Re-Making an Old Quilt

Stacey brought this quilt to me and asked if I could repair and restore it.  It belonged to her cousin, who recently died.  And it was made by her aunt.  It's a family treasure!  

 

It looked like a challenge, but I accepted.  The quilt has been hand embroidered on printed muslin squares.  Then it was hand quilted.

Here are some close-ups of the damage on the front of the quilt.

 

 

 

And here are some pictures of the back of the quilt.
 

All of the hand quilting thread has rotted, and it all had to be removed.  I sat on the floor and used my tweezers.  It took a few sittings to get it all done.  I listened to music or church talk CDs.  It was actually quite relaxing.

After the quilt was dissected, I sewed a stay-stitch around every piece.

Now, they're ready to be washed.  I used a large, flat plastic container (tub).  

And two different soaps.  

  

I used the spot remover on any spot I could find.  

Then I added the recommended amount of soap to the tub, and placed the blocks into the tub.  I let them sit for a while, then agitated them gently.  Then I rinsed the blocks and re-filled the tub with soap and water and repeated.

You can see how dirty the blocks were.  And the big, yellow spot didn't come out.

 I laid the blocks on a couple thick towels to dry.

 

The purple fabric is a poly/cotton blend, and it held up better than the cotton muslin.  So I washed all of the purple fabrics in the washing machine on a delicate cycle.  I also put the smaller strips into a laundry bag so they wouldn't get all twisted up.  I treated spots and use the quilt soap in the washer.  I dried them in the dryer on a low temperature.

 

When the blocks were dry, I pressed them with diluted Best Press.  Then I fused Pelon's Shape Flex Lite to the back of each block.   Now they are ready to be repaired.

 

 First, I mended any tears or areas where the fabric was worn out.  I used the darning stitch on my Bernina, with some matching Aurifil thread.  I know I took pictures of the mended areas, but I can't see them in the pictures.

 

Then there were quite a few spots in the hand embroidery that needed to be re-embroidered.  The blocks have 3  different shades of purple thread.  It was very hard to match the old thread with new thread colors.  So the match isn't perfect, but I did the best I could.

 

Now it's time to trim the blocks to a uniform size.  They were originally 16 1/2" (16" finished).  But the fabric was so rotted at the seam, that I had to remove all of the seam allowances.  So, the biggest I can cut them is 15 3/4".

  So, I made a tissue paper template.  I lined up the center square, then turned the template so the corners were as even as possible.  I marked the edges of two sides, then cut those two sides off.  I used my 15" square ruler for most of the trimming, and to make sure the blocks were square.  I have to slide my 15" ruler to cut all the way across, but it works fine.

After the first two sides are trimmed, I used a 6 1/2" X 12" ruler to add 3/4" onto my 15" ruler.  Then trim the other two sides.

There were three blocks that I couldn't salvage, so we decided to make the quilt with just nine of the blocks.  There was enough of the purple fabric to put the top together without using any stained parts. 

 

Here's the completed top.   

The original quilt was pieced in rows, instead of adding side borders. So that's the way I put it back together.

I gave the quilt to someone who is currently hand quilt it.  I can't wait to see it finished! 

Computer Quilt for My Son

I've made some progress on Scott's quilt.  Just have two more sections to make.  YAY!

 

My son, Scott, is a computer wizard.  He's our personal IT guru.  The last quilt I made for him is worn out.  So I'm making him a new quilt.  I'm not using a pattern, per se.  I made a diagram on Microsoft Publisher that I'm using as a rough idea.  I love to make things up as I go!

This is how far I got before Christmas.  Please forgive the mauve carpet.  It doesn't make a very good background.

Today is December 30th, and I've been working on it since the day after Christmas.  It's coming along.  In this picture you can see the diagram I'm working from.

 

 I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Sophie Is Up To Mischief!

My cat Sophie likes to eat my purple shamrock.  I have a small jungle in my sewing room.  When I came in to sew, I saw this. 

I thought I had moved the purple shamrock where she couldn't get it.  Shamrock is toxic to cats!  Fortunately, she hadn't eaten any.  I got busy and forgot about it.  When I came in later, there she was....

I told her "no."  She knows what that means.  But she is inching closer to the shamrock, with her ears back.

 

I had to tell her ,"no," a few times.  But she was a good kitty and got down, eventually.  Then I moved the shamrock to a higher shelf.  She was quite disappointment when a little evergreen was in the place of the shamrock.  

 

Sophie is my 11 year old house cat.  She is a brown tip Siamese/lynx mix.
 
 

Crocheted Chickens

I've been a Nursery worker at church and have 10 little boys in the Nursery.  I wanted to make each of them something for Christmas, but had to use what I had in my stash.  So, I made 10 of these cute chickens.  I'd like to share the pattern with you.

They work up pretty quickly.

I used a baby velvet yarn for the body, and regular acrylic yarn for the beak and comb.  I also used a size F crochet hook, stitch markers and polyester stuffing.

Each chicken measures 5" long, 3 1/2" wide and 5 1/2" tall (at the top of the comb). 

Crocheted Chicken Pattern

Use stitch markers to keep track of each round.

Beg:  Ch2

Round #1:  8 sc in 2nd st from hook.

Round #2:  Don’t join.  Work in spirals.  2 sc in each st.  (16 st)

Round #3:  *sc in next st, increase (2 sc in next st).  Repeat from *.  (24 st)

Round #4:  *sc in next 2 st, increase.  Repeat form *.  (32 st)

Round #5:  *sc in next 3 st, increase.  Repeat form *.  (40 st)

Round #6:  *sc in next 4 st, increase.  Repeat from *.  (48 st)

Round #7 - #14:  1 sc in each st around.  (48 st per round) 

Round #15:  *sc in next 4 st, decrease (work next 2 stitches as one, catching only the front loop of each st).  Repeat form * around.  (40 st)

Round #16:  1 sc in each st around.  (40 st)

Round #17:  *sc in next 3 st, decrease.  Repeat form * around.  (32 st)

Round #18:  1 sc in each st around.  (32 st)

Round #19 (tail):  hdc in same st as last sc, 3 dc in next st, hds and sc in next st.  Sc in next 10 st, skip next 10 stitches, join to 11th st (directly across the      chicken’s body, to form the neck), (head):  * Sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st. Repeat from * 2 times, sc in next 3 st.

Round #20 (working around head only):  1 sc in each st.  (13 st)

Round #21:  *3 sc, decrease .  Repeat from * 2 times.  3 sc.

Round #22:  *1 sc, decrese.  Repeat from * 4 times.

Finish head:  work 3 decreases, then sl st in last st.  Tie off.

 

Position safety eyes, secure with backing washer, then trim the eye posts.  Apply some glue to make them more secure.  Allow to dry.

Using a yarn needle, poke the ending tail to the inside of the chicken’s head.          

Sew beak with 2 whip stitches.  Tie off  inside the head.  Then tie one strand with the ending tail to keep it from coming untucked.

 

Stuff the chicken with some polyester stuffing. 

Thread a yarn needle and make the strands double.  Insert the needle into the two stitches at either side of the tail.  Tie the yarn in a tight knot. 

 

Whip stitch the opening closed.  Finish by making a knot at the base of the neck and tie a knot.  Then push the needle through the chicken and clip the yarn.

 

(Comb) You will be working back along the chicken’s neck.  It’s helpful to turn the chicken on its side while you work.  Secure red yarn just above the eyes and centered.  In same stitch, ch 1, hdc, 3dc. In next stitch, 3 tr.  In next stitch, ch, hds, sc, 3 dc.  In next st, hdc, sc, sl st.  Tie off and hide yarn.

 

A New Chapter...

Well...  I'm getting old.  Had some health problems in July, and had to quit my job at RR Donnelley.

But that means I get to go full-time in my little business!  So, I have a new website:  https://www.QuiltedSunshine.com.  It has 4 sections:  Printed Paper Patterns, Pdf Pattern Downloads, Handmade and a Second Hand Store.

Besides selling my patterns, I'm making and selling my handmade items.  This includes quilts, tablerunners, upcycled denim items, thread catchers and serger thread catchers, etc.

In my Second Hand Store, I'll be selling things that I may find for a screamin' deal, and pass the savings on to you.  They might even come from a local thrift store.  Or curated fabrics from my stash.  Or batting scraps cut to fit my denim quilt patterns.  Or things that I bought and don't really want any more.   ...Things like that.

I'd love for you to check out my new website! 

Please click on the image below.

 

 Here's a scrappy quilt pattern for you.  I call it Stacked Logs.

 

Here's a couple close-ups.

You can find the pattern on my Etsy Shop.  Stacked Logs

I have a new denim quilt pattern called Slats!  You can use a jellyroll of your favorite fabrics with this pattern.  I used mostly Maywood's Woolies Flannels, with a few Moda Wool and Needle Flannels.  I love the bright colors!

The Slats Denim Quilt pattern is available on my Etsy shop.  Here's a link.

The pattern gives six sizes, from a small rug to a queen size quilt.  Here are some more pictures.


 

Front of Planks Denim Quilt

Back of Planks Denim Quilt

Close-up of Planks Denim Quilt

 

 

Check out the pattern on my Etsy Shop at this LINK.