A Mystery Quilt Block

One of the Clawson Quilting Sisters brought fifty quilt blocks that had belonged to her mother and which she has had for decades. She was hoping I could tell her something about them.

The blocks were machine pieced except for the y-seams which were hand pieced. The pink prints and white fabric are in good condition, silky, a good quality, and not at all brittle.

Because the fabrics were a fine quality, I did not believe they dated to the Depression Era, but perhaps late 20th c.

First, I checked out Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Blocks. There were blocks similar, but they had outer pieces and the star was positioned differently. My friend's blocks has the points of the star meeting the pieced while bar center.

I shared the photos to the Facebook group Quilts Antique and Vintage. And I searched online.

I found a block called the Road to Florida, or Florida.

The diagram below shows the pieced bars that look like my friend's blocks. But...the star points are differently placed.

Here is the block, called Florida. 

I was asked if the star were hand appliqued and positioned differently, but it is not.

One FB quilter suggested the block was Stars and Bars, and I found this example online. Still not exactly like my friend's quilt blocks.

Again, similar, with more quilt pieces and still with the star positioned differently.

I will keep looking.

Sensational Quilts for Scrap Lovers: 11 Easily Pieced Projects; Color & Cutting Strategies by Judy Gauthier

Seeing the vibrant quilt on the cover, I couldn't resist looking into Sensational Quilts for Scrap Lovers. The author and designer Judy Gauthier writes, "Playing with my fabric scraps is my all-time favorite sport," and she can't stay away from devising new ways to use them. 

Gauthier shares tips for creating and storing your scraps, including odd shapes and scraps with bias edges. She offers advice on storing scraps by color. A brief course on color theory helps you decide on scrap selection for your project, including how to transition colors.

Along with her basic go-to Keystone block, Gauthier includes instructions on piecing curves.

I was pleased to learn that Gauthier stores her scraps in 3 1/2", 4 1/2" and 5 1/2" squares. I have been doing that for years! I store mine by size in baggies in a shoe storage tower similar to the one pictured below. (I have a second one filled with fat quarters!)

The eleven quilt projects include:

• Frontal Boundaries, which uses 4" blocks to make a 68 1/2" x 97" quilt. Gauthier transitions color to flow across the quilt. Detailed instructions ensure you can recreate your own version.

Frontal Boundaries

• True North's color transition starts in the center and extends outward. The two blocks offer an impression of a compass. The 8" blocks finish to make a 91" x 91" quilt.
• Argyle Sweater uses 8" blocks to make a 74" by 85 1/2" quilt. It was made with scraps left from True North. The overlapping on-point squares against a solid background recall the classic sweater design.

Argyle Sweater

• Split Screens' 16" blocks finish to a 48 1/2" x 64 1/2" quilt. It uses her Keystone block with a dark neutral allowing the colors to pop.

• Precious Metals, 60 1/2" x 70 1/2", is made of 5" x 10" blocks. The bias edges must be handled with care, but it's worth it for the affect. Gauthier's quilt of gold colored blocks interspersed with colored bars is stunning.
• Sleepy Tiny Tepee Town, 62 1/2" x 78", is made of blocks that look like camping tents or teepees. The bias edges need to be handled carefully, but the construction is quite easy.
• The Knit Stitch is composed of 10" x 5" blocks, 60 blocks creating a 50 1/2" x 60 1/2" quilt. Gauthier says the pattern leaves little waste. It could make a lovely gift for a knitter friend!
• Fractured Four-Patch is made of a four-patch triangle and finishes to 78 1/2" x 93". It is one of my favorites in the book, very scrappy, with value contrasts creating lots of movement. 

Fractured Four-Patch

• Circle gets the Square is made with 21" square blocks, nine making a 63 1/2" square quilt. Pieced low-contrast backgrounds made of squares are set with centered circle blocks. The piecing technique is for advanced sewers...but frankly, I would applique the circle!
• Aerial View finishes to 58" x 70 1/2", using 100 5 3/4" x 7" blocks. It is the color and value placement that recreates a feeling of fields from an airplane. It is a very Modern quilt.
• Sunrise, Sunset is the cover quilt and finishes to 77" x 80 1/2". It is constructed of half-hexagons set together with an appliqued central circle.

Learn more about Judy Gauthier at her websites

https://studioefabrics.net/judy-gauthier-1/

https://www.bungalowquilting.com/

Gauthier is a nurse and offers a tutorial for the mask pattern sold at her shop

https://www.bungalowquilting.com/tutorials/home-made-ppe/

I was given a free ebook by the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Sensational Quilts for Scrap Lovers: 11 Easily Pieced Projects; Color & Cutting Strategies
by Judy Gauthier
C&T Publishing
Book $27.95; eBook $22.99
ISBN 9781617458682
eISBN 9781617458699

Divided Hearts: A Civil War Friendship Quilt by Barbara Brackman

Barbara Brackman is one of my favorite quilt historians and bloggers. I love how she combines history, genealogy research, quilting and women's work, and women's history in her research.

Her newest book, Divided Hearts , arose from her free block of the month patterns on her Civil War Quilts blog. 

Inspired by friendship quilts created between 1840 and 1861, Brackman focuses on women with 'divided hearts', Northern women living in the South, and Southern women educated in the North, or with families divided by the Civil War. 

The twelve blocks represent the most popular pieced quilt designs of this time, frequently found in friendship quilts. The blocks are presented in 12" and 8" sizes. The patterns include patterns for inked signatures.

Blog followers who participated in sewing the blocks and completing the quilt are represented in the book. The variety of interpretations is broad, from reproduction fabrics reflecting those of the mid-19th c. to the use of contemporary fabrics with a modern vibe.

Brackman is a premier quilt historian who created the first collections of existent pieced and applique quilt patterns. Her knowledge on quilt history is outstanding. But she goes further with her deep research into the women who made quilts or owned quilts.

In Divided Hearts, readers learn about twelve women's lives that spanned the divide. Photographs and maps accompany the biographies. History comes alive through these women. Resources are given for those who want to 'read more'.

• Indiana Fletcher, from a Yankee family who moved to the South. Wandering Lover quilt block
• Mary Lyon and Mount Holyoke. (Emily Dickinson attended Mount Holyoke briefly.) Lend and Borrow quilt block
• Constance Fenimore Woolson, a Northern girl who attended school with Southern girls. Friendship Star quilt block.( Read my review a biography of Woolson by Anne Boyd Rioux here.)
• Sarah Powell Leeds, a Quaker teacher. Quaker Pride quilt block
• Charlotte Forten Grimke' was the daughter of a Freeman. Charlotte married Rev. Francis J. Grimke. Francis's father was brother to Angelina and Sarah Grimke, plantation born women who became Quakers and abolitionists. His mother was Nancy Weston, Henry's slave mistress. Cross and Crown quilt block. (I first read about Charlotte in Lift Up Thy Voice: The Grimke Family's Journey from Slaveholders to Civil Rights Leaders by Mark Perry.)
• The Petigru Sisters, Southern women who went to school in the North. Mary Petigru Chestnut and Sue Petigru King had a contentious relationship. Mary Chestnut's diary is quite famous. Madame's Star quilt block
• Caroline Russell Seabury, a New England educator who taught in the South. Chimney Sweep quilt block.
• Mittie Bulloch Roosevelt, Teddy's beloved mother. The Southern Bullochs summered in the North. Southern Cross quilt block.
• Mary Ann Todd Lincoln was born in Kentucky and her family were Confederates. Lexington Belle quilt block
• Elizabeth Keckley and Anna Burwell. Keckley was a servant in the Burwell household. She became Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker and trusted friend. Carolina Lily quilt block.(I first read about her in Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckly : The Remarkable Story of the Friendship Between a First Lady and a Former Slave by Jennifer Fleischner.) 
• Emily Wharton Sinkler was the daughter of a Philadelphia lawyer who wed a Southern man. Double Star quilt block
• Emma Willard and her 'every-widening circle' is represented by the This and That quilt block.

Each block includes instructions and examples. Various settings are offered: straight setting; alternating with double nine-patch blocks; on-point with sashing and applique; on-point with pieced border; on-point as a wall hanging of five blocks. A Gallery of finished quilts completes the book.

Quilters will have fun making the quilt their own. You don't have to be a quilt maker to enjoy reading the history and biographies of these amazing women.

Read Brackman's blog post about her book at
http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2020/04/my-new-book-divided-hearts.html

I was given a free egalley by the publisher. My review is fair and unbiased.

Divided Hearts, A Civil War Friendship Quilt: Historical Narratives, 12 Blocks, Instruction & Inspirations
Barbara Brackman
Book ( $29.95 )
eBook ( $23.99 )
ISBN 9781617458880
eISBN 9781617458897

I made Brackman's previous BOM patterns for Hospital Sketches and Austen Family Album.

Hospital Sketches by Nancy A. Bekofske

Austen Family Album by Nancy A. Bekofske

Blue and White Quilts

Blue has been my favorite color for most of my life.

The color blue is associated with the wide expanses of water and sky, bringing a sense of serenity and peace. It slows our pulse, calms our mind. Paired with white, it can recall an intense blue sky over a field of snow. It feels clean and brisk.

Dark blue is rated a favorite color. It has gravitas, appealing to men, and is used for corporate logos. It is thoughtful and reliable.

Light blues are used in logos for health organizations. It feels soft and approachable, perfect for babies. It is the color of purity, the color of the Virgin Mary's robe.

It is no wonder that blue and white quilts attract attention.

Now, That Patchwork Place is offering quilters a whole book of quilt patterns on this color scheme!

Blue and White Quilts includes 13 patterns from well-known designers like MODA designers Lissa Alexander and Lisa Bonegean.

Country Surprise by Nancy Mahoney, 77 1/2" x 77 1/2"

 I love the subtle variation in blues in the star quilt above. It makes the stars twinkle!

Cornered by Jill Shaulis,79" x 79"

Blue and white antique quilts inspired some of these patterns. But the instructions are not antique--all the modern tricks and hints and methods are included.

To the Nines by Camille Roskelley, 63 1/2" x 75 1/2"

The nine-patch variation quilt above would be a great way to use up a stash of blue fabrics! It uses a strip-piecing method. I love how the nine-patch white corner squares are against the white background, giving the quilt a light and airy look!

Antique quilt from the collection of Jennifer Keltner, 52 1/2" x 65 1/2"

This Hunter's Star is not as difficult as it looks, thanks to the method used in this book.

Tree of Life by Paula Barnes, 98 1/2" x 98 1/2"

The classic Tree of Life pattern uses Star Singles papers.

Bliss by Debbie Roberts, 70 1/2" x 70 1/2"

An applique border on a pieced quilt always brings it to the next level.

Sapphire Star by Lisa Bongean, 80 1/2" x 80 1/2"

Sapphire Star is made of nearly 2,000 half-square triangle units. Lisa's secret is starch.

Timeless designed by Sherri McConnell, 53" x 53"

Sherri's design Timeless is inspired by an antique quilt.

Singing the Blues designed by Helen Stubbings,4 8 1/2" x 48 1/2"

I love applique and this medallion style wall hanging combines flowers and birds with Wild Goose Chase borders.

Antique Album, collection of Jennifer Keltner, 70 1/2" x 81 3/4"

The antique quilt above proves that all blues go together!

Midnight Sky by Laurie Simpson, 41" x 41"

 White stars on a navy background bring a modern vibe to a traditional pattern.

Blueberry Crumb Cake by Lissa Alexander, 75 1/2" x 85 1/2"

I love the curved appeal of orange peel! Usually, the pattern is set side-by-side, but this variation with a double border and four-patch units is just wonderful. Don't fret about curves: this is an easy applique quilt!

Baskets in Blue antique quilt in the collection of Julie Hendricksen, 62 1/2" x 71 1/8"

Which blue and white quilt is now on your list to make?

I was given access to a free ebook in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Blue and White Quilts
That Patchwork Place
December 6, 2019
ISBN 9781683560395, 1683560396
Paperback & ebook  $27.99 USD
(ebook alone -$8)

Find my review of Red & White Quilts here.

Patchwork Quilt Design Coloring Book & 24-Hour Quilting Projects

Lovely book mail from Dover Publications included two super books--Patchwork Quilt Designs Coloring Book and Rita Weiss's 24-Hour Quilting Projects.

This coloring book was a fortuitous arrival as I am recovering from surgery and needing to 'take it easy,' something I am not used to doing.

The 31 pages of quilt designs presented by Carol Schmidt include a variety of styles, from patchwork samplers to applique samplers.

 I decided to try my hand with the Crazy Quilt.

Patchwork Quilt Design Coloring Book

Carol Schmidt

Dover Publications

ISBN-13: 978-0-486-78031-3

$5.99

*****

Quilters are always looking for fast and easy projects for gifting. We want patterns that are adaptable to different fabric choices, interesting yet simple, and with no-fail instructions.

In 24-Hour Quilting Projects, Rita Weiss offers twenty quilts of all sizes that can be constructed in a day--or less!

Most are pieced patterns based on traditional blocks including the Log Cabin, star variations, nine-patch, and pinwheels. She includes several quilts that combine appliqué and piecing. Each pattern tweaks the traditional block for an interesting twist.

Also included are full-page color photograph of the completed quilt, materials and yardage lists, step-by-step instructions for making blocks, borders, and completing the quilt, and a useful color picture layout of the completed quilt.

I especially was impressed with her general quiltmaking instructions with great information for beginning quilters. Her rotary cutting guide is detailed with lots of photographs and includes instructions for right and left-handed persons, She also has guides for 'stitch and flip' methods, chain piecing, binding, fussy cutting, and appliqué.

Rosebuds 50" x 56"

Originally published in 2005, 24-Hour Quilting Projects is now republished by Dover Publications. The fabric choices and colors in Weiss' projects reflect her preference for bright colors and the prints of 2005. Contemporary quilters can image these patterns in the fabrics trending today.

For instance, her Angel Fantasy includes a fussy-cut 9 1/2" block using a print of angels which is no longer available, but today's quilter can choose one of the wonderful new prints available as a feature fabric.

24-Hour Quilt Patterns
Rita Weiss
Dover Publications
Publication Date: March 12, 2016
$19.95

Lynette's Best-Loved Stitcheries

Four Seasons Wall Hanging, 27" x 24", is on the cover

Lynette Anderson offers stitchers a new book filled with country cottage ambiance, with sweet bungalows and blooming gardens, angelic gardeners and adorable four-legged friends. She is inspired by the British country village of her childhood.

Lynette's Best-Loved Stitcheries: 13 Cottage-Style Projects You'll Adore includes
projects perfect for gifting and quilts to enhance your home's walls. Lynette loves to make projects that can be used every day.

Meadow Cottage Tote, 14" x 14". The tote includes inside pockets.

Sunshine and Flowers Pillow, 15 1/2" x 15 1/2"

I so love the use of applique and buttons and embellishments incorporated into the designs.

Lynette shares her techniques for transferring and marking embroidery designs, how to prevent thread shadowing, and includes a stitch guide. She explains how to use variegated floss successfully.

Count Your Blessings Mini-Quilt, 9 1/2" x 14"

Prairie Points enhance Lynette's needlecase holder and the scissors holder has a tassel cord, seen below. You learn so many techniques in this book!

Springtime Needle Case and Scissors Holder

Lynette shares her technique for giving fabric a vintage look by speckling, seen below in the Redwork pillows.

Redwork Pillows, 8 1/2" x 10"

Lynette offers a tutorial on her favorite applique techniques, turned-edge and Apliquick. The patterns are reversed so fusible applique can also be used.

I enjoy needle-turn applique myself but was interested to learn about Apliquick which uses semi-water-soluble paper and special rods to hold and roll turned edges of the applique pieces. Every stage of the process is shown in photographs and instructions.

One-Stitch-At-A-Time Sewing addy, 8" x 6" x 3 3/4"

The sewing caddy, above, has a hexagon back! Lynette includes English Paper Pieced hexagon instructions with photographs.

Potting Shed Journal Cover, 6 3/4" x 8 3/4", and Pencil Case, 8" x 5"

I love the oval insert on the Potting Shed Journal Cover, above. The lighter background for the embroidery makes it pop and the darker fabric frames it beautifully. The Hexie Pencil Case could also hold your needlework tools and threads!

Home Sweet Home Redwork,  3" x 6 1/2"

The book is sold as softcover and ebook with patterns available online to print.

I was given access to a free ebook by the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Visit Lynette's blog to keep up on her latest designs and news:
https://lynetteandersondesigns.typepad.com/
Lynette owns the Little Quilt Store in Australia where you can purchase her patterns and the tools, threads, and embellishments shown in the projects.
https://www.littlequiltstore.com.au/collections/all

Lynette's Best-Loved Stitcheries
by Lynette Anderson
Martingale
ISBN: 9781683560128
$27.99 softcover (-$8 ebook)
Publication Date: July 1st, 2019