SUNDAY STROLL - QUILT STUDIO

I've always had a sewing room or area I claimed for my sewing 'stuff' but moving to Tennessee allowed me the luxury of a place set apart just for my passion. Since, to my way of thinking, a Stroll is just another way of saying a leisurely saunter and there is no way a saunter is what I want to do on this very cold, I mean really, extremely cold afternoon, let me take you the short path from the back door over to the HOBBY SHOP. I share the space in this busy little shop with Flutemaker. His side is a wood and metal shop and

of course I use my side to play with fabrics. Here we have stepped in out of the cold and you can see it is jammed packed. The cutting area is high enough to cut and baste fabric without the pain of bending over a desk top height for any length of time.

Look up at our 'plain-sight' attic. We had the ceiling built two feet higher so that we could store all our extra paraphernalia where we could get at it easily. The true attic is also stuffed to the max.

Here in the center with the cutting table is my sewing station at an office desk I have jerry rigged to accomodate the sewing bed at desk top level. I have so much room now to manipulate my quilt size fabric for machine quilting. You can see my chair swivels to work at the second desk or the sewing machine.

Sitting at the machine I can look straight at my design wall and be inspired and think of different ways to move blocks in different patterns to decide which I prefer.

Although I have had my ironing station at the desk beside where I sit, I prefer to get up and stretch and iron my work so that my hunched over sewing posture gets relief from time to time.

Here are just some of the tools of the trade. Things have certainly changed since I started quilting and we drew our patterns on newspaper or opened out cereal boxes to cut templates. Cutting has been revolutionized with rotary cutters and plastic rulers that don't distort after several uses.

The right hand wall is to my back as I sew, but that is my thread area and storage for fabric and notions. I also have a wonderful distraction when I get stumped or very tired. Under the black striped fabric is one of Flutemakers musical instruments.

Here is the first Hammered Dulcimer he made for me. It is on a tall base for standing and playing. The stripes are cardboard cheater sheets that name the strings they are under.

Over on the left wall behind my design wall are two tall kitchen cupboards that I pushed together for storing fabric, lots of fabric.

Here is a quick peek into the wood shop. Since all wood needs sanding we have a double curtain at the doorway that can be dropped to fill the space and keep all the sawdust on the other side of the shop.

Here is a second sewing station where I keep my old and very dear friend, my faithful Singer. My new machine has a deeper area for stuffing large bed size quilts in for quilting. But little seamstress is still in good working order. This also happens to be winter storage for my front porch plants.

Before we go back out let me show you my computer station and give you a glimpse of a quilt program for designing patterns and quilts. I don't use it often but it's there when I need it. Also I can play quilting music CDs or games from time to time.

Button up your coat and lets scurry back to the house and have some hot cocoa. Then if you want to stroll with someone else go on over to Aisling's house and see who else is waiting for you to share their stroll.

JACK'S QUILT IS COMING ALONG

Here are the two blocks. I've made twelve of one design and six of the other.

Here is a quick glance of how they will be sewn together. I have to cut out the triangles that will complete the ends of each row. Then I can start sewing them together. One step at a time.

QUILT CLASS PROJECT

My quilting guild met yesterday and our project was to create a new purse. Of course, the material was to be quilted. It is filled with pockets inside and out. The fabric choices of the ladies were delightful and varied. I used the black and white tai chi fabric that has been stored in my stash for awhile now waiting for the right and proper use. Quilters tend to buy and store fabric with something akin to obsessiveness. It is a quality we all recognize and appreciate in one another. Fabric designs tend to go out of style and out of stock as the new and latest trends develop. So when you see something that grabs your eye and heart you better buy it. The right and proper use will present itself in the fullness of time.
FILLED AND READY TO GO OUT AND SHOP

JACKSON'S QUILT LOG

To review my progress. This is what is involved in creating a quilt.

I decided Jackson's quilt should be similar but not the same as the one I made for his big brother Joshua So I had the pattern and I bought the perfect fabric.

Next step was to cut, sew and cut again. I needed lots of components to make up the two main blocks that comprise the design of the quilt.

Components piled everywhere.

Here on my design wall are the small blocks set in place to consider if this is indeed how I want them to look. The corner small blocks could be turned in a different direction for a completely different final look. I'm still considering possibilities. But today I will start sewing the large blocks together. I will have six blocks of the left hand design and twelve of the right hand design. Putting them together on point will complete the design. I love it when a plan comes together.

READY, SET, QUILT

Grandson's quilt is started

First... I have the idea... Jackson is getting to big for his crib, he needs a twin size quilt.

Second... I should coordinate with his brother's quilt. They share a room.

Third... Review Joshua's quilt design and amounts of fabric needed.

Forth... Go shopping. Buy some luscious fabric. Head home to the quilt studio.

Finally... Time to have fun. Cut, sew, cut again and sew again.

Repeat until the two different blocks are formed.

Put together in a pleasing combination and make enough for a twin size bed.

We'll worry about borders and quilting later.

I've gone into quilt mode and I'm in the grove.

MY QUILTING MUSE, Grandma Laura Belk

Here sits my grandma with her young friend who had come to visit at Christmas.

My mother once told me how proud my grandmother would have been to know how much I enjoy quilting. I hope somehow she is indeed aware of my interest and might even be my ’muse’ when it comes to creating new projects and picking out colors. I certainly thank her out loud from time to time and ask for her help.
This Butterfly Quilt was a wedding gift to Flutemaker and me back in 1960. Grandma cut out the design from a picture she had drawn on a piece of cardboard. She decided how she wanted it to lay on the square of white fabric (on point)and how to place the colors for the best look.
The style of curved pieces are similar to the wedding ring design. After sewing all the butterflies together she appliqued them to the white squares and sandwiched top and bottom with batting and quilted it closely. I love it still. What a gift of love, time and effort.



Laura Ethel Masters Belk was a simple country woman born into a time and place of pioneer life and culture. She was born in Overton Co. Tennessee around 1878 or so. Grandma was shy and didn’t marry until she was in her thirties. My Dad fondly remembered her combing her long auburn hair and twisting it around her head like a crown. She never had electricity or indoor plumbing until Grandpa died and she came to Michigan to live half the time with us and the other part of the year with her other son and family.
She was a quilter back when it was a necessity, a way to use material one more time and insure warm cozy bed covers. The fabrics were from shirt tails, dress remnants, flour sacks and home spun clothes. Sometimes old covers were refreshed with new tops. Many of her designs were known favorites shared with family and friends. Sometimes she created her own patterns. The quilt above was much more colorful when she made it, but it has faded until the only colors left are the colorfast blue and green. The other fabrics were inexpensive plaids that just didn't have what it takes to live forever.

I am a legacy quilter. Perhaps I would have been drawn to quilting anyway, but with a grandmother and a mother both enjoying the creative process with fabric and needlework I think I was destined to love the feel of fabric, to admire the placement of color and design and thrill to the realization of it all coming together as Art, Craft and Heritage.
My grandmother, mother and their friends gathered around a quilt frame hung from the ceiling in our basement. The Grandmother's Flower Garden above is one such quilt. I have been known to sit nearby reading a book and listening to the chit chat. My little brother would build forts under the quilt and deploy miniature soldiers in various situations. On rare occasions I would also sit at the frame to add a few stitches. It would not surprise me to learn Mother or Grandma would replace my toe catchers with smaller neater stitches when I wasn’t there.

Here is a wonderful old pattern called Dresden Plate. All of her quilts are just barely covering my queen size bed. It is obvious to me beds way back then were much smaller and more cuddle size. There was only a fireplace and wood cook stove in the cabins of Grandma's time. The beds were in the living room/workroom/parlor where the fireplace gave light and warmth.

Here is a close-up of the Dresden Plate. I hope you can see the W in the corner. Grandma made this quilt in the cabin before Grandpa died around 1950. The W is for Willie, my Dad. She also had quilts with P on them that she made for Uncle Palo.

This last quilt is one I put together for my Dad who told me the homespun plaids that I had in the Nine patch blocks reminded him of the shirts that his mother had made for him when he was still at home. I was thrilled to be working with fabrics that helped my grandmother care for her family. Grandma died in 1971 at 93 years old. I hope there is a quilting bee and a frame for the dear ladies to gather around and create to their hearts content.