Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Fifth Chinese Coins Quilt


Jade Snow Wong's autobiography, Fifth Chinese Daughter, relates a first generation girl's struggle to find her identity in both her family and American society. Published in 1950, it has never been out of print and still resonates with women worldwide.

This is my fifth Chinese Coins quilt for #AHIQChineseCoins. Who'd have thought there would be a series of this basic design? Not me. However, the simple structure has given me freedom to explore other ideas. I've found quite a bit to say.

It amuses me that Coins was one of my go-to plans for philanthropy quilts - a quick, mindless way to use up scraps. I made a dozen quickies before my current exploration began with this improvisational version. Now I an enthralled with Coins. Two more quilts are percolating in the back of my mind.


Designing a Chinese Coin quilt with vintage household materials
Chinese Coin quilt using vintage household materials
So what's different this time?

First, it uses household fabrics and old clothing. While DH's shirts have appeared for a while this is the first time I've used kitchen goods and old dresses. It has a homier, old-fashioned, and quieter feel that continues with the quilting scraps.

Second, I didn't differentiate the columns. Look back at Pflugerville Coins where a different set of fabrics makes each column; no overlap. This time the fabrics are distributed across all columns and will depend on the vertical sewing lines to highlight individual columns.

I wasn't sure how well this would work and set a (short) sashing strip between two columns but don't think it will be necessary. It doesn't add to the conversation right now.

Perhaps the top needs a bit of bright green. It may be too quiet. [That would never do for me.]

Designing a Chinese Coin quilt with vintage household materials
Adding strings to a Chinese Coin quilt
Still adding judicious amounts of red. It's very easy for me to overdo color so we'll see how these work when the rest of the strings are added.

I got my Christmas present early. DH bought me a new sewing room chair. The old one was perfectly fine except it no longer stays up. Every time I set it in the highest position, it soon sinks to the lowest one so my shoulders align with the sewing table. The arms on the new one fit under my table but I may take them off. It's just a test right now.

New sewing room chair
Christmas morning I'll act very surprised with my gift.

Enjoy the day, Ann