Goodbye to Dutchman's Puzzle

It is not happy people who are thankful. It is thankful people who are happy.

~unknown

Quilting

Things move in fits and starts here. A couple of events have been postponed so I may be out longer than I originally planned. As time permits I'll try to post here but still have the comments off. Sorry.

One of my great-aunts made this Dutchman's Puzzle quilt top. I always loved the Dutch blue polished cotton counterpane blocks and saw it every day because my mother used it as a table topper by the reading chair just outside my room. 

I'm not sure who caused the red stain on the side but admit I laid my scissors on it until I poked a hole in one of the blue blocks.

As we got ready to move I checked it carefully. Although it's not visible in this photo, many of the triangles are shredding. 

Dutchman's Puzzle quilt top circa 1930

I called my sister, took photos, and donated it. Perhaps someone will find something to do with it.

Quilt Specifics

Size: 81" x 81"

Design: Dutchman's Puzzle top

Made by one of my Great-Aunts 

Year: ~1930s

Reading

The Music Shop has been on my list for a while and I finally took the time to read it. Rachel Joyce has an eye for misfits and a deep joy in discovering the best of us when we work together. On Unity Street a group of misfits and outsiders find common ground when the woman in the green coat faints outside Frank's record store where he uses music as therapy for his customers. 

The storyline is good but the way Rachel weaves her knowledge of composers and musicians into the story elevates it to a captivating tale.

Enjoy the day, Ann

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.

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.]

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

Kaleidoscope of Butterflies #23

Cathy and I have decided this will be the last linkup for Kaleidoscope of Butterflies for a while. We've enjoyed the quilts, butterfly photos, and ideas for creating butterfly-friendly gardens. We hope you have too.

A few weeks ago QS captured some wonderful images of milkweed in her yard: a pod bursting with seeds...

Milkweed seeds with fluff

and blowing in the wind.

Milkweed seeds ready to float away

No live butterflies around here but I beaded one for the second Christmas stocking. Of course, the original idea was to bead a monarch but there's no need to be literal. I originally intended to let some of the felt show like the other ornaments. Got a little carried away. The mitten looks sweet. The snowman's carrot nose is perfect but he needs coal eyes. And it's all sewn down. Oops. You can tell I don't bead much: no consistent style but it's fun to try to figure these designs out. As long as they are bright and colorful, I think the grandchildren will be pleased.

Beaded Christmas Stocking in progress

Several of the vintage fabric Chinese Coins are sewed into pairs and on the design wall. [For a nanosecond I considered making it completely random, without any layout. Fortunately I returned to my senses.] The fabrics are mostly blue, white, cream, and black although the two curtain cutoffs were cream with light green or red pinstripe plaid. I envision this quilt as quiet and old-fashioned but... it's just too quiet.

I found one purple polka dot remnant from my sister's apron which inspired me to add a few more purples.

Still too quiet.

It got a bit better when I added a few greens but...

What about a bit of red?

Laying out pairs of
Chinese Coins into a quilt top

Enjoy the day, Ann

InLinkz removed because it was hacked.

Planned and Unplanned Improv; AHIQ 27

Pillows
The small group met and I finished my two improv pillows. Just as planned. They're small and portable, an excellent project when there's not a lot of room to spread out.

Thanks again to Chris English who posted many exciting pillows on Instagram. He inspired me to try my hand at this delightful technique. They look great in the living room and actually coordinate with the bow pillow I made a couple of years ago. {This one was my first sample. Mailed the second one after all the kinks were worked out. AND it looks so much better after I rinsed it again then ironed while it was damp.}

Coordinating pillows for the living room

The backs have a hidden zipper closure so they can be washed easily. The directions came from Chris Dodsley.

Pillow backs with hidden zippers

1. Cutting fabric for the improv pillows
2. Sewing the front of the improv pillows
3. Bow pillow with mattress ticking

Shh. I bought DH a new shirt for Christmas but also plan to return these former shirts to him. It sounds funny to me.

Security
Traveling these days means loads of security checks. I spied a quilt shop when we went out for tacos in Dallas and was amused by their sign:

Dog treat warning sign, Bernina quilt shop, Plano TX

Search and seizure everywhere.

Unplanned Improv
As I was putting the leftover Marimekko binding away my body was suddenly co-opted. Invasion of the Body Snatchers! Cue scary music. Suddenly I found myself opening a box of old household fabric and pulling out:

• One old sundress
• Two vintage shirts from DH
• One skirt
• Three napkins
• Two curtain cutoffs

Then I grabbed remnants from three blouses. {Tiny bits of these appear as petals in A Daisy a Day. Before I knew it everything was cut into narrow and wide coins along with some strings from the scrap bag.

Coin strings cut from vintage and remnant fabrics

After looking at the pile I added a few smidge-bits from the stash. [You know. Not a string but much less than a fat quarter.] One fabric was purchased twenty-five years ago and last used in The Live Oak. Time to finish it off.

What have I done? Completely unplanned. I don't need to start another project right now! This quarter was supposed to be time to finish previous projects and Christmas gifts.

Those dang aliens.

Enjoy the day, Ann

InLinkz removed because it was hacked.

Bunches of Backs and Some Improv

Doubling Down on Backs

All summer long {Beach Boys version here} I've been giddily making quilt tops with no thought to the rest of the work involved. Now reality sets in. Seven quilts in the queue and five were sewn this summer.  Fortunately I picked up several quilt batts on sale.

The next step is to make some backs. The easiest way is to lay the top on the floor and cover it with fabric. Here's a glimpse of the newest five.

Quilt backs ready to pin baste

I have very low standards for backs. As long as the fabric is good quality and the combination doesn't make me sick, it's a go. Older fabrics preferred since this is a great way to use 'em up and move 'em out. {Rawhide!}

Not the most exciting part, but an important step in the process. Now to pin, quilt and bind them.

Improv Pillow-to-be

I've been admiring Chris English on Instagram. Like Kaja he works with vintage shirts but makes pillows instead of quilts. My small group is sold on experimenting with improvisation and, although we probably don't have his exact process, we sure are having fun.

These are three shirts DH "retired", cut into strips: a faded denim-colored corduroy, a plaid, and a solid white. They are all 100% cotton but the white is also no-iron. They mean it. It hardly holds pressing at all. Hopefully, quilting will take care of that.

Clockwise from the lower left: cut shirts into strips, sewed strips into sets, cut and sewed strips together. Stopping now until our next work day.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Second Scrappy Trip with Vintage Fabric

Still using those vintage strips but this time the quilt includes some pinks. It's a Grandmother Quilt for my college roommate. She says it reminds her of our junior year in college. {I'm not sure why that year in particular but she has a much better memory than I.} And she thinks stains won't show on this quilt very much. Ha!

Green Scrappy Trip with Red and Pink

A Grandmother Quilt is a way to celebrate. There's no way I could keep up with quilts for each grandchild of my friends. {Especially when I couldn't keep up with quilts for their children.} The grandmother or grandfather gets one on the birth of the first grandchild. They keep it and use it at their house. Or whatever. But no more quilts.

I'm still using my own method to make these blocks. Three blocks from each strip set. I prefer not having the same repeat on each side of the main diagonal. But look at that left side block with white on both sides of red/black. I like lots of green on both sides but wish I hadn't put white on both sides. Just need to pay attention to the sets and what is sewn next to what.

Like those late night ads say, "But wait. There's still more." Perhaps enough for two more small quilts. I'll leave those for another day. Definitely maybe this year. Ha.

We noticed this quote painted on a wall in San Francisco: "There's a loophole for that." So many places to apply it.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Repurposing

While I'd like to work on some entirely new quilts {as well as a few new shirts}, I committed to resolving my UFOs. They need some new time in the light to determine whether they should be finished or donated. Tastes and interests change over the years. In January it seemed easy to say I'd get through this process within the year. After all, none of them were hidden. Haha. No; they're simply lost in the closet. Like this one.

Half these strips were originally cut to make a coat with Seminole piecing. It's hard to make a coat when it was never worked on after the class. Eventually these bits ended up in an old box of clothing patterns. That's one of the reasons I switched to clear boxes a few years ago - easier to see what's in them.

The colors are still some of my favorites and I know a young man who likes green so it was easy to repurpose the strips. Sixteen blocks make a good toddler sized quilt. No border. Notice they all have reds on the main diagonal. {Even though some were sewn into blocks already, I avoided the pinks for this top. Cherry picking.}

Green Scrappy Trip Around the World top with red

 It's interesting how the block boundaries are hidden in this quilt. But... Where did purple come from? The printed fabric below had some chartreuse mixed with purples and blue. Then I looked in the scrap bag and found two more tiny bits of purple so it wouldn't be so lonesome. And this is how I never make a two-color quilt.

Vintage and newer fabrics create these Scrappy Trip blocks

There are seventeen vintage versus eleven newer fabrics in the photo above. Good way to use up older stuff while updating, too. There are still a bunch of strips so I'll be making at least one more top. This wasn't exactly my plan for the month but I'm glad to keep the fabric moving.

In the evenings I'm still binding the Strippy Nine Patch. Finally on the last side. {Late night photo so the color is way off.}

Sewing the binding 

Lastly, we're enjoying the birthday roses. I only wish my thumb was green like Maureen's.

Birthday Roses

Enjoy the day, Ann

Trip Progress

Even though a stack of tops is building, it's too hot to quilt this week. Instead I arranged Scrappy Trips using fabric was originally intended for a long jacket/short coat. These were cut for Seminole piecing inserts and there wasn't much color variation. Basically medium to dark green, red to hot pink-red, and tan to brown, a few black strips. Mostly green. Very funky green.

Ready to create Mini Trips

I added some chartreuse and creamy whites to brighten the blocks. With  2.5" strips it only takes six to make a block. Funny. I'm so accustomed to using eight that it was difficult to limit each set.

No idea how this will turn out. Hopefully the limited color palette will evoke Audrey's beautiful Blue Plumes. That will be a trick! I admire two- and three-color quilts greatly but have never been able to actually make one.

Enjoy the day, Ann