All are traditional blocks for which I drafted and cut plastic templates. Then I pieced each by hand. In 1989. After that it seemed logical to hand quilt. Elaborate feathers were planned but I took this on a data shoot to work on in the evenings. Since the light was bad I just stippled everywhere. Now that seems like a lost opportunity. And I also lost interest.
I put it away but dragged it from home to home. Two years ago I got it out to work on on the evenings during the news hour. Even that wasn't consistent work. With our quilt show approaching, I decided to hand quilt the inner area and small blocks then switch to machine quilting on the sashing and outer floral. Good choices. Nothing shows on the black sashing. Originally I planned spirals but changed to quarter-inch straight lines. The floral is randomly free-motion quilted. Now that it's been washed, I can't distinguish it from the hand stippling.
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Thirty Year Sampler quilt |
Each of these is a traditional design based on various grids. For example, Dervish Star is a four-patch while Fish is based on eight-pointed star.
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Dervish Star and Fish blocks |
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Fifty-four Forty or Fight and Wheel of Fortune blocks |
I used the blue and pink fabrics in the four blocks to finish the inner diamond.
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Devil's Claws, Goose in the Pond, my variation on Michigan Star, and David and Goliath blocks |
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St. Louis Star and World's Fair blocks |
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Little Giant and King David's Crown blocks |
The center medallion is a design from an 1858 Godeys Ladies Book.
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1858 Godeys Ladies Book medallion |
Binding. Can you believe I also saved a bit of the green and black fabrics this long?
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Binding and backing of Thirty Year Sampler |
Quilt Details
Size: 84" x 84"
Design: Sampler
Batting: Mountain Mist 100%cotton
Thread: Metler quilting threads, Aurifil 50/2 cotton, DMC embroidery cotton
Quilting: Hand quilting and Machine, walking foot and free motion
Enjoy the day, Ann