Pocket Patchwork Sew~Along: Tucker ~ Part Four

I know you're all anxious to meet Tucker, and I'm betting you're going to quickly scroll down to see what the finished results looks like, and I can't say I blame you.  I'd likely do the same.  

Now that you've had a first look....are you scratching your head?  Are you thinking....'this is the path she lead us down?'  Well....as I said from the beginning, Tucker wasn't to be my typical quilt design, but.....it was most definitely designed with a distinct purpose in mind!  I hope you'll keep an open mind as we finish Tucker, and I explain the method to my non-madness!

From the pieces you have left, you'll be making (8) Flying Geese units.  To construct them, draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of all light print squares.  Position a light print square on the left side of a dark print rectangle.  Sew just inside the drawn line, and press, checking the accuracy and placement of the light print triangle.  Then, trim a quarter inch seam allowance from the center and bottom fabrics.  Repeat on the right side. Make (8) Flying Geese units measuring 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" unfinished.

I used (8) Flying Geese units I had lying around.  Orphans, if you will.   

They were much, much larger than what I needed, so I used the Wing Clipper ruler to trim them to size

I love, love, love this ruler!  You can create Flying Geese units in sizes from 1 1/2" to 10 1/2" with this ruler, and trim them to perfection each and every time!!  Obviously, it also works to trim larger,m orphaned FG to any smaller size like I did.  

Notice the ruler's 2 1/2" vertical line on the left side light print, and where the line turns the corner, it travels horizontally to meet the seam allowance for the right side light print.  That shows your first cut.  Notice, also, that there is extra fabric above the pink goose point.  I trimmed that as well.  

 After trimming the first two sides, you rotate the FG unit, and trim the last two sides.  Absolutely perfect results every time.  You can't beat that!  Click here to read more about this ruler, and order one if you're interested.  

Here are all my trimmed Flying Geese.  

Now sew them into (4) sets of pairs.  Each pair should measure 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" unfinished.

Sew your pairs together to make (2) foursomes.  With small pieces like these are, the size of your pins is more important than ever!!  Thicker pins will distort your patchwork, and while thick pins are no good no matter what size unit you're making, the smaller the pieces, the more impact thick pins will have.  I love these fine patchwork pins and wouldn't use anything else!! If you'd like to know more about them, click here.

Your foursomes should measure 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" unfinished.  

Sew the (2) foursomes together for one long Flying Geese strip measuring 2 1/2" X 8 1/2" unfinished.

Sew the Flying Geese strip to the top of the star block; press.  Quilt should measure 8 1/2" x 10 1/2" unfinished.

Sew the remaining patchwork block to the Flying Geese strip; press.  Your little quilt should measure 8 1/2" x 16 1/2" unfinished.  

This is how my sweet, little Tucker turned out.  In finishing my Tucker quilt, I did not use batting, and did not quilt it in any way.  This was quite deliberate on my part as you'll see why shortly.  I just chose a backing print, and basted the top and back with big stitches.  Nice and easy!

I cut (2) 2" x WOF strips for double fold binding.  I normally cut my binding strips at 2 1/4", but because I didn't use batting, I didn't need the extra width.  So, keep that in mind when deciding the width of your binding.  You can certainly add batting and quilt yours if you prefer, but before you make that decision, read on.

Now that Tucker is done, it's time to show and tell you why I've named it Tucker.  

You may remember in my first post, that I said Tucker wasn't going to be my usual quilt design, and that I had been inspired my Mary Campbell Ghormley's vintage doll quilt collection at the International Quilt Study Museum in Lincoln, NE.  

A lot of the nineteenth century quilts collected by Mary don't have a block pattern or ordered design to them.

They were likely made of units, blocks and scraps the quiltmaker had laying around.

That didn't mean they were any less wonderful, and are certainly treasured now, not to mention are presently living in a museum!  

If you're a regular reader to this blog, you know how much I love early American history. These quilts touched me deeply as I imagined our quilting ancestors sewing the patches together for a child's doll.  No batting, no quilting, just love stitched for a little girl's happiness.  (Of course many had batting and quilting.)  Their living situation meant they had to be frugal, and wasted nothing.  Did they have any idea how charming these quilts would be to us? 

Inspiration struck with a solution to a desire I had been ruminating over for many months!!

I've been wanting to make a bunch of little quilts that I could tuck into several places here and there in my home.  Nothing fancy, not a lot of work, but pleasing and interesting, of course. Why it took visiting the International Quilt Museum and Mary's collection to spark the inspiration, I don't know?  I've learned not to question why, but to follow my instinct.  Having a little "tucker" quilt inside a Furkin was one place I had wanted one, and the missing batting helps with fitting the lid.  For a utilitarian quilt like this, batting and quilting is just not necessary.  What do you think? Will you miss the quilting stitches when you look at it, or just enjoy it the way it is?  For some of these little cuties, I know I won't miss them.  But, if you would, you should!

This is where Tucker will live in my house.  It's my lowly laundry room.  You know how much time we spend in there!  It's also a mud room for us, so we're in here all the time, entering from the garage and back yard, etc.  I want this little room to be a happy place, so I've decorated it to be just that.  It needed a quilt!  

Tucker is tucked into an old feed/grain scoop.  This handmade treenware tool has been with me for many years, and I love it.  The flowers are inside the compartment where all the feed/grain would have been collected.  There is another handle that the quilt is covering.  It has a lot of character, and no doubt spent many years in service to its owner.  What stories it could tell...if it only could!  It was the perfect place for a little quilt, but it had to be small and thin, or I thought it might overwhelm the scoop.  

Like you, I don't have a lot of time to piece all the things I want to make, but studying Mary's quilts made me realize that I could use orphans units and patchwork squares I already had laying around, and create something lovely without a lot of fuss.  

About the "tucked" part of Tucker....if I only had me to think about, I would have used more orphan units/blocks, such as Half and Quarter Square Triangles, Nine Patch blocks, etc., just like in Mary's quilts shown above, but, that would have meant more piecing for you if you didn't have the same blocks.  I felt I was already taking a risk inviting you on this unusual piecing journey, so I asked you to just use your scraps, hopefully spending no money, and not too much of your valuable time.  The tucked part of the quilt won't be seen, so you might wonder, why piece anything at all?  Why not just use plain fabric?  Good question, and you certainly can, but.....I really wanted to do as our quilting ancestors would have, and I'm so glad I did. I thought they would not have wasted a large piece of fabric on something that wouldn't be seen, and would have chosen to pieced random scraps for the job instead.  That's how I imagine it, anyway.  

By now, you know why I named this sew-along Tucker.  Hope it makes you smile!  My next Tucker quilt will likely use a large orphan block leftover from another quilt project.  Isn't that a great use of a large, leftover orphan block?  

In case you're not loving my Tucker idea, please know that I am sorry.  I tried to forewarn everyone from the beginning that it would not be my typical sew-along, and to prepare you.  If you have cut and sewn your scraps thus far, all is not lost!  With a little un-sewing of your patchwork squares, you can add to them to make another star block, and create a little table runner.  I hope that eases your disappointment!!  

My apologies for the unusually long blog post, but I had a story to tell you!  I would really, really love to know what you think about Tucker quilts.  Yes, it's a term I've coined and hope it will continue.  

I'd love it if  you'd leave me a comment with your feedback, I will choose one winner to receive a Fat Eighth bundle of one of my fabric collections.  And, I most definitely want to hear all comments...favorable, and non-favorable.  I'll choose a winner November 14th.  

I've also added a little poll to the side-bar of my blog, so click here to cast your vote in the poll. It will be fun to see what you all think!  

I will also host an Airing of The Quilts for Tucker on December 15th.  So, please email a photo to me (as an attachment) to Pam@HeartspunQuilts.com.  (Your quilt top need only be pieced. It doesn't have to be bound.)  

I'd also love for you to post your Tucker quilt using #TuckerQuilts on social media!  

It has been my pleasure to take this Journey with you all, and I thank you so much for sewing along with me once again!  I appreciate all your comments, your emails, and your business, and hope to be able to continue sharing things with you for a long time!  

Now...it's my turn to wait to see what you think and what your Tucker Quilt looks like!    

Piecefully Yours.....