How big is your stash?

I came across an interesting blog the other day (I wish I remembered who it was so that I could give credit). The blogger's premise was that since they learned to dye fabric, their entire stash was composed of only one bolt of PFD fabric and a palette of dyes.

I really had to stop and ponder this concept because for some reason I found it very unsettling, actually a little scary. What if I had to design solely with fabrics that I personally created? I can paint, silk screen, stamp, dye, and create on the computer. Would this be enough? Would it fuel or stifle my creativity? What about the inspiratinon of fabrics created by someone with a perspective so different from my own?

I have created a few fabrics via the computer (see Spoonflower blog). When I was unable to find a similar fabric for the lone star I scanned the diamond and then printed multiples of it on fabric with my home computer (can you guess which one it is?).

I've raised a lot of questions in my mind but have few answers. For now, I will continue to create fabrics and buy fabrics created by others!

The three silks shown in this blog were created in a class given by Ginny Eckley at Houston. Take a class with her if you have a chance, she is a fabulous teacher.

Her Name was Louise

What was your grandmother’s name? “Grandma” was my husband’s instinctual response. He had to think a minute, her name was Louise. Louise Specht Engler. She raised a garden and made the best bread and lemon meringue pie he has ever eaten.

I’ve heard of quilts “talking” but I’ve never experienced it to the extend I have with this one. As I sit and carefully take apart the crumbling portions of the lone star, I felt I needed to know more about the woman that made the quilt top. What was she like? What color were her eyes? Was she happy?

Some of the fabrics were clearly leftovers from some other project. Many of the diamonds are composed of smaller pieces joined together. The red dots (with the addition of a white collar and cuffs) would have made a cheery dress. The disintegrating striped fabric came from something special; maybe an Easter dress. Was the gingham a favorite apron or curtains at the kitchen window?

I’m going to send emails to my sister-in-laws asking about her and compile Louise’s story; maybe as part of the label on the back of the quilt. I think I might also take a break and make a lemon meringue pie.

Antique Lone Star Quilt (aka The Patchwork Alligator)

I decided that if I had a large worktable to lay the 72” x 72” quilt out for ironing and blocking it would not be so intimidating. Right now I feel like I’m wrestling a patchwork alligator.

Work table materials list:
1. 30” x 96” folding table.

2. 4’ x 8’ sheet of plywood. Doesn’t have to be pretty since it gets covered in the following steps.

3. Two layers of 2’ x 4’ ceiling tiles. They are very lightweight, an excellent material to push pins into, and the whole box only cost $2 on the clearance aisle at Lowes.

4. Layer of cotton batting. It is stuff I bought on sale several years ago and didn’t like very well.

5. Cotton canvas. 60” wide so there will be no seams on the entire surface, just flat and smooth (like I want my quilts to be!).

6. Husband with staple gun.

7. Spray bottle of water. This and an iron will shrink the canvas smooth and tight.

8. Bed lifters. Placing these under the table legs will raise the whole table up a more comfortable standing work height.

Here is the finished table; in the living room because there was not room for it in my little studio (don't worry my husband won't mind, he is making a head board out of lumber from my parent's ranch and has had it laid out on the dining room table for the past 3 weeks).

I have no excuses left; I'm ready to tackle preparing the lone star for quilting.

Possible Future Chapters:
Flattening, blocking, and tackling -- sounds more like football
10,000 safety pins or machine baste?
Which stitch on my Bernina is hand quilting?

Attic Lone Star

When my in-laws moved to assisted-living, we found this in the attic in a little plastic bag. It is a Lone Star pieced by my husband’s grandmother. Everyone seemed to know that it was there but no one wanted it; except me!

It is machine pieced, mostly cottons. However there are two fabrics (maybe nylon?) that are much more deteriorated than the rest. The cheddar-color bias triangles at the outsides of the star are stretched and the piecing thread has shrunk so the individual diamonds are rippled. The very center of the star does not lay flat but forms a D-cup!

I love it and want to preserve it the best I can. Right now I don't plan on replacing any of the pieces, just working with it as is.

I need your advice on how to preserve and quilt this treasure. Should I iron it or just hand smooth it? Should I use starch or sizing to give substance to the delicate fabrics while quilting? Any way to machine quilt or does it have to be hand quilted? All your recommendations are much appreciated!