OLD-SCHOOL QUILTMAKING -- THOUGHTS ON DRAFTING QUILT PATTERNS

I've been working on designing and drafting the 49 patterns for my Dear Jane (aka Dear Jeanne) quilt.  Many of the patterns appear in the books I have authored, and are in the quilts I made for magazine publications.  But, I needed to resize them all into 5" blocks.

That made me think -- with all of the wonderful patterns and computer programs available on the market today, do newer quilters even learn about quilt classification and drafting techniques?

Granted, I was a math nerd in high school so when I got heavy into quilting in the 1970s, it was natural for me to draft my own geometric patterns.

In the early 1980s, I also took several classes from Jinny Beyer -- she was (and is?) a great teacher not only of technique, but of design.

The first book of hers that I owned was "Patchwork Patterns" (1979), then "The Quilter's Album of Blocks & Borders" (1980).  She re-released these at some point, and they should be available on amazon.com. These two books really teach the fundamentals of geometric quilt design and drafting.

Drafting of complicated geometric patterns may not have any application to the modern quilting movement; but if you are interested, her books are a great place to learn about traditional block design.

Patchwork was born of frugal necessity.  Some of us who were part of the quilting revival in 1976 learned from pioneer quilters.  Part of that lesson was frugality.  I still try to practice that.

 I have never made a quilt from a purchased pattern -- saved a lot of money over the years.  Thank you, high school geometry class and Jinny Beyer!

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday
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Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

DEAR JEANNE UPDATE #1

I'm still working on the drafting of patterns to use in my Dear Jeanne quilt -- that part is easy.  But, I keep anguishing over a possible color story for the quilt.

Below, are three versions of the 'Sawtooth Star' (or Keepsake Star) that I've tried.  The yukky first one is already in the trash.  The second one is better, but I'm just not feeling the purple.  The third one I like.  Guess I'm just a red person and may break my self-imposed rule of no red in this quilt.  My Grandmother was always right -- she said every quilt needs some red in it.

I made two of the 'Court House Steps' block.  In my eyes, the red one wins (of course).

Here is the 'Calling Card' block in the two colorways.  In the purple version, I used one side of a blue dotty fabric; in the red one, I used the reverse side.

I also intend to include twelve 5" applique blocks.  So I experimented with this one (no red).  I've framed these pictures with a black border to kind of get the effect of the narrow black sashing I'm considering.

That's it for now.  I'm anxious to get going on this quilt.  Don't be surprised to see some more red in the future!

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
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Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Quilt Shop Gal for Creative Goodness Party Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday

DEAR JEANNE

On my bucket list of quilts has always been a 'Dear Jane' quilt.  But, I'm going to call mine 'Dear Jeanne'.  In my line of women of my family there are four of us with the middle name of Jeanne; and hopefully, some day (but not too soon) there will be a fifth generation named Jeanne.  She can then have this quilt made by her Great Grandmother, Sally Jeanne.

So, I'm in the planning stages.  It will be in the format of a 'Dear Jane' -- a sampler of small blocks.  The original quilt contains 169 blocks (13 blocks by 13 blocks plus the border); I'll be doing well to make 49 blocks (7x7).  The designs were drafted 4 1/2" in size originally; mine will be 5 inches.  I'm in the design and drafting phase right now using designs of blocks I have used in quilts over the last 30 or so years rather than the designs from the original quilt.

I'm also pulling fabrics from my 30-year scrap stash to establish a color story.  I'm thinking purple, pink, blue, black, gray, and white.

I made a couple of blocks to sample the size and color.

Yuk!  Don't like this one at all.

I'll refine the color choices as I progress.  For instance, I'm throwing out that pink in the corners of the star block above.  Actually, I think I'll throw the whole block away!

So, here is the same block with different fabrics.

I'm liking the idea of the blues with the gray/white/inky black -- the purple not so much. 

 I'm dying to exchange the purple for red; but I promised myself no red or brown this time.  I feel it is so important to get the color story right for a sampler with scraps quilt to control the busyness.
It must be time to step back a couple of days; let the colors percolate; and the quilt might tell me what to do.  Maybe a teal instead of purple; or possibly break my rule of no red this time.

 Currently, I'm hand quilting a couple of tops; so there won't be any finish action on this blog for awhile.  I plan to take it slow on the 'Dear Jeanne' blocks, too -- maybe two or three a week.   You can expect some in-progress reports on those in the future.

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday
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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

MORE ABOUT THE QUILT SHOW

I promise this will be the last post about the quilt show of 37 of my quilts.

The opening reception was so much fun for me and my family.  So many of our classmates, old friends, relatives, and acquaintances came to see the show.  It was a wonderful time to share not only the quilts, but the experiences of growing up and attending school in our hometown during the mid-20th century.  In the 1950s, it was the iconic "Happy Days" small town.  We were very fortunate.

Some more pictures of the show:

The show runs until August 29th when we will go back to dismantle.

I'm joining the following:
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
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Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

BEHIND THE SCENES -- HANGING A QUILT SHOW

Over the years I have curated and/or hung quite a few quilt shows.  This has been the most challenging -- simply because there are no hanging devises in place that are conducive to displaying quilts, plus instructions that I was not to put any holes in the walls.  So, I have planned and planned and hope all goes well.

I was concerned that we would even be able to transport everything in our compact SUV the 100 miles necessary, but we had room to spare.  There are eight large tubs containing 37 quilts, 2 tool totes, hanging sticks and cardboard, etc. etc.

Ready to hit the road, and hope I didn't forget anything!!!

From a previous trip to scope out the venue, I knew this was what to expect (minus the displayed artwork).

When a gallery is not designed to hang quilts, here are some ideas.

  On the left below are my lifesavers when hanging if the venue has suspended ceilings.  These hooks clip into the cross bars of the ceiling, and quilts can then be hung with fishing line attached to poles through a hanging tube on the quilt.  I don't remember where I secured these clips 25 years ago, but I think they are still available as I'm told teachers use them in their classrooms for display.  Binder clips aren't the most pleasing aesthetically, but useful to attach quilts to the front of ledges.  If you can find bulldog clips thick enough, they look better.  And, finally cardboard cut to size of the small quilts; t-pinned; and then they are able to rest supported on ledges and easels.

The two quilts, left below, are hung from the ceiling.  The picture on the right below show two quilts clipped to the ledges, and a quilt mounted on cardboard suspended between the two ledges.

I had done a lot of preplanning, so the actual installation only took about three hours for 37 quilts in the two rooms of the gallery.

We go back tomorrow night for the opening reception.  I already know of a couple of small changes I'll make before we open.  It's hard for me to ever be satisfied!!!!!  I'm sure you know how it is with color-sensitive quilt people.  For instance, that orange/green quilt above HAS to be moved and exchanged with another quilt.  Oh, well!

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
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday