Blogger's Quilt Festival Spring 2010

Everybody check out Amy's Creative Side and the Blogger's Quilt Festival!















My entry for the quilt festival is the first semi-conplex quilt that resides on my bed (with a store bought blanket covering it because I have dogs that get on my bed).  I sit at admire it quite often when I'm making my bed.  I still love it.  I made this quilt in 1991 when my oldest son was a baby.
  I used paper patterns for this quilt - the ''old fashioned way'', making the patterns then tracing them on the material and then adding the seam allowance.  I can't believe how tedious that was and I would never again do a quilt that way - but back then I don't think rotary cutters and rulers were really 'known' yet!  I used muslin for the backing and warm and natural batting.  I quilted it by machine in a 'stitch in the ditch' and a crosshatching in the borders.   Well, here it is in all it's purple and fuscia warmth!

dresden plate quilt progress

I am making great progress on my 100% hand-stitched dresden plate quilt.  I made nine 18'' blocks and am in the process of sewing the blocks together with 2'' blocks as sashing (these were leftovers from when I repaired my grandmother's antique postage stamp quilt).  I have 3 blocks sewn together now and it looks like it is going to be a wonderful size (should be around 60x60 finished, unless I decide to add borders).  I used one of my grandmother's antique linen tablecloths for the backing of these blocks, and I will NEVER do something so crazy again in my life, LOL.  The grain does not stay straight like on cotton, it is a PAIN to work with!!!  Once it's framed in the cotton blocks though, it's better.  I bought wool batting for this quilt and have not yet decided what to use for the backing or binding.  This will be my first attempt at hand quilting a quilt too.  I want it to be as authentic looking as possible  though to a 30's quilt.  A lot of the fabrics in the small squares are from my grandmother's stash - some flour sack material and some yardage from the 30's-40's.  The plate pieces are made from Mama's Cottons from Connecting Threads.