FRIENDLY VILLAGE TABLE RUNNER

I'm retired from quilt making, but I still make quilts.

Does that make sense?

I'm retired from the BUSINESS of quilt making -- I no longer travel, teach, publish, do shows, etc.

But that doesn't mean I don't still like to make quilts.  Only now, they are smaller and their only purpose is to satisfy my creative urges.

I still try to set some goals occasionally to keep learning, be inspired, and try something different.

My current goals are to:

  1. Practice simple machine-quilting techniques.

2. Use up some of my stash/scraps.

3.  Be inspired by one of my other passions -- collecting antique and vintage dishes.

So now, I'm into making table runners that are easy to machine quilt, use up fabric, and are inspired either in color or design by my collections of dishes.  (See my previous table runner inspired by my 19th Century transferware  - click here.)

This week I finished my Friendly Village runner.

 This is the platter from my set of Friendly Village dishes by Johnson Bros.  For the runner, I pulled out the grays, red, green, and black from the dishes.

I'm still just practicing straight-line, in-the-ditch, and wavy-line quilting with my walking foot.  Still room for improvement!

Next, I think I'll pull out my pink, green, and brown fabrics for a more traditional runner inspired by my mother's Franciscan Desert Rose dishes.

I'm joining the following:
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
Quilting Readers Garden for WIPS Be Gone Friday
What a Hoot Quilts for TGIFF Friday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday

STRIP PIECING, ANYTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN?

In the 19th century, the Seminole Indians began using long strips of fabric out of necessity to make their clothing.  I'm no expert on the Seminole Indians, and there are many images on Pinterest and Google Images of the patchwork clothing they made.  An internet search will bring up lots of inspiration if you are interested.
I was first made aware of this type of patchwork in the early 1980s when Cheryl Greider Bradkin published this book.

 At the time, I didn't even have a rotary cutter, but I tried several of the techniques with my basic tools.  After this it seemed that new ideas were exploding in the strip piecing arena.  

Oh my, this is scarry!!  This is me in 1982 at some quilting event.  At the time, you didn't dare show up at a quilt show or symposium without a quilted, stripped-pieced vest.  This particular one I did some Seminole patchwork on the back!

 

 Cheryl issued another book, "Basic Seminole Patchwork" in 1996. 

And, we all know how in the 2000s we have learned all kinds of speed piecing techniques; many are just like the examples from the Seminoles in the 1800s.

And, now I'm exploring a few of those old Seminole piecing methods again.  I'm working on another table runner.  It contains several 6" blocks with some Seminole ideas incorporated.

I was working at night, and the light for photos was bad.  But check out my 1980s rotary cutter.  It is the only one I have ever had, and I use it constantly.

More later on my table runner.

I'm joining the following:

Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making

Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday

Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday

Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

DA GAMA TABLE RUNNER

A couple of weeks ago, I posted (click here) about my Da Gama textiles from South Africa; and that I had decided to make a table runner after holding the fabrics in my stash for 15 years.

The piecing all went as planned keeping it simple to showcase the fabrics.

Because my favorite hand-quilting method has become laborious from old age, bad eyesight, and arthritis, I decided I really needed to practice some machine quilting on this piece.  I've long admired     http://quarterinchfromtheedge.blogspot.com/'s  method of curvy lines done with a walking foot.  I decided that this was something I could possibly manage on my domestic machine.

With the use of a variegated thread; I, more or less, let my machine do what it wanted.  I'm pleased with the result and found it fun to do, but I have a long way to go to match Jenn's expertise.

 And then, flush with success from the machine-quilting part, I decided to try doing an all-machine binding.  I watched several tutorials, and decided to cut my binding 2" as opposed to my usual 2 1/2 inches.  I sewed the binding onto the back of the quilt to enable bringing it to the front to machine sew it down.

After sewing it down on the front for about 6 inches, I could tell I wasn't going to be happy with my skill at this point.  Ripped that out, tried again, still not happy, ripped it out, and knew I better just hand sew it down.  It is now passable, but I'm still not totally pleased with the hand sewing edge on the front.  Next time, I'll probably revert back to the methods I have used for 40 years -- a 2 1/2" folded double, stuffed with extra batting, and hand-sewn to the back.  
You never know until you try!

 The minute I discovered these fabrics in my stash I knew I had to make a table runner to go with my collection of 19th-century brown transferware.

Nothing like a little sunlight to show the quilting pattern (and my rather wonky binding).

I've added a new page title under the header photo for Table Runners.  I hope to make some more runners in the future as I practice machine-quilting.

I'm joining the following:
What a Hoot Quilts for BOMS Away Monday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Quilting Readers Garden for WIPS Be Gone Friday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

JULY'S THROWBACK THURSDAY

Flying Geese quilts have always been among my favorites.  After making a couple quilts using the usual vertical FG design, in 1989 I tried one on the diagonal.
Flight I

1989, Machine pieced, hand quilted, 38"x 38"

 

And, then another for a quick wedding gift in 2012.
Flight II

2012, Machine pieced, machine quilted, 28" x 28"

Owned by Katie Masimer-Ramirez

My first try at machine quilting -- just simple in the ditch with my walking foot.  Not very happy with my results!  I haven't tried much machine quilting since then; but I'm working on something right now.

Every quilt is a learning experience!

I'm joining the following:
Quarter Inch from the Edge for Throwback Thursday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday