changes. {And somehow, these colors are a bit off. Overexposed? The quilt really looks like the photos from the last post.}

Housetops quilt with Baptist fan quilting

I bought these darling bunnies on blue for the back and bound it with a tiny blue and white stripe. Stripes are our favorite binding, aren't they.

Bunnies on the back
of the Housetop baby quilt

Including conversation prints is always a fun game for me. Here are some sophisticated sparrows in orange rain (?), bicycles, and fish.

Bird, bicycle, and fish print
fabrics on the Housetop baby quilt

And I had to include these charming owls, my college mascot.

Owl print fabric
on the Housetop baby quilt

Each block is ten inches with four or five strips sashing two sides of a center square. I cut the strips 1.25-3” wide and combined them to reach the ten inch mark.

Previous post here.

Quilt Details
Size: 38" x 38"
Design: Housetop or Handkerchief Corners
Batting: Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon100% cotton
Thread: green Aurifil cotton 50/2 thread
Quilting: Free-motion Baptist fans


I believe the intended use of the quilt informs the type of care it requires. One of my goals is that people love, use, and even wear out the quilts I make. Of course, I'd like them to use them gently and take care of them - rather like polishing our shoes and putting shoe trees in at night. But most of my gifts are utility quilts, meant for daily use. I always include this information sheet... then I keep my mouth shut whatever they choose to do.

Caring for a Quilt is permanently linked on my Tutorial page. Other people have their own instructions. Quilt Care by Michigan State University is a good guide for utility quilts. On the other hand, The National Quilt Museum prohibits machine washing. They have excellent information for heritage quilts - or quilts we hope will become heritage.

What's your opinion?

Enjoy the day, Ann

26 comments:

KaHolly said...

This little quilt came out so sweet! Thanks for the link to your care page! So far, after thirty plus years of gifting quilts, no one has ever had a problem with my quilts and fingers crossed that with the brighter, more vibrant colors, this will remain to be true. I’ve had opportunity to visit and sleep under some of these quilts. Some are so old, I’d forgotten I’d even made them!

patty a. said...

The housetop quilt is so pretty! I give my quilts and hope they will be used. I did get a picture a few months ago of one of my quilts with a baby and it doesn't look like they have used it, but that's ok too.

BJ said...

Such a cute quilt! I hope they use it as intended. I long ago stopped fussing about how people use the quilts I make for them. I give them away with instructions to USE them until they're worn out - I can always make more. I'm now quilting for another generation and it's fun watching the previous generation finally loosen up. One of these days I'll make an heirloom quilt, but I'll keep it for my own home so I can freak out in private 🙂. Thanks for the care tips. I like the idea of typed details and instructions.

JoniStrother said...

I love your quilt, Ann. I know the baby will too. My instructions are very simple, which makes sense in the world of a new parent. Machine wash and dry gentle, use a Color Catcher and enjoy it until it is in tatters. I hope your quilt becomes the toddler's favorite!

Janie said...

Baptist fans, perfect choice for quilting!
I think the colors are just right for a little one too.
Nice finish.

audrey said...

Such a sweet finish! Love the gentle curved stitching with the log cabin blocks especially. You are on a roll lately!

Mel Beach said...

Thank you Ann for sharing the wonderful resources about Quilt Care. Hopefully it will help the lucky recipients to enjoy your beautiful work for many years to come!

Cathy said...

Oh how cute! The free motion fans are fabulous. I've been very afraid to try them free motion. And every quilt needs a few novelties.

Nifty Quilts said...

Wow! That was fast. The result is really fantastic. Love the fan quilting for the perfect texture.

Ann said...

It's a joy to sleep under quilts we've gifted. And yes, there are a few so old I'd forgotten them. Because I wash quilts before gifting there haven't been problems with the dyes but loads of people think they should dry clean them or are completely confused about reasonable care. Like you, I prefer they are used and loved to death rather than stored for the future.

Ann said...

Linda's are the prettiest I'd seen and they inspired me to try it, too. What fun to receive a photo of the quilt with the baby. Hopefully (s)he will love it so much it will be drug around daily. Yay.

Ann said...

We think alike, BJ. I prefer they use them to tatters but also hope they don't use them as drop cloths until they are in tatters. Fortunately my kids were raised to use them and they love quilts. I do have some "heirlooms" but as you write, they are at my house.
Thanks for liking the typed details. There are too many things for people to remember. I like written instructions myself. And I make baby, lap, and bed quilts as gifts so think it helps them all.

Ann said...

Your instructions are better. Mine started with some t-shirt quilts. The young women wanted to keep them bright as long as possible. I hope this quilt will begin a lifetime's enjoyment of quilts. Thanks for writing, Joni.

Ann said...

They are becoming a favorite. The size works well for domestic quilting and the shape adds lots of texture on printed fabrics. These are the colors the parents chose. Isn't it fun to see all the color choices parents make? Thanks, Janie.

Ann said...

Thanks, Audrey. These simple quilting designs are so easy and actually look better than some of the tough designs I've used previously. Hmm. Plus, small quilts are much faster. Good thing since I have several to finish.

Ann said...

I'm glad they are useful to you, Mel. It does help to see different ways to care for quilts. I will always remember an old photo of wash day on the frontier. The woman was boiling her quilts in a large iron kettle. In the background, others were strung on a clothesline. Obviously she was more concerned with nits and mildew.

Ann said...

I think this is my fourth or fifth Fan quilt recently and I feel I'm getting better. (Just wait. The next one will be a disaster.) Trying it on some small quilts first definitely helped build my skills. I'm sure you could do it, too, Cathy.

Ann said...

Thanks, LeeAnn. This is a small quilt so it only took an afternoon to machine it.

Preeti said...

Baptist Fans is the perfect quilting pattern for this quilt. Love the strawberry mint colors. It is absolutely adorable, cuddle worthy and beautiful. It is a promise of Spring in the middle of this horribly frigid weather.

Kaja said...

The fans give it the perfect texture and the whole thing is just lovely. I'm with you: I want my quilts to be used and if they get a bit worn or even battered in the process, so be it.

Janice Holton said...

I just love this quilt and the Baptist Fan quilting is perfect with it. I really want to learn how to do this! This color scheme is just gorgeous!

Ann said...

Thanks, Preeti. The parents like it and I hope the baby will, too. We certainly need some Spring now. Stay safe and warm.

Ann said...

Thanks, Kaja. I do want people to use the quilts... as quilts, not as drop cloths. A friend's husband used his grandmother's quilt that way. That said, whatever they do with it is ok. More use is better. Saving a quilt for "future generations" is silly IMO. If this generation doesn't learn to enjoy and use them, why would the next generations? But if they don't "properly appreciate" it they simply won't get another. And you know that threat has them quaking in their boots.

Ann said...

Thanks, Janice. Julie at quiltdivajulie gave me some information that helped. Look on her blog; she's been working on Baptist Fans, too. Good luck. Hope to see your BFs soon.

Turid said...

What a beautiful quilt. And a really good idea to join an instruction sheet when you give it away.

Ann said...

Thank you. I'm glad you like it, too. I think written instructions are helpful. By the time they need to wash it, they often can't remember exactly what to do.