Click on the cover image to view, download or print the pdf version of this booklet.
Month: April 2016
My Humble Quilts Swap Quilt Arrived
Yesterday I received this wonderful little quilt from Marian Edwards, who lives in Australia. Marian is a prolific quilter, who makes tiny quilts as well as great big ones. She is just finishing up a gorgeous Dear Jane, and that is no small feat. Enlarge the photo to see the adorable prints and the teeny…
McCall’s Monday — Embroidered Bird Motifs for Kitchen Towels
Does your partner help with household chores? I am lucky to be married to someone who does almost all of the cooking and lots of other things I won’t mention, because you would begin to wonder what I contribute — besides quilts, of course. Anyway, it’s fairly unusual to see men (even bird men) participating…
Tops From the Trunk — Antique Flying Geese
Since I first began using vintage and antique fabrics to make my quilts, my sources have been old tops, blocks and scraps that I carefully pick apart. Most of the tops I purchase have issues related to condition and construction, so I never feel guilty about taking them apart. Until last year, only one top I purchased…
Free Pattern Friday — Embroidery Designs for Baby, Winifred Worth, 1920
It’s unusual to see geometric or “Egyptian” embroidery designs for baby clothing, but I love the way these patterns look in the article’s cute illustration. Here’s what Winifred Worth had to say about her design. Anything for baby finds a ready response in every needleworker’s heart, and the daintiness of this design should especially appeal to you. The…
WIP Wednesday — The Last of the Denim Appliquéd Squares
I’m relieved that the creative part of this project is over, because I seriously could not think up one more design. There’s a replacement sun in this group — you might remember that I already made one, but my daughter nixed it. I have one more square to make, but it will be the quilt label, and I’ll probably…
McCall’s Monday — Transfer Designs for Basket Motifs
No. 169 – Transfer Design for Basket Motifs. Blue. Price 25¢. These little basket motifs are lovely embroidered in delicate colors on finger tip towels, scarves, pincushions and other boudoir accessories. You’ll want to use them on children’s bibs, rompers and dresses, too, as well as on tray cloths. Two of the designs are for…
Free Pattern Friday — Vintage Monogram Letters
These monogram letters were published in two Sunday issues of the Oregon Daily Journal in 1917. The designer suggested that the letters would be suitable for for marking sheets, pillow cases, table cloths, buffet and dresser scarves, and that they should be padded heavily before working in satin stitch. There are no instructions — it’s just assumed the…
WIP Wednesday — Old Italian Block Doll Quilt
This isn’t actually a Work in Progress anymore, since the little quilt is finished, and these photos were taken before washing and drying, so the quilt is a bit more crinkly now. I think you can make out the hand quilting if you click to enlarge the photos. I’m excited to send this quilt to its new owner,…
McCall’s Monday — Anthropomorphic Kitchen Transfers
I have a thing for anthropomorphic utensils, dishes and pots and pans. There are more in earlier posts here and here. No. 771 – Transfer Design for Tea Towels. Blue. Price 25 cents. If you like variety and new ways of brightening up the daily tasks, don’t overlook these! Each motif has an amusing title, to be…
Free Pattern Friday — Hand Quilting Patterns for Alternate Blocks
Here are four hand quilting patterns cut from vintage magazine pages — part of a large box of quilting ephemera recently purchased at a thrift shop. The published patterns gave only a portion of the design, but I have put the pieces together so you can get a better idea of how they look. The first three patterns are…
WIP Wednesday — Old Italian Block Doll Quilt
This is the doll quilt I am making for Lori’s (Humble Quilts) annual swap — the completed top can be found in an earlier post. When I’m creating a doll-sized quilt, the most important thing for me is scale — in the design, prints, and quilting. Although I know it’s practically impossible to make a doll…
McCall’s Monday — Appliqué Animal Designs
I was so pleased to see this pattern in my catalog, because I was able to identify 15 vintage quilt blocks I had purchased in this pattern. Later I found the original pattern, so for this McCall’s Monday I’m able to provide scans of the actual transfers. The pattern instructions from the envelope back are located…
Free Pattern Friday — Quilts Booklet
Click on the Quilts cover image to open a pdf file of this booklet.