Can you believe it is almost St. Patrick’s Day? The year of 2023 is flying by. However, as quilters we love those Irish Chains patterns and designs. Simple and elegant. Or homey and comfortable. Maybe modern. How about in Amish colors? Or green and white? So why not celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by showing off a three Irish Chains quilts? This is the perfect quilt for beginner quilters, or any quilter wanting an easy pattern to make. Best of all,…
This quilter is fascinated by historical quilts, especially those made 1820 and before. I have been researching historical quilts for many years. Quilts of Virginia 1607-1899 was purchases specifically because of the few historical quilts that were in it. Finding Martha Washington quilts in it was a bonus to me. However, the book contains many examples of quilts and quilting – especially the mid to late 1800’s. Yes, most of the quilts in this wonderful book are past the time…
Quilters love to show off quilts to anyone who will stop long enough to look – we are just like that. Yep, we are show-offs, at least when it comes to our quilts. I thought that starting off this week by showing off quilts would be a great way to deal with Monday. All these photos were taken in June 1995 in Montana. A co-worker allowed me to “borrow” the old barn and wooden fence on her family farm for…
My goal for Colonial Times 1 was to make a simple patchwork and applique quilt. I wanted to heavily quilt it. And I wanted the quilting to be the real showcase for this quilt. From the comments I get when showing this quilt, the goal was successful. I pieced and quilted this lovely quilt in 2015-16. The piecing was done by machine. And the small section of hexagons was English paper pieced and hand appliqued. I love how blue and…
For those readers who do not know me personally – I am a history nut. My favorite time period is 1400 to 1820. Lots went on across the world, including in textile production and quilting. I recently re-looked at the historic collection of quilts at the Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles and thought you might find some inspiration there. This quilt guild has a wonderful website with lots to explore. Allow time for poking around. This is not a…
Do you need a quick and easy project to decorate for fall? It could not get simpler than this Autumn Table Runner. Table runners are great projects for trying out a new pattern or technique. The size and small number of needed blocks makes them perfect for beginner quilters too. And it is a great way to try out color combinations, and machine vs. hand quilting. Autumn is my favorite season. I love the colors, the weather, and the activities…
I needed some inspiration for a small, quilted project this week. This led to going through my scrap books of quilts that I have made or quilted. Which led to “walking” down a memory lane of vintage quilts. Come along with me. Maybe you will get an idea or two for a quilt project. Background for these quilts For many years I had a hand quilting service. It was a great way to make some extra money while being home…
The quilted clothing in the Victoria & Albert Museum collection in London, England has a wealth of historical items. Yes, there are more modern items than the three items here that pertain to the 1700’s women’s clothing. Petticoats: According to the information on this petticoat that is currently in storage, it was made in Great Britain between 1740-1770. It is made of silk, wool, and linen. Petticoats were a normal part of woman’s clothing during at least the 18th century in Europe and…
I purchased this beautiful Antique Compass Rose quilt top at an antique store in Vincennes, IN for $48 in 2010. Another name for Compass Rose is Mariner’s Compass. It is unusual because it is all in solids. I had never seen another one like this. It was hand pieced, and the stitches are wonderful. The quilt did not come with any maker information. Old fabrics: I believe the top was pieced about the time of World War I based on…
What is not to adore about the simple beauty of Irish Chain quilts!? Today I thought I would share this lovely quilt I made years ago for my wonderful hubby. This beautiful green & white Irish Chain uses many St. Patrick Day themed fabrics collected over many years. And since he has a lot of Irish ancestry the idea seemed to fit together well. Easy to assemble: The nine patch blocks are made of 3″ squares. The white alternate block…
