Artful Homemade Quilts Have A Way

[freedombecki]

My daughter took up sewing when the recession hit. Her stuff looked expert from day one. I could never sew and resented that I had to even try. She was an architectural designer, then got her master's to be a construction manager. She bought a pattern for something and when she took it out she said, 'It's just a blueprint.' OMG. How easy things are for some people. She is back to work now, and I doubt she is sewing much. But I know one day she will.

'It's just a blueprint.' Holy Cow!

I got patterns from Salvation Army and didn't realize that they were in different sizes and probably missing bits.

I just dove in. My first project was nightgown with beautiful long sleeves and a button closure and a ruffle, lol. The arms were size 8, I think the yoke was a size 12 haha but my daughter wore it for years!

I went from that to shorts and shirts...I made fourth of july sets for the kids, my son had a red, white and blue short sleeved, collared shirt with a pocket and everything...and I made the girly some little culottes or cropped pants and sun shirts....all that was a breeze after The Nightgown...

But finally had to face the fact that it's cheaper, and the fit and much of the quality, is usually better storebought. I used LINEN to make my daughter's sun sets, though which I loved but which she hated, hahaha and they lasted forever, but she was finally able to ditch them around 2nd grade. She said she didn't want to wear them because a boy at school or daycare had told her they looked like *clown pants* hahahahahahahaha.

The little sun shirts were adorable, though, and so were the shorts I made for the boy...now THOSE were good quality, and had pockets and the whole shebang.

Then I got stalled making a really pretty dress of yellow gingham (only not cotton, but rayon) with a white duster...I never did finish it, though I got really close.

I'm just starting to think about organizing all my material and yarn and thread so I can just sit down whenever and work, without having to conduct a 3-day search. I know I have bought dozens of spools of crochet thread and all sorts of hooks...but I can NEVER find them. Makes me crazy.

I ran across my mother's old mu mu pattern the other day. I've lost enough weight being sick, I could probably wear it. Maybe when I retire, I will get a machine and try my hand. I don't want to do practical things, although I would enjoy duplicating an old mu mu I had as a girl. I still haven't been to Hawaii, but when I was traveling I got enough hotel points to go for 2 weeks. I asked my SIL if she would like to go. The mu mu and my mother's flowers strung on thread were part of that fantasy from the time I was 9.

Today, was such a bad day I left work thinking it would serve the bastards right if I just up and died on them. I've never been passive aggressive before. Don't know what came over me. That will happen soon enough. I have plenty of things to keep living for!

I made row 7 on account of this post, Sunshine. I want you to know that we all love and appreciate you at USMB. This block is dedicated to you with the hopes you will keep kicking one symptom at a time and beating that sucka:

 

[koshergrl]

I just think muumuus look comfy...like a nightgown that isn't a nightgown. And I'm all about nightgowns. I'd wear mine out and about, if I could.

When I had my knee replacements they wanted everyone to bring sweats to the hospital and wear them during the day. But sweats make me too warm. So, I bought some PJs that didn't look like PJs, they had soft pants and tank tops. That is what I wore and I wore them out at home. I still buy PJs that don't look that much like PJs for working around here on the weekends. At my age, the joints are kind of constricting, the clothes don't need to be too!

Remember about, oh, maybe 15-20 years ago when everybody was wearing SLICKIES? You know, sweats made out of slick windbreaker material?

I loved them! I wish they were still de rigeur, I'd wear them every single day and night!

They're like sweats, only NOT hot!

If you work in a hospital, you should be able to get away with wearing scrubs 24/7...they are as comfy as sweats and are cool.

Which makes me think I should make myself some of those instead of the muu muu......

I ran across a really cool blog devoted to re-structuring of muu muus. Seriously, these women pick up old muu muus and then make them into new dresses, very cool, but I figure, why mess with success?

I'll have to find the link. I enjoyed checking it out.

 

[Sunshine]

I just think muumuus look comfy...like a nightgown that isn't a nightgown. And I'm all about nightgowns. I'd wear mine out and about, if I could.

When I had my knee replacements they wanted everyone to bring sweats to the hospital and wear them during the day. But sweats make me too warm. So, I bought some PJs that didn't look like PJs, they had soft pants and tank tops. That is what I wore and I wore them out at home. I still buy PJs that don't look that much like PJs for working around here on the weekends. At my age, the joints are kind of constricting, the clothes don't need to be too!

Remember about, oh, maybe 15-20 years ago when everybody was wearing SLICKIES? You know, sweats made out of slick windbreaker material?

I loved them! I wish they were still de rigeur, I'd wear them every single day and night!

They're like sweats, only NOT hot!

If you work in a hospital, you should be able to get away with wearing scrubs 24/7...they are as comfy as sweats and are cool.

Which makes me think I should make myself some of those instead of the muu muu......

I ran across a really cool blog devoted to re-structuring of muu muus. Seriously, these women pick up old muu muus and then make them into new dresses, very cool, but I figure, why mess with success?

I'll have to find the link. I enjoyed checking it out.

Yes, I do. And then they kind of turned into 'granny' attire.

 

[koshergrl]

How'd that happen! Lol!

 

[koshergrl]

Muumuu | New Dress A Day

 

[Sunshine]

Muumuu | New Dress A Day

Hawaiian Dresses - Hawaiian Dresses | AlohaOutlet SelectShop

 

[Sunshine]

How'd that happen! Lol!

It always does when something is comfortable! But now I'm a granny so I don't really care.

 

[Sunshine]

As soon as I retire, I'm dressing in the coolest most comfortable rags I can conjure up!

 

[Sunshine]

I got patterns from Salvation Army and didn't realize that they were in different sizes and probably missing bits.

I just dove in. My first project was nightgown with beautiful long sleeves and a button closure and a ruffle, lol. The arms were size 8, I think the yoke was a size 12 haha but my daughter wore it for years!

I went from that to shorts and shirts...I made fourth of july sets for the kids, my son had a red, white and blue short sleeved, collared shirt with a pocket and everything...and I made the girly some little culottes or cropped pants and sun shirts....all that was a breeze after The Nightgown...

But finally had to face the fact that it's cheaper, and the fit and much of the quality, is usually better storebought. I used LINEN to make my daughter's sun sets, though which I loved but which she hated, hahaha and they lasted forever, but she was finally able to ditch them around 2nd grade. She said she didn't want to wear them because a boy at school or daycare had told her they looked like *clown pants* hahahahahahahaha.

The little sun shirts were adorable, though, and so were the shorts I made for the boy...now THOSE were good quality, and had pockets and the whole shebang.

Then I got stalled making a really pretty dress of yellow gingham (only not cotton, but rayon) with a white duster...I never did finish it, though I got really close.

I'm just starting to think about organizing all my material and yarn and thread so I can just sit down whenever and work, without having to conduct a 3-day search. I know I have bought dozens of spools of crochet thread and all sorts of hooks...but I can NEVER find them. Makes me crazy.

I ran across my mother's old mu mu pattern the other day. I've lost enough weight being sick, I could probably wear it. Maybe when I retire, I will get a machine and try my hand. I don't want to do practical things, although I would enjoy duplicating an old mu mu I had as a girl. I still haven't been to Hawaii, but when I was traveling I got enough hotel points to go for 2 weeks. I asked my SIL if she would like to go. The mu mu and my mother's flowers strung on thread were part of that fantasy from the time I was 9.

Today, was such a bad day I left work thinking it would serve the bastards right if I just up and died on them. I've never been passive aggressive before. Don't know what came over me. That will happen soon enough. I have plenty of things to keep living for!

I made row 7 on account of this post, Sunshine. I want you to know that we all love and appreciate you at USMB. This block is dedicated to you with the hopes you will keep kicking one symptom at a time and beating that sucka:

Fabulous!

I have always loved yellow. When I was a little girl it was may favorite color. Even now, yellow makes me happy! But my mother would never let me wear it because she said it made my eyes look green. I don't really ever buy yellow, guess I just never developed the practice. But my eyes look VERY blue when I wear certain colors and VERY green when I wear others. I don't mind either way, really.

 

[koshergrl]

My eyes are the same!

I used to say that when I cried I looked like a dragon because next to the red my eyes looked very, very, VERY green! Scary!

 

[koshergrl]

I fantasize about the kids going to college. I think, hmmmm...what will I do with all that time?

I'll walk my dog all day long, and never have to be home to meet the kids, or to take them anywhere, or pick them up!

If I wake up at 3 am and want to go to the beach or for a walk, I'll be able to do it!

If I don't get the house dirty, nobody will!

It will be heavenly. Only 8/9 years left.

 

[freedombecki]

I ran across my mother's old mu mu pattern the other day. I've lost enough weight being sick, I could probably wear it. Maybe when I retire, I will get a machine and try my hand. I don't want to do practical things, although I would enjoy duplicating an old mu mu I had as a girl. I still haven't been to Hawaii, but when I was traveling I got enough hotel points to go for 2 weeks. I asked my SIL if she would like to go. The mu mu and my mother's flowers strung on thread were part of that fantasy from the time I was 9.

Today, was such a bad day I left work thinking it would serve the bastards right if I just up and died on them. I've never been passive aggressive before. Don't know what came over me. That will happen soon enough. I have plenty of things to keep living for!

I made row 7 on account of this post, Sunshine. I want you to know that we all love and appreciate you at USMB. This block is dedicated to you with the hopes you will keep kicking one symptom at a time and beating that sucka:

Fabulous!

I have always loved yellow. When I was a little girl it was may favorite color. Even now, yellow makes me happy! But my mother would never let me wear it because she said it made my eyes look green. I don't really ever buy yellow, guess I just never developed the practice. But my eyes look VERY blue when I wear certain colors and VERY green when I wear others. I don't mind either way, really.

Thanks! After I read your post and went dutifully back to my sewing room, for some reason the sunshine faced fabric was near the top of the stack of uncut yardage fractions. So I cut a 4" slice, and hustled it into the quilt. I was surprised that a light fabric, even with bright yellow on it popped everything around it. So far, it's the prettiest row, including the row that didn't fit, and I spent my lunch hour unsewing the stitches to press and trim the row of blocks that just were longer than the others, causing a ridiculous mismatch situation when partially sewn on. Some mistakes have a really happy outcome. We had lunch with friends, and the ripping went fast. My catnap turned into the rest of the day, almost. That doggone new medicine is giving me plenty of rest. It's awful when you're on fire to finish something you love working on. Well, tomorrow is another day. Maybe I can leave here an hour early and sew a couple of more rows. Two rows are assembled, and the row that is now in 5 pieces needs to be re-measured, pressed, and trimmed to the correct length of bricks that are EXACTLY 7.5" including selvages.

Yellow quilts make me happy, too. I tried to distribute color choices as best I can when choosing fabric. The estate fabric I won on EBay had some great pieces, except everything is pastel in the lady's collection. The little pink and blue sailboat quilt done a week or so back was largely composed of the light blue sky from the same estate collection. I haven't dipped into the yellow. The pieces were ultra nice cottons that quilters love for the most part, and instead of dividing everything down, the family sold everything all at once, and there were over 100 yards of the best cottons from great quilt stores. I couldn't believe my good luck for charity sewing. The feel of nice cottons is the best part of constructing simple quilts like the ones I do for charity. The yellow one has that Michael Miller narrow mortar stripping, and it's so thick and wonderful to work with, too.

Few quilters ever make a yellow quilt. Too bad. I have all the fun!

 

[Sunshine]

I made row 7 on account of this post, Sunshine. I want you to know that we all love and appreciate you at USMB. This block is dedicated to you with the hopes you will keep kicking one symptom at a time and beating that sucka:

Fabulous!

I have always loved yellow. When I was a little girl it was may favorite color. Even now, yellow makes me happy! But my mother would never let me wear it because she said it made my eyes look green. I don't really ever buy yellow, guess I just never developed the practice. But my eyes look VERY blue when I wear certain colors and VERY green when I wear others. I don't mind either way, really.

Thanks! After I read your post and went dutifully back to my sewing room, for some reason the sunshine faced fabric was near the top of the stack of uncut yardage fractions. So I cut a 4" slice, and hustled it into the quilt. I was surprised that a light fabric, even with bright yellow on it popped everything around it. So far, it's the prettiest row, including the row that didn't fit, and I spent my lunch hour unsewing the stitches to press and trim the row of blocks that just were longer than the others, causing a ridiculous mismatch situation when partially sewn on. Some mistakes have a really happy outcome. We had lunch with friends, and the ripping went fast. My catnap turned into the rest of the day, almost. That doggone new medicine is giving me plenty of rest. It's awful when you're on fire to finish something you love working on. Well, tomorrow is another day. Maybe I can leave here an hour early and sew a couple of more rows. Two rows are assembled, and the row that is now in 5 pieces needs to be re-measured, pressed, and trimmed to the correct length of bricks that are EXACTLY 7.5" including selvages.

Yellow quilts make me happy, too. I tried to distribute color choices as best I can when choosing fabric. The estate fabric I won on EBay had some great pieces, except everything is pastel in the lady's collection. The little pink and blue sailboat quilt done a week or so back was largely composed of the light blue sky from the same estate collection. I haven't dipped into the yellow. The pieces were ultra nice cottons that quilters love for the most part, and instead of dividing everything down, the family sold everything all at once, and there were over 100 yards of the best cottons from great quilt stores. I couldn't believe my good luck for charity sewing. The feel of nice cottons is the best part of constructing simple quilts like the ones I do for charity. The yellow one has that Michael Miller narrow mortar stripping, and it's so thick and wonderful to work with, too.

Few quilters ever make a yellow quilt. Too bad. I have all the fun!

I think not many people use yellow in decorating and that may be the reason. We go through phases with color. The 60s was that gold and green thing, then came earth tones, then mauve, etc. There is a 'national color council' that chooses the colors for any given season. That is why the blouse you buy this year won't go with the pants you bought last year. I really believe they try to keep colors sophisticated. A simple color like yellow falls by the wayide.

I enjoyed the textiles at the quilt show. When they dig up a thousand year old corpse, the textiles always interest me. I'm not sure why they don't use that to some extent to judge how advanced the civilization was. I think textiles are interesting. I don't see how they take fibers from a plant, straightent them out into thread, then weave it together to make cloth. Who would have even thought to do such a thing.

When I took my son to Georgia Tech I learned of the degree called Textile Engineering. If I had the resources, I would have dropped everything and enrolled. But I had a new master's and two children to get through college. The degree requires a lot of organic chemistry, my favorite science subject. If you work in the field, most textile mills are in small towns. It would have required a move, so not feasable on many levels. But something I learned before I got to go to college is that you can study and learn a lot on your own, it's all there whether you take formal study or not. So, I have saved that as an area to look into when I retire. I'd really like to know the history of textiles.

As to the yellow, I've never done a room in yellow. I saw in a magazine where a woman painted her kitchen 'mustard.' That was a good color. If you go yellow in decorating you can get a good one or a bad one. So, no yellow, but I have a luminous color from the pale gold family picked out for my bedroom. I'll post what it is when I think to look at the chip.

When it comes to textiles, I like things like beaded and sequined cloth. I bought a scarf in Egypt that had sequins hand sewn on. I thought about getting it out for the quilt show since the guys there were from Egypt, but it was raining and I didn't want to get it wet! If you want to buy a pretty scarf an islamic country is the place to do it because so many women wear them all the time. They aren't mennonites and they aren't trying to be 'plain' so the fabrics there are just fabulous beyond belief.

 

[freedombecki]

This is the Yellow Brick with mortar quilt top outer border:

And I'm done!

 

[freedombecki]

Oh, yes, about the gold border--True, it's duller than the rest, darker also. A medium light color is what it actually is, which does good things for a quilt:

(1) Doesn't show dirt as much as a very dark fabric or a very light one.

(2) Backs off and lets the quilt colors shine.

(3) Gets along with wood tones in the furniture.

Many truly good quilters select dull borders for all the above reasons, but mainly to let people fully appreciate the visual aspects of the quilt's work by buffering colors from the outside in the same way that a frame separates a two-dimensional work of art from reality.

 

[freedombecki]

Red hull completed for a tall ships weathering storm. One horizontal row down, seven to go. This time, the sea row will be done next.

The fabric for the sky was a dark blue clouds quilter's cotton with lightning bolts all over. I couldn't resist it at half price & bought a bunch. Already cut the strips for the churning sea, but the pieces are close in shade, so I'm not sure what's going to happen. I try to pick fabrics that have motion in them to enhance the effect. The lighter of the two is a wavy blue floral tooled leather-look fabric that is popular for Western-themed quilts lately. Only this one has a definite flow that could be construed as churning water that would result when sailing the ocean with a tall-sails ship.

It's too early! For some reason, Miss Music came and said good night to me in her puppy way at 3 am this morning.

Hope everyone has a beautiful day this Second of May that it is today.

 

[Mr. H.]

I never knew there was so much terminology describing quilting elements.
Always thought a quilt was just... a quilt.

Wasn't it Freud that said sometimes a quilt is just a quilt?

 

[koshergrl]

Quilts are fabric fractal representation....

 

[koshergrl]

I used to have a crazy quilt my grandma made...it was mostly wool and flannel scraps...

But I ran across this in Walla Walla this winter:

 

[freedombecki]

Crazies are fun! Thanks for sharing a find, Koshergrl!

Finally settled on a name for the current quilt--Storm at Sea Tall Ship. Here are the horizontal Hull row and the Masts row, the only row that is only 1 log high.