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.....

1800's Trivia ~ The Spill Keeper

I've received quite a few emails inquiring about the mention of a Spill Keeper in my profile article of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine (Dec, 2015).  In the 'What Is Treenware' inset (pg 20), the writer gave a few clues as to its purpose, but because of space, a photo was not included.

My Spill Keeper sits atop one of my favorite antique finds, the horizontal spice box, and is the little blue box at the far right.

In this close-up, you can see it a little better.  It's about the size of a deck of cards.  

This dear piece of carved treenware has three compartments, and a hand carved little spoon.  Pioneers would save little bits of flammable scraps and materials of any kind, such as threads and fabric, lint and leaves that could be used in starting a fire.  The bits would be placed in one of the compartments, and the spoon would crush and compact the bits.  

When holding the Spill Keeper as our pioneering ancestors would, you can see how the blue paint has been worn away from two grasping fingers, giving it a little more character, in my humble opinion.  

Why it's called a Spill Keeper I don't know.  It's likely a term lost to the past, just as the need for a one is.  It remains an artifact of nineteenth century living, and yet another tangible relic of their frugal lifestyle.  

We are so spoiled and blessed in many ways.  I think, though, maybe they would look at us with our many conveniences and think, perhaps, that life is way too fast in the twenty-first century...so, no thanks..... they'll keep their simpler way of life.  Fun to ponder, isn't it?!  

This photo was sent to me by Angie Roberts, shop owner of The Noble Quilter in Elk River, MN.  These lovely ladies are some of the women in the shop's Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club.  As you can see by the wonderful display of quilts before them, they are quite an active group!!  Awesome job, my fellow Prairie Women!!  Your quilts are just lovely!!  Thanks, everyone, for sharing your talents with us.  

Don't forget....Friday, November 6th is the final installment of my 

Tucker Pocket Patchwork Sew-Along!!  

I'm so excited!!  

Pocket Patchwork Sew~Along: Tucker ~ Part Three

Ya know.....I love meeting like this every Friday.  Don't you?  We have this little date, and I know there are those of you living outside of the United States that drop in for a visit, too, and that just makes me smile.  Thank you!

This is your next task in our little Tucker journey.  Sew six rows of eight 1 1/2 inch squares together (48 squares).  All dark squares.  Your block should measure 6 1/2 by 8 1/2 unfinished.

That's it!  I know...not all that exciting a block is it?  Well....it has an important job.  All will be revealed next Friday!  I can wait to share this with you.  

Hope you have a wonderful weekend enjoying Halloween, and gain one hour of sleep as we turn our clocks back.  I really like that better then jumping ahead, although I never actually sleep the extra hour!

Have fun.....and thanks for sewing along with me.  I'm always so very glad you did!

Introducing...Antique Cotton Calicos!!

Hooray!!  The day has finally come where I can tell you about an exciting, new fabric series I've been working on for Marcus Fabrics!!  It's called Antique Cotton Calicos!  This lovely print is one of many in this first collection released under the series name, and the collection is called Old Green Calicos.

 With the word ~ Green ~ in the name, it's no surprise there are lovely green prints.  But, that's not all!  

We have to have some lights in there, right?

And....I couldn't resist pairing the selection of greens with some blues.  

And...one of my favorite things to do is to create multi-color light prints!  Love, love!

Ugh...I forgot to use the flash on this picture so this warm, beige print looks very yellow in this picture, but it's not!  Trust me!  It's the same tones I'm known for, and it's sooo cute!  

Green and blue are among my all time favorite pairings.  I love it so much, I decorated the living room in my home all in greens and blues.  (You can see my blue and green living room in the pages of the current issue of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine, Dec, 2015 issue!)

I hope you like what you see in this first collection of Antique Cotton Calicos.  I promise more collections in the series are coming soon.  Old Green Calicos will be delivered to your local quilt shop in January!  And, yes!  There will also be 10 inch precuts of the collection as well.  

My sample yardage was just delivered, so we've begun to cut the pieces for two quilts showcasing these new prints.  I'll be posting pictures of our progress right here, and on Facebook and Instagram!  

Click here to view the entire Antique Cotton Calicos ~ Old Green Calicos collection. 

See you back here again on Friday for the third installment of Tucker.  Until then, feed your soul with the stitches you sew.  

Pocket Patchwork Sew~Along: Tucker ~ Part Two

So glad you're back to sew along with me once more!  I've heard you're a little anxious to get started, so let's do just that.  Here we go!

Choose an assortment of (52) 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" dark print squares, (4) of the 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" light print squares, along with the (8) 1 1/2" unfinished Half Squares Triangles.  (Remember, if you're using different sized squares and HST's, just note the count for all pieces.)  

Arrange the squares and Half Square Triangles as shown.  Sew together into rows.  Alternate the pressing direction for each row to create opposing seams.  

Sew your rows together: press.  Your star block should measure 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" unfinished.  That's it for now!!  Whatcha think??  Hope you like it so far.  That's all we have to work on until next week....so be sure to come back and visit again next Friday for the next step!!

I've had a lot of requests to make Fat Quarter and Fat Eighth bundles of just the eleven assorted shirting light prints from my Antique Cotton collection (Marcus Fabrics) , so that's just what I did!!

Stock up on these cuties now!  Click here to order and they'll be on their way to your house just in time to add to your Tucker project.  

And remember...sewing is so good for your soul!  

A Prairie Gathering Quilt of the Quarter ~ Month Ten

Welcome to month Ten....(can you believe it's month ten??!) of A Prairie Gathering Quilt of the Quarter.  Our quilt sure has grown, and I think we can see the finish line.  That always feels so good!

Shoo-fly blocks now take center stage.  This is just a sweet, simple little block.  I'm very fond of them!  So, now we're ready to assemble the Shoo-Fly borders and attach them to the quilt.  Really jazzed about that!  I recommend sewing one Shoo-Fly block to one plain square.  This is to control your pieced border assembly and make sure they measure what they should, so no yucky un-sewing is necessary.  The combo of one Shoo-Fly and one plain square should measure 4.5 x 8.5 unfinished.  You know the drill by now....that if it doesn't, you have only one seam to unsew rather than a bunch that are suspect and you don't know what is what.  

Follow the pattern directions for piecing your Shoo-Fly borders and check those measurements!!  Attach to the quilt center, and press.  You'll then be attaching another plain border.  Looking sssooooo good!

From here, you'll be making more HST's and putting them aside for next month's piecing.  Fun stuff coming next month!!

Don't forget to come back on Friday for the next post about my new Pocket Patchwork Sew~Along, Tucker!  You'll begin piecing!!  Yay!  If you're just
finding out about my FREE sew-along called Tucker, click here to get the scoop!

Oh, and I'll be hosting another scrap fabric give-away very soon!  

Pocket Patchwork Sew~Along: Tucker Part One

Welcome to my Pocket Patchwork Sew~Along, which I'm calling Tucker!!  There's a little more to the name than I can tell you right now, but you'll know why I chose Tucker in the "reveal" blog post.  Hoping it will make you smile!  

Introduction:

Tucker was inspired by a recent visit and tour of the International Quilt Study Museum located in Lincoln, NE.  They obviously have many, many quilts there, and I did appreciate all of the current exhibits, where I saw both very old and recently made quilts.  You won't be at all surprised when I say the old ones were of special importance for me.  I was most interested in the museum's acquisition of all of Mary Campbell Ghormley vast antique doll quilt collection, as well as the Civil War reproduction quilts made by Mary herself.   

Mary, you see, had been collecting vintage doll and small quilts long before it was vogue to do so.  In her book, Childhood Treasures, Mary Kay Waldvogel wrote about Mary and featured 80 of Mary's vintage quilts.  A wonderful book, indeed!  Mary (whom passed away not long ago) was a big part of the International Quilt Study Museum, and quilting in general in Lincoln.  

Some of the vintage quilts in her collection are truly stunning pieced works of art, and then there are those that are just sweet, little ordinary patchwork quilts.....tangible patches of nineteenth century living...where each little leftover square was coveted by their maker, and saved to be used somehow, somewhere.  

And..... that is the place where we will begin.  If you choose to sew-along with me, you'll be choosing your own sweet, little patchwork squares to make a little something out of the ordinary!  This is not going to be a little quilt you would normally expect from me, but I think you'll be pleased none the less.  Our sew-along will only last 4 weeks, and you'll only need to use your scraps.  

  Let's Journey The Threads of Time ™  together!!    Here we go!

I'm using 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" unfinished squares.  Tucker is very flexible, and if that size is too small for your liking, then choose the smallest size you're comfortable working with.  

Cutting Instructions:

From your vast, enormous and coveted pile of beautiful scraps, cut the following:

(20) assorted light print 1 1/2" squares.

(100) assorted dark print 1 1/2" squares.

(8) assorted dark print 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles.

And...make (8) Half Square Triangles trimmed to measure 1 1/2" x 1 1/2".  I literally used some I had lying around.  If you need to make some, cut your squares to  1 7/8" x 1 7/8".

That's your first task...to gather and cut your fabrics, and make or acquire (8) HST's.  The next Tucker post will be on Friday, October 23rd so you'll have some time to gather and cut your fabrics.  The subsequent posts will be on Fridays, October 30th and November 6th.   

Have I piqued your interest?  Are you jumping in with all of your scraps, or are you pondering what to do?  Well....I sure hope you join us!!

Ooopppss!! My Bad!

Oh Lord, I think I'm loosing it.  Somehow, I totally missed Karen from Breezy Points' comment where she correctly commented on the number of named patterns in my Give-Away!!  OMG...I feel so, so bad.  

Karen ~ I'm so sorry!!  I think I'm having another bout of "some-timers"!!

Karen's comment clearly read...

It was so fun to see your lovely home and charming displays. You have some amazing collectibles too! I counted 28 named quilts minus the repeats, but I counted the pin keeps-- hope that's right! 

I will, of course, honor both Karen's correct answer AND send a duplicate winning package to Margaret as promised.  

I've already contacted Karen, but Karen, if you read this first, please email me!  I don't think my "some-timers" is catchy!!

Pattern Contest Winner!!

In my last post, I offered a give-away to one winner whom correctly counted the number of named quilts listed in both the American Patchwork & Quilting profile article AND those listed in the on-line link of additional photos provided by the magazine.  

No one guessed correctly!  There were 28 different quilts named, with 3 quilts mentioned twice.

So....what I did was choose a winner from those whom commented with a numbered guess.  And the winner is.....

Margaret, who commented....

The APQ article was marvelous, as were the photos of your home. How lovely and inviting it appears! I counted 21 named quilts, (not counting the Prairie at Heart quilt, which I love, love, love. I'm pretty sure that quilt has a future in my sewing room and home. Thanks so much for your generosity in sharing that pattern with APQ). 

Congratulations, Margaret!!!  Please email your mailing address to me at Pam@HeartspunQuilts.com, and I'll be sending you all of the patterns containing all 28 quilts!!!  Enjoy!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to play along with me, and again...I'm completely blown away by the loving outpouring through comments on my blog, and through social media over the magazine article.  I'm so appreciative and humbled by your kind words and support!!  The words "Thank You" just don't say what I feel for you all.  

I promised your first post of my new Pocket Patchwork Sew-Along today, and I will be posting all about it in a separate post in just a few hours.  

Do what makes you happy!!  Hope you find time to sew today as sewing is good for your soul!

Behind The Scenes Photo Shoot Of My Home - Part Two

Let's begin today with the hub of every home....the kitchen.  My kitchen is decorated in reds, blues, deep gold and black, with a touch of other country colors here and there.  This has always been a favorite place for my antiques.  The quilt is called Remember Me from Journey Two of the PWSC club, and is a treasured and very special quilt to me because all of the signatures are from the PWSC club founding members and my dearest friends.  The founding club members signed up for the club in the early, early stages when no one knew what the club was about, and I was the only one teaching it.  They continued on with me through the last Journey!

Believe it or not, Remember Me hangs from a vintage donkey yoke.  I had no idea what it was when I spotted it at the antique show, I just thought it would be fun to hang a quilt from it.  The vendor told me what it was, which made it all the more fun!  

I'm a sucker for vintage crates and wood boxes with original advertising still in tact.  You will see a beautiful picture of this vignette in the American Patchwork & Quilting on-line link listed in the magazine (which shows more pictures of my home you won't see anywhere else.)  They make for really cool storage as well.  The quilt atop the wood crate is Four Around Nine from my Tokens of the Past: Nine Patch Reverie pattern.  

I stitched this wool sampler for the kitchen and love the colors and texture of the wool.  Now, who doesn't love wool?!  The sampler is called Alphabet Song and was designed by Shawn Williams for Threads That Bind.  I love her work.  

Spongeware and other pottery are another favorite collectible.  You'll find nothing true white in my house, as I maintain nothing stayed white on the Prairie!  

The granite-ware berry pot and jug were gifts from my dad and step-mom as they are great antiquers as well.  The yellow-ware bowl sits atop a scrappy thimble quilt.  The more fabrics the better!!  

Our dining room is anything but formal as we're just not the "formal" type.  Family meals in the dining room are casual, even when dressed-up for the holidays or special occasions.  The quilt draped over the vintage side table is called Something Blue from PWSC club-Journey Five.  It's bigger sister is Settler's Puzzle, shown on page 17 in the magazine.  One of my big philosophies is to bring out works-in-progress to enjoy what you've done thus far.  Display them in glass jars or pretty bowls, or as I've done here, in a vintage muffin tin with old ivory buttons.  You'll see other examples of displaying works-in-progress in the magazine article as well.  

I like to look at antiques not only for their obvious appeal, but for how I might to use them to display the many quilts I'm making.  This old merchants biscuit display with the glass front is just perfect for stacking little quilts inside.  The quilts in the tin are all from various Journey's of the PWSC club, and the quilt on the table is Emma's Sewing Basket from PWSC-Journey Five.

The room where I spend 40+ hours a week is my sewing room/studio and home to Heartspun Quilts, Inc.  It's situated on the first floor of the house, off the kitchen and laundry room (where I work my other full time job!  You know exactly what I mean!)

Sewing needfuls decorate the vintage spool cabinet that is put to use daily.  The tiny sampler you see in the frame is stitched on silk over one thread, at 40 stitches to the inch, and was stitched in 2002 when my eyes were younger!  To do another, I'd definitely need a magnifying glass!!  

As far as sewing rooms go, mine is not terribly large at 15 x 16.  Don't get me wrong...I'm very grateful to have a dedicated sewing room, but being that the room is this small, I need to make use of every inch of space I have.  (I do have more space for fabric and Heartspun Quilts inventory and the like in rooms in our finished basement.)  I asked one of my brothers to make custom shelves for me which we hung near the ceiling.  This frees up floor space, and makes use of never-used space high on the walls.  He made them deep enough to hold books and binders, and I can display my vintage toy sewing machines up there as well.  I think it really looks nice, too.  I found a cute old foot stool, and had a new, custom design hooked rug made to cover the top so I can stand on it when I want a book from the shelves.  You will see even more photos of my sewing room in the magazine, and through the magazine's on-line link!  

Do you have your copy of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine's December issue??  There's a whole lot of great quilts and Christmas projects in there, so don't miss it!

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting magazine.
(c) 2015 Meredith Corp. All rights reserved.

Don't forget to order your Prairie At Heart quilt kit.  It will add a little vintage Prairie charm to any room you'd like! 

Thank you for taking this little tour of my home with me.  I hope you see a few things that may inspire you.  

And, I also want to thank you all for your well wishes and congratulations.  It has touched me deeply and has filled my heart with joy.  You're kindness is appreciated more than you'll ever know!! 

In a previous post, I promised a give-away, so here it is!

Count the number of  the named quilts in my patterns, seen in the photos of the profile article, AND in the photos of my home through the on-line link provided for you in the magazine.  Leave your comment for me to this blog post, and one lucky winner will receive ALL of the patterns named in the magazine, and on-line!!  

Post your comment with the number you choose by midnight, Sunday, October 11th.  I will reveal the winner on Monday, October 12th.  Please include your email address in your comment.  

Monday, you'll also receive fabric requirements and news about my next FREE 

Pocket Patchwork Sew-Along called... Tucker!  

The best way to participate in the FREE sew-along is to subscribe to my blog posts.  That way, you will receive the posts via email, and you can easily print the sewing directions.  To subscribe, type your email into the "Follow By Email" icon on the right-hand sidebar of my blog.  Follow the directions given to confirm your subscription.  That's it!!