MY GARDEN HAS A MOAT, DOES YOURS?

I'm not always pleased with some of my quilts after they are finished.  Here are the stories of a couple of them, both made from the same two blocks.  I'll start with the first one I made in 2004 called "Garden Maze".

Story #1

If ever there was a quilt that needed a do-over, this is it!  In the beginning, I thought the concept was o.k.; but my fabric choices fell short.  Because there was a time restraint, I had the top machine quilted.  It was sent off to my publisher for photography and inclusion in my Traditional Two Block Quilts book.  The quilt photographed even darker than it was in person, but was still to be included in the book.  Just before publication, I was notified that the book was too long for their outline; and one quilt was to be deleted.  I asked to delete Garden Maze.  They said that the book was already formatted alphabetically; and the last quilt (Zephyr - Wind of the West), would be deleted.  I had lost control because of the bottom line - that's business. 

Story #2

If you know me, you know that I appreciate and enjoy nature; but I don't want to commune with it -- it is hot, cold, windy, snowy, rainy, humid, buggy, and dirty out there.  Now, don't laugh as I have been that way since childhood.  My parents finally gave up with trying to get me to play outside, and built me a playhouse just outside the kitchen door.  That way, I could step out and go play under cover!!  Win, win for Mother and me.  As a child I also didn't enjoy going for a Sunday drive; but now I do like a good ride through the mountains or around town to look at the blooming trees, etc.

This is my way of gardening -- make a new quilt, another stab at the "Garden Maze" two blocks.  I tried this time for a more representational quilt with floral fabric, green hedges, blue ponds and moat, and white paths. 

The two blocks that produce the design.

A bird or two are hidden.

The Stats:  Garden Paths, 2021, 27"x27", Machine pieced, machine quilted.

I'm still not totally satisfied with Garden Maze #2 ("Garden Paths" AKA "My garden has a moat, does yours?") and its different fabrics and layout.  Does it redeem the first quilt?  I may have to admit to myself that this is just a bad design.

A couple of pictures that are examples of my lifestyle.  You can laugh now!

The last time I played in the dirt - 1940.
Mother said I quickly ran to her fussing
about my dirty hands.

That's me at the age of 6 forced 
outside to have my picture taken
on the backside of my playhouse.  Not happy.

RETRO ROCKETS #3

One of my 2021 goals is to dig around in my quilt closets, baskets, etc. to see what unfinished quilt tops I can find --- then, if it is worthwhile, finish them. 

I recently found this top (unquilted), along with another one in different fabrics and layout, but with the same two blocks; both tops were made in 2016.  The other one is quite wild in color and fabrics with a lot of fussy-cutting; so I plan to quilt it at a later date. This one feels more traditional.

The quilts are a combination of two different blocks combined to produce a secondary pattern; in this case, the illusion of circles.

Both quilt tops are a reincarnation of "Retro Rockets #1" and the pattern is included in my Traditional Two Block Quilts book, pages 77-82.

"Retro Rockets", 2004, 46"x46"

I don't hardly remember making either of these two tops that I just found, but I have enjoyed quilting this one recently.  As always, I'm still learning and experimenting with machine quilting using some of the design techniques that I used with hand quilting.  This one was tricky, on occasion, as I played around with an old high school geometry idea of a vanishing point (not actually, but sort of!!).  Sorry, Mr. Trechter -- he had high hopes of my profession as a mathematician.  Instead I became a quiltmaker; and married an engineer, who paid attention and followed Mr. Trechter's advice. 

I still love geometry though.

FOULARD TABLE RUNNER

This is a fun, easy and fast block suitable for beginners.

The block, itself, has no points to match and few interections.  However, a pieced sashing, as I have used here, increases the difficulty; but it is still easy for a beginner to master. The pattern for the block is on pages 30 and 31 of my book, Keepsake Signature Quilts.  It isn't necessary to use a plain fabric for a possible signature patch.  Spice it up with a favorite stripe fabric.

Table runners are small and manageable and an easy way to test out a new-to-you pattern.

The Stats:  Foulard, 2021, 16"x29", Machine pieced, Machine quilted.

WITHIN A TUDOR

My thought process during the making of this quilt was to reverse the lights and darks from a previous quilt I had made called "Tie That Binds".  I thought it would make a bigger difference in the pattern than it does.

The Stats:  Within a Tudor, 2021, 28"x28", Paper pieced, machine pieced, machine quilted.

Here is "Tie that Binds" as shown in my book, Keepsake Signature Quilts.  The quilt was make in 1996.

 

A story about "Tie that Binds" --- it was in a show at the Pioneer Museum, Colorado Springs, in 1996 where it was an award winner.  I was walking around viewing all the quilts, and happened to be at the quilt next to mine.  There were a couple of ladies looking at mine, and one said, "Well, that's certainly a waste of fabric."  I started giggling and had to walk away.  She didn't get the point as it is a written document with several generations of genealogical birthdates, etc. hand-inked in the beige patches. I had researched diligently our family history to make the quilt.  I learned that day that quilts are subjective like art, and are important to each individual maker.

I always try to learn something from each quilt that I make.  When making "Tie that Binds" I learned so much more about my family ancestry than quiltmaking then I heard the above comment about the quilt at the exhibit.  That was the real learning experience.

Not too much new learned from making "Within a Tudor" (named by my grandson) except that experimenting with lights and darks does not necessarily change the pattern.  I did enjoy playing with the different fabrics, however; and experimenting with machine quilting.  I don't think I'll ever be happy with my attempts at the machine quilting.

I hope you enjoy a new learning experience each day!