Little Quilts - A Gallery Wall - AAQI Quilt

In between some larger long term projects I'm working on small quilts for a gallery wall in my home.

I've had a little quilt for The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative on the short list for too long!  So...here she is - a little reproduction fabric one patch with no fabric repeats.  I hand quilted it.  Not sure when it will come up for sale, probably August.  I was motivated after meeting Lori at Humble Quilts and Sue at I Sew Quilts UK, (See its an International effort!) in NYC, and the posts from Lynda at Paper Napkin Poetry.

What's this have to do with my gallery wall?  I will be re-making this quilt - it is much cuter than my phone photography makes it look!

After repainting almost every wall in our last home we sold, I've decided to use less paint and more quilts on the wall in the new place.  I've always wanted my own gallery!
Before: (Technically, 'The Wall' is three walls....Lucky me)

Boring Left

Boring Right

I like how the recessed ceiling lights will be almost like floods on the quilts - see, I have a vision...

Here's the start of "The Gallery"
This is the finished quilt - I had shared fabric with Kathie, she posted about her top.

I hand quilted it, and did a knife edge at the top.  Like many antique quilts I rounded the corners and bound it with twill tape.  I order my twill tape from Reproduction Fabrics.

Here's a corner flipped back for a better view:

This little quilt was so fun I made a smaller version.
Smaller blocks, bed post corners and all knife edge.

Can you tell I gave it a little age?

I didn't get any of my samplers or needlework tools pulled for this post - more to come.
However, Pat recently posted about hers - and some doll quilts.

Margaret has beautiful work HERE.

I'll be adding to the gallery wall with old and new little quilts as well as more of my collection.

Thanks for stopping by - have a great week!

Gallery Wall Part 1 Pattern Sources

Deliberation is over on how best to give you pattern sources - - so here goes.

Left to Right:

Basket Quilt - Baskets for Betsy's Pattern by Carol Hopkins Designs HERE 
   It was also published in Miniature Quilts No. 73 Aug/Sept 2004 pg 33
   I did not add borders to mine as her pattern shows.
   Mine is machine pieced and hand quilted.

Madder Stars w Pink - my own 3" stars on point w/alternating pink blocks

                                    Hand quilted - really scrappy stars - I even pieced a couple star points.

Feed sack w/ solid blue

    Real Feed sacks - Darlene Zimmerman - Free Pattern HERE

    Machine pieced and hand quilted - I also bought her lap size version and it's...waiting to be finished ;-)

    Her kits include REAL vintage feedsacks.

Primitive Medallion - My version from an antique inspiration - details HERE

      email me if you would like to make one

Four Poster Chintz

   Details HERE

   email me if you would like to make one

Log-ish - Black and Madder Details HERE

   email me if you would like to make one

Green Chain - Antique block I hand quilted with a knife edge

Right of Shutter Wall:

Vintage Above the window - Repeat overlap for Left of Wall

Small Four Poster/4 Patch

Details HERE   email me if you would like to make one

2 Stripe Combo

Details HERE - scroll to the bottom of the post

Pink Nine Patches - 3" finished blocks - do your own thing ;-)

Uncle Franks Socks 

Another Carol Hopkins Designs pattern HERE

Did I mention I love her patterns?  I have Hard Crackers ready for quilting....and will share my version with you later.

Amish - this is one of my vintage from 1983ish...finally got it bound...for the wall.

Picture taken looking up - sorry!  Four inch blocks.

Vintage One Patch - I bought this one because of the hand button hole stitch around the edge and the variety of fabrics.  Here's a corner detail:

The Dark Star - another 1980's - having trouble getting a picture.  No commercial pattern available. 

Tumbling Blocks - I drafted the diamond - details HERE

Rolling Stones - Ann Hermes - Notes From The Quilt Lab  - Free Pattern HERE

Mini Nine-Patch with Star Center - Jo Morton, from the book "Small Quilts with Vintage Charm"

   The nine patch blocks finish at 1 3/8" square - Center medallion is 3" square.

Red Toile

 Details HERE

Sigh....That's a lot of patterns!  Did you catch the one I included that isn't on my wall yet?

ADDITION:  HANGING QUILTS

There are so many ways to hang wall quilts!

This is a good thing because there are so many reasons and needs to hang them.

I think you need to look at your needs and decide for yourself what works for you.

My personal choice for my Gallery Wall, is simple small straight pins.

In my case the quilts are small, light weight and I like to change my mind so they may get moved over time.   I also like to gallery look with nothing visible but the quilt.

I have had good experiences hanging with pins - I had a quilt on my porch in MN that went through freeze and thaw cycles - After three years I had no rust or damage to the quilt or wall.  It was a fairly large quilt - 60" x 80".  I used about 8 pins across the top angled down - don't press the pin in straight.  It was my risk to take and it worked for me.

Larger wall quilts that I commit to hanging for a period of time - I hang with a rod - add the sleeve etc.  No questions there - moving these means spackle, wall filler etc.  If you plan to show quilts be sure to check show rules for sleeves etc.  My needs were simple - little light weight quilts for my in home enjoyment.

I'm always moving my quilts around in display, storage and use.

That said there are many other options that may be better choices for you!

I know people who have had great success with the 3M Command Hangers.

There are fabulous creative hangers - checkout Anne's Yardsticks.

There are wood and metal creations HERE.

Magnetic HERE.

With many more - this is not meant to be a comprehensive list - just a start if you are looking for other options.

...Besides quilts aren't just for hanging.

Have a great weekend!

Waiting For A Spot - Gallery Wall Planning

What do you do with little quilts while planning the positions on a Gallery Wall?

Play with them!!

I took a small chair - about 15" tall, folded a few of the little quilts and added a few accessories.

Accessories include:
     Braided Rug
     Sewing Clamp
     Thimble
     Suitcase Sewing Kit

I'll start hanging the quilts soon...but in the mean time it's fun to have them close at hand for auditions and wall positions.

I also tried one folded over the back of the chair.  This was more fun than auditioning them with painters tape on the wall...more on that later...

This little one is so fun I hate to hide it all folded up.

The colors in the quilt look nice with the rug.

The inspiration for this one is from the book:
Small Endearments by Sandi Fox
     pg. 161  (no patterns - history & photos)
I just may be on a person quest to make everything in this book...

It measures 14" x 17"

I pre-planned all of the rounds - in some cases I cut less than 1.5" of a single fabric.

I machine pieced and hand quilted my reproduction.  Working with the plaids was new for me.

The binding is also scrappy and once again I rounded the corners like the inspiration quilt.

Late 1800's in private collection

Here's the book photo.

It is referred to as inventive construction with many pieced borders.

It was fun to work out all of the rounds and colors. It was almost harder to make it asymmetrical than all evenly balanced.  A great exercise for me!

The suitcase sewing kit if from Canada so the printing is in English and French.

No advertising markings, but it was probably intended as a travel set.








The clamp has nice detail:

Swing arm is filigree and holds the fabric in the down position

What quilt have you most recently hung on your wall for pure enjoyment?

Thanks for stopping by - Have a great weekend!

Fringe, Tape Binding and Gallery Wall Progress

Close up of fringe edge

I have a new addition to the Gallery Wall.
This was a good exercise for a large project that will have hand tied fringe.

The fringe matches a canopy with hand tied fringe on the guest room four poster.

I've had a few discussions lately on tape binding.  I knew I had seen a tape loom in a book - finally found it and was then side tracked with inspiration for this little quilt.

Print Fabric:  Maison de Garance (Moda) 13548

The little quilt is about 11.5" x 15.5"
Machine pieced and hand quilted.
Knife edge with top mounted cotton fringe edge.

Book:  Small Endearments
Nineteenth- Century Quilts for Children and Dolls
By Sandi Fox
ISBN:1-55853-312-5

The tape loom in the book is dated 1814, made of Oak and Maple.  Source:  Collection of Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts. click HERE
See the book for a picture.

Other tape loom information click HERE
If you want to buy your own reproduction tape loom click HERE

I have yet to find a tape made today that replicates the antique tape used for binding.  I've been using a narrow cotton until I find a better reproduction....and NO I'm not buying a loom and weaving my own.
UPDATE 2/2013 - I did buy a tape loom and am weaving!  Boud a doll quilt HERE.
Antique Tape binding examples:

Tape binding - home woven?

Tape Binding - Trenton Tape?

Here's the 'fringy' new little on the shutter wall in the 'Hall Gallery'

Clockwise starting at 12:

*  Vintage doll quilt

*  Four Patch Notched 

*  Doll Nine Patch

*  Tumbler

*  Fringed Geese

*  Stripes

*  Rolling Stones - Ann Hermes - Notes From The Quilt Lab  - Free Pattern HERE

*  Antique Chain block quilted as doll quilt

*  Split Rectangles

*  Cradle

A few close ups:

Little Nine Patch I made in 1989 for DD

Tumbler with Fringed Geese - Hand Quilted 

Split Rectangles - Hand Quilted

Do you use a variety of edge/binding treatments on your quilts?

Gallery Wall Part 1

Gallery Wall Part 1 - The Ladder Was Out Sunday

The Little Quilt Hanging has started, and will be a WIP for quite some time...the voids will be filled and the painter's tape gone.

Click HERE for the before pictures. Nothing but white!

This is the top of the landing.  You will see a few familiar little quilts I have shared before...and some new (vintage) ones I will be telling you about.

Looking to the left from the top of the landing is a two story wall and we needed the big ladder to get the top few hung!

I think the next 'hanging' will have to be a batch, its a big job to hang these!

I've chosen to mix era's and repros with originals.

In this picture I have 150 year span represented.  The oldest, a reproduction would be early 1800's, and the 'newest' is the vintage red above the window circa 1950's - with the rest falling in between.

I still have a mix of vintage and reproduction ones to add, in time I'll show you part 2.

For now, I will share some close ups in the next week or two of the quilts and provide more details on each.

This little one is machine pieced.

Instead of quilting, this creative jewel has a yarn "Lazy Daisy" stitched in the middle of each block.

It came with an older doll and a lot of doll clothes I picked up in the 1980's.  The kids played with it - it  was part of many teddy bear teas.

The blocks are about 3.5"



In the next few days I'll post details for each little quilt....source, fabrics, close ups etc!


I want a wide representation on the walls, so still to come are an applique, mourning print churn dash, whole cloth with birds...

What else do I need?

More Littles - Donations and Gallery Wall Addition

This is my Little Whole Cloth for my home Gallery Wall.

I LOVE this colorway and didn't buy it - and a quilt bud came through for me - Life is good!
Now I can look at it everyday...
(Thanks)

No Piecing - it is hand quilted and finished with a knife edge.

For the back I used a mini preprinted whole cloth from The Stencil Company HERE.

I could have just cross hatched but I wanted to practice curves and I like the texture this one has.

It is hand quilted in a cream thread.

As I was snipping a thread on the front porch at dusk, getting the most of the dwindling light....

I cut the backing fabric!  Not just a little V cut...the whole piece came off.

I meant to go back and mend it before I washed the quilt - I forgot - but look how nice it closed up.  I thought it would be larger and a bit frayed...

Tossed Red and Green 7" x 8.25"

I was doing a little tidy up in the sewing room and decided to make a few more AAQI donation quilts.

I was able to hand quilt them while we watched a movie.  Great fun - and quite liberating.

Once I submitted one and had been through all of the steps they were a snap to get registered.  I sent three off in this batch.


I will be doing more of these!

Gray Matter   6.5" x 7.5"

This one is the friend to my Goldie Gray Medallion.

It looks crooked - but it was my camera angle...

I like the touches of blue in this one.

Seeing Red 9" x 10"

I included some of my favorite fabrics in this one.

I love red and brown.

This one is also machine pieced and hand quilted.


Like I said, it is hard to stop on these...

Thanks to those of you who inspired me to get involved with this effort!!







Have a wonderful weekend!




Click HERE if You'd like to join the fun and participate in Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

Are Diamonds Really a Girls Best Friend?

If you read my Hexy Stars post then you already know about my love of diamonds.
Fabric diamonds that is.

This little Tumbling Block quilt is machine pieced and hand quilted.  Painter's Tape again - there will be many quilts hung on the gallery wall this weekend!

I've been cutting diamonds for numerous projects.  These finish at 2" long and 1.125 wide - perfect for a little quilt.  It was fun to pull from the scrap bin and not repeat fabrics, although I think I found a repeat or two while quilting.

Still working on my hand quilting I think I have a tension problem and am still pulling a little too tight...what me, uptight?




I also finished a little quilt inspired from the book, 'A Child's Comfort Baby and Doll Quilts in American Folk Art' by Bruce Johnson.  ISBN 0-15-117184-X
A 1977 book, so I bet you can find a copy at a bargain price - no patterns just lots of inspiration.

This is the original

My version - all finished

This is my version - a little chunky in the middle so it has a good home with me  ;-)

I have a perfect spot on 'The Wall' for a long narrow piece so I was very motivated to get this one completed.  It is machine pieced and hand quilted.  Approx 12" x 22.5"

Didn't dig in the old things this week - next week I'll have some for you.
I was busy making NEW FRIENDS!
Wednesday I drove down south to sew with Libby and Co. from Plain And Simple.
WOW!
She has a beautiful home filled with quity wonders - beautiful quilts!  I sat beside her wonderful hexagon quilt she is hand quilting - an heirloom!  Thanks to her and her friends for the warm welcome!

Off to work on some more wall quilts...my shape of the month - Diamonds.
What's yours?  Hex? Square? any other diamond lovers out there?

Little Red Toile and Scrimshaw Needlework Tools

In my quest to fill a gallery wall with little quilts I have book marked nearly everything in the book:
Small Endearments by Sandi Fox

(Like the painter's tape?)
I've completed this little red toile quilt and am auditioning it for a spot on the wall.

I'm hesitant to hang it because the new Moda line 'Lately Arrived From London' has a few prints I will use to re-make it in...but then I have to wait for fall (September) to get my preorder!  I'll probably hang it and swap out the newer version at some point.

This one is about 10" x 12"
Machine pieced and hand quilted.
My version has narrow binding.

The original in the book is much larger.  Also a tempting option, to really show off the beauty of the fabrics.

I love the early 19th century fabrics and am looking forward to the new reproductions.

If you like these too, you may be interested in:
The Great Lake Seaway Trail War of 1812 Quilt Challenge blog.  I've enjoyed their posts.





We recently visited the Bower's Two Centuries of Quilts Exhibit.  I had seen the same quilts last year in their exhibit, but is was great to see them again.  A couple of them have inspired me to continue building my stash of silk for a future quilt.

Whenever I visit an exhibit I enjoy the 'extras' along the way.  On this day it was the Scrimshaw exhibit (limited time) with a case of needlework tools.  (Double click on the photos to enlarge them)

Clamps

Assortment of Tools

Seam Sealer

Great Left Handed Ruler

What exhibit has most recently inspired you?  I would probably say the Red & White in NYC, but those ideas are all still in my head!

Have a great week!