Tag Archives: hand quilting

One Patch Quilts

10 Monday Apr 2017

Posted by in antique fabric, antique quilts, hand piecing, hand quilting, old fabrics, old quilt tops, Old Quilts, Quilt Collections, Quilt Restoration, Quilt Stories, Scrap quilts, stitching

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Diamond Quilt

One patch quilts have been a mainstay of quilters since people picked up needles, thread and scraps of fabric.

Squares, triangles and diamonds or more complex shapes such as hexagons and clamshells have been used time and time again to create sophisticated designs.

One patch quilts can follow a formal layout of scraps and colours or can be randomly pieced out of the scrap basket.
Either way they make wonderful quilts.

Some of the one patch quilts in my collection include squares, triangles, tumblers, hexagons and apple core shapes.

Diamonds circa 1960s.

I purchased this quilt top at an antique market and hand quilted it in the Baptist Fan design. The maker had some great fabrics in her scrap basket including one with the American State flags and the year the states joined the United States of America. The last two to join were Alaska in 1958 and Hawaii in 1959. So we can presume this fabric was purchased in 1959 or later.

The quilter used great skill in her fabric placement. Solid colours are used for the diamonds in one direction and patterned fabrics in the other direction.

Detail of quilt and vintage fabrics used for the backing.

Old Fashioned Spools

Work in Progress

This is a quilt that I am presently hand piecing. I prefer the name Old Fashioned Spools but it is more commonly called Apple Core or Double-Bitted Axe. I am alternating light and dark fabrics throughout.

Vintage Tumbler

This quilt top contains shirtings, mourning prints, florals, plains, stripes and checks. Two cheddar yellow tumblers and the use of red and white spotted fabrics brighten up the sombre tone of the quilt. The top is hand pieced.

Tumbler Quilt top circa 1900s.

1910’s Triangles

The maker of this quilt planned her use of fabrics carefully making sure she had enough of each one to stitch a row of triangles across the quilt. The fabrics used are typical of the 1910’s but the indigos appear to be from earlier. The indigos are patterned with white and cheddar designs.

Simple shapes make wonderful quilts

I hope you enjoy seeing some of my one patch quilts and may be inspired to use your scraps to carry on this lovely quilting tradition. Happy Patching and thank you for visiting, Janette – The Plain Needlewoman

A Learning Curve

24 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by in antique fabric, antique quilts, Feed Sack, hand piecing, hand quilting, Quilt Collections, quilting projects, Repairing old quilts, Scrap quilts, Uncategorized

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Curved piecing is considered more difficult to accomplish than geometric designs. But with so many beautiful patterns to choose from it is worth attempting to learn to sew curves. There are many fine quilting books available that provide step by step instructions for piecing the curve.

I have made a few curved pieced quilts including two Robbing Peter to Pay Paul quilts, a Double Wedding Ring and a Mill Wheel quilt. I have recently hand pieced a quilt in memory of my mother which I have named “Marjie’s Star”. It is a six pointed star set with melon shaped pieces. It was a challenging design but enjoyable to hand piece.img_4676img_4681img_4677

Amongst my collection of old quilts, I have a Friendship Circle quilt.img_4641

This quilt is pieced from woollens, old suiting fabrics, velvets and silk. The block measures 17 inches. There are 16 full blocks and 4 half blocks to finish one side of the quilt. The seams are stitched with feather stitching and the quilt is tied. The backing is a paisley flannel.img_4685img_4684

Curved designs were popular during the 1930s and 1940s. These included the Double Wedding Ring, Drunkard’s Path, Fan and Dresden Plate quilts. Two unfinished projects that I have recently acquired both contain curves. The first project consists of 14 Dresden Fan blocks pieced and appliquéd onto a white background and set with hot pink. Also included with my purchase is extra hot pink fabric and the start of a scalloped border for the quilt. There is certainly enough to complete this 1930s beauty.img_4665img_4664img_4666

The Maker of the second project hadn’t progressed very far along with her piecing. There was a paper pattern with the partial blocks which I have identified as Mohawk Trail.img_4667

There are pieced blocks, partially pieced and many wedge sections cut.img_4668

I have re-drafted the pattern and will stitch a couple of blocks to see if it is going to work out. These sweet old pieces have sat undisturbed for many years and may have to wait sometime yet.

As this year is fast coming to an end, I will add these projects on my list of quilts to finish in 2017. Meanwhile I am busily hand quilting, and hope to finish a vintage Trip Around the World quilt before we bid farewell to 2016.

Happy Quilting, Janette – The Plain Needlewoman.

Doll Quilts

11 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by in Doll Quilts, Feed Sack, hand quilting, old fabrics, Quilt Collections, Quilt Stories, quilting projects, Scrap quilts, Sewing machines, Uncategorized

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Every so often I make a doll quilt or two. It is a nice change to work on a small project that can be finished quickly. Doll quilts were often made by children to teach them sewing and were usually made from scraps.

Log Cabin made from tiny strips

Log Cabin made from tiny strips

When I start a new project I cut and sew a few more patches that I need and these extra pieces often find their way into a doll quilt. This is also a good way to trial colours and techniques. Children love playing with the little quilts and spend happy hours tucking the dolls or teddies into bed.

Here are a few of my doll quilts – hope you enjoy seeing them and that you may be inspired to start a doll quilt for your collection.

Great books for inspiration

Great books for inspiration

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Happy doll quilt making, Janette

Sweet Old Things

22 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by in Feed Sack, hand quilting, Mending, old fabrics, old quilt tops, Quilt Collections, Quilt Restoration, quilting projects, Repairing old quilts, Scrap quilts, stitching, Uncategorized, vintage quilts

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I have recently acquired a couple of very sweet old unfinished projects.The first of these is a house block quilt top. It is predominately made from feed sacks and contains plains, florals, plaids and one polka dot.

Florals and plains

Florals and plains

House block

House block

A deliberate mistake perhaps!

A deliberate mistake perhaps!

The quilt was not particularly well made and is slightly wonky. Despite this it has a certain charm and as I love feed sack fabrics and house quilts I couldn’t pass it by.

I am stabilising the edges by stitching narrow ribbon to the outside edges and easing the blocks onto the ribbon to bring them back to size.

Ribbon stitched to outside edge of each block

Ribbon stitched to outside edge of each block

I am hopeful that I will achieve a flatter, straight quilt that I can then quilt and finish.

The second project that I am working on is a collection of signature blocks.

Album Blocks

Album Blocks

The fabrics used to piece the blocks are typical of the 20s or 30s.Some of the blocks are complete with an embroidered name while others have been signed but not embroidered. The piecework ranges from basic stitching to an expert level. The blocks were not all exactly the same size. With a little trimming I have a working measurement of 12 3/4 inches. I am setting them together with lattice and setting squares cut from feed sack fabric and adding these to each block. When joined this will create a nice scrappy design.

Lattice and setting squares

Lattice and setting squares

On the design wall.

On the design wall.

The blocks are very charming and include interesting fabrics. These friends made use of fabrics they had on hand and the cream backgrounds include calicos, taffeta and a heavy linen.

Nellie ran short of fabric!

Nellie ran short of fabric!

While peacefully stitching these two projects I am reflecting on the lives of the ladies who made the original pieces. It is lovely to finish a quilt started many years ago. While contemplating the lives of these quilters I am also giving some thought to another little set of blocks.

More Feed sacks in these gorgeous blocks

More Feed sacks in these gorgeous blocks

I am waiting for inspiration of how to set these adorable blocks together into a quilt.

I will keep you posted. Peaceful Stitching from Janette, The Plain Needlewoman.

A Fine Old Quilt circa 1870

08 Friday Jul 2016

Posted by in 19th century Madder Fabrics, antique fabric, antique quilts, appliqué, hand quilting, old fabrics, Old Quilts, Quilt Collections, stitching, Uncategorized, vintage quilts

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Basket Quilt

Basket Quilt

This basket quilt consists of 30 blocks set on point with alternating cream homespun fabric blocks. The quilt is a large one measuring 205 cms by 230 cms. The baskets are hand pieced and the handles are hand appliquéd.IMG_4171

Madder dyed fabrics are used throughout the quilt – mostly copper toned browns, a purple and an orange. The border fabric is a typical copper toned Madder stripe.

Border stripe fabric

Border stripe fabric

Baskets were a popular design in the 19th century and baskets represented prosperity. The quilt maker appears to have been prosperous, as she had a good supply of yardage available to her. The quilt is extremely well made. The piecework, appliqué and quilting are of a high standard.

The quilting design is a simple but lovely design. It may have been adapted from a folded cut work appliqué design. I have three old Madder Red appliqué blocks in this design.IMG_4231

Hand quilting

Hand quilting

Madder Red Applique Block

Madder Red Applique Block

The backing is a plain homespun and the batting is an uncarded cotton.

The Basket Quilt came from California but no other information was available. As in so many instances there is no label on this quilt so the identity of its’ maker is lost in time. I can only wonder at the life of the maker and enjoy her wonderful quilt. Hope you enjoy seeing this old treasure. Happy Quilting, Janette

Swans on Lily Pads circa 1930s

24 Sunday Jan 2016

Posted by in antique fabric, appliqué, Feed Sack, hand quilting, old fabrics, Old Quilts, Scrap quilts, Uncategorized, vintage quilts

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From Fairy Tales to Ballets, swans have provided ideas and inspiration for many artistic pieces.

Swans certainly inspired the creation of this unique quilt. Using fabrics from her feedsack scraps and her fine sewing skills the quilter produced a magnificent example of folk art.

Detail of Swans on Lily Pads

Detail of Swans on Lily Pads

Searching through my books and magazines for a pattern source I have been unable to find any patterns for appliqué swans. However, there are many patterns for embroidered swans. Swans were popular motifs for fancy work and examples can also be found on redwork quilts. The maker of the ‘Swans’ may have drawn her own design or found her pattern in a newspaper, magazine or embroidery booklet.

The maker had a good collection of feedsack fabrics. There are 21 different patterns used in the quilt and the yellow solid backing fabric may be a plain feedsack fabric. There are 25 blocks. The quilt is finished with three borders – two of feedsack prints (also used for swans) and the final border is plain homespun.

Detail of quilt backing

Detail of quilt backing

The swans and the lily pads are appliquéd with turned under edges and embroidered with stem stitch. Further details are embroidered. The embroidery and quilting is very well executed. The maker used a soft batting and the quilt displays IMG_3537IMG_3538 traditional quilting designs. Cross-hatching was stitched across the blocks and a beautiful feather design was chosen for the border.

As a collector of old and vintage china swans this quilt is a favourite of mine. I hope you enjoy seeing it.

China Swans

China Swans

More swans from my collection

More swans from my collection

Wishing you all a wonderful year of stitching. Janette – The Plain Needlewoman

Redwork – Excellence with the Needle

21 Monday Dec 2015

Posted by in antique quilts, hand quilting, Quilt Collections, Redwork, Turkey Red, vintage quilts

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Emil. Mae's Redwork quilt dated August 1917

Emil. Mae’s Redwork quilt dated August 1917

The popularity of Redwork during the period of 1885 to 1925, coincided with the development of a colourfast dye that produced a lovely clear red. The name given to this red was Turkey Red. The name came from the country where this difficult and complicated dyeing process was created and produced under much secrecy. Even today it is not known beyond all doubt how the original methods were carried out.

Patterns for Redwork were published in the Women’s Magazines such as The Ladies Home Journal, The Modern Priscilla and Godey’s Lady’s Book. Stamping Kits and Patterns were offered to entice customers to take out subscriptions. This is an early example of advertising. The patterns used in Redwork were not specifically for quilts, but for all household linens. They were also known as Penny Squares, Storybook, Pictorial or Nursery Rhyme designs.IMG_3520

Due to the simplicity of Redwork and the basic requirements needed Redwork was a good project for beginners and children. Redwork quilts were often made up without batting and in some instances they were simply backed and not quilted.

A story book Redwork quilt -quilted without batting

A story book Redwork quilt -quilted without batting

A stanza from The Needles Excellency by John Taylor published in 1631 describes embroidered pictures. It is also a fitting description of the variety of images found on Redwork quilts made nearly 300 years later.

“Flowers, Plants and Fishes,
Beasts, Birds, Flyes and Bees,
Hills, Dales, Plains, Pastures,
Skies, Seas, Rivers, Trees,
There’s nothing ne’er at hand or farthest sought
But with the needle may be shap’d and wrought.”

Sheep in the Meadows

Sheep in the Meadows

Pigs in the Farmyard

Pigs in the Farmyard

Horses - a favourite subject

Horses – a favourite subject

Daisies

Daisies

A Crib Quilt

A Crib Quilt

Any-one for tennis?

Any-one for tennis?

Wishing you all a safe and peaceful Christmas. I hope you find time during the busy festive season to spend in pursuit of excellence with the needle. Sending my best, Janette – The Plain NeedlewomanIMG_3510

A Stitch In Time

09 Friday Oct 2015

Posted by in Postage Stamp Quilts, Quilt Restoration, vintage quilts

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Two new Postage Stamp quilts have recently been added to my collection.

Pretty Nine Patch Crib quilt

Pretty Nine Patch Crib quilt

Steps in the Flower Garden

Steps in the Flower Garden

Postage Stamp Quilts are quilts made with very small scraps of fabric. One inch squares are common but sometimes the quilter cut her squares even smaller. At this time in quilting the seam allowance was smaller than the standard quarter inch seam that we use today. The designs vary from a one patch layout to more elaborate settings. Solid fabrics in complimentary colours were often used to set off myriad pieces selected from the scrap bag. The tiny squares may have been cut from worn clothing, household linens and the scraps left over from other quilt making projects. Postage Stamp quilts offer a wonderful opportunity for fabric study and sometimes older fabrics from other eras can be identified.

Pretty Little Crib Quilt

With its hot pink border this pretty little crib quilt remains bright, clean and colourful. The solid pink and white fabrics are in excellent condition. However, some of the squares were completely worn away. IMG_3220
The quilt is beautifully quilted in half inch cross hatching.

To repair the worn squares I cut a square of paper to size and tacked fabric onto the paper square, as you would for paper piecing. I pressed the patch well and removed the tacking and the paper. The patch was applied to the damaged area and neatly stitched into place. I then quilted over the newly patched area.

Patch ready to be stitched into place

Patch ready to be stitched into place

Repaired square

Repaired square

This dear little quilt measures 42 x 52 inches with the nine patch blocks measuring 3 inches square. It appears to have been made in the 1930s and may well have been used by many babies. I am sure it was much used and loved.

Steps In The Flower Garden circa 1930s.

This vibrant and colourful quilt had not been washed or used when I received it. The quilt had a rather bad stain (possibly from storage) on the back and about 10 squares had disintegrated. These appeared to be the same fugitive brown fabric

Fugitive fabrics

Fugitive fabrics

Using the same method as for the Crib quilt, I repaired this wonderful example of a Postage Stamp Quilt.

Detail of repaired area.

Detail of repaired area.

I soaked the quilt in Retro Wash for a day with a colour catcher added in case of colour run. After a good old soak it was into the washing machine and onto the line for some fresh air and sunshine.

A lovely bath!

A lovely bath!

This quilt has a very light wool batting. The quilting is simple diagonal and horizontal line quilting. The quilt is large, measuring 76 x 88 inches.

I am very happy to report that the quilt washed extremely well. The quilt is fresh and clean with the stain removed.

Stain prior to washing.

Stain prior to washing.

Lovely clean backing.

Lovely clean backing.


I love this quilt with the vibrant black and orange solid fabrics unifying the many patterns and colours of the scrap pieces used by its maker.Detail of quilt. Detail of quilt.

I hope my Stitches in Time will save these quilts for many more years and they can be studied and enjoyed by all those who see them.

Thank you for visiting, Janette The Plain Needlewoman.

Perfect Piecing

07 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by in hand quilting, Mending, old fabrics, Old Quilts, Quilt Stories, Repairing old quilts, Scrap quilts, stitching, vintage quilts

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LeMoyne Star Quilt circa 1860 to 1880

The maker of the LeMoyne Star Quilt was skilled in both piecing and quilting. The three inch LeMoyne Stars are constructed from eight tiny diamond pieces measuring approximately one inch in length. There are 345 stars in the quilt. Each star is accurately stitched with nice sharp points and the centre seams aligned perfectly.

Tiny LeMoyne Star

Tiny LeMoyne Star

The stars are stitched into a nine patch configuration and are set with three inch wide lattice strips. More LeMoyne Stars are placed as the cornerstones. Two plain borders were added with the remaining two borders made up of the lattice strips and star cornerstones.

Lattice and quilting detail

Lattice and quilting detail

The quilting is remarkable in both design and execution. The quilting consists of double cross hatching and feathers. There are 12 stitches to the inch, counted on the right side of the quilt. The batting is a lightweight cotton.

Unfortunately some of the fabrics used to piece the stars are extremely fragile and showing signs of wear.
This could be due to corrosive substances that were used in the dyeing process at this time. The white background fabric and the quilt backing are in excellent condition. I will eventually stabilise the weakened areas with tulle. Despite this problem the quilt is still a beauty. One can only wonder at the ability of this quilt maker to accurately stitch this intricate design with out the benefits of the sewing accessories available to quilters today.

LeMoyne Star Quilt

LeMoyne Star Quilt

Thank you for visiting, I am off to do some mending,
Janette, The Plain Needlewoman

It’s Never Too Late To Mend.

16 Sunday Aug 2015

Posted by in antique fabric, Double Pinks, Mending, Repairing old quilts

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The Letter H Quilt

The Letter H Quilt

This gorgeous late 1800’s quilt arrived from America in good condition bar a 2 inch tear in one of the H blocks. As the general condition of the fabrics is excellent I can only presume that the quilt caught on a sharp object that caused the tear.

I sorted through my reproduction fabrics for a match to repair this block but could not find a suitable tone of red and black. I thought about using black tulle but didn’t have any on hand. I then remembered that I had some old black lace in my lace collection. I stitched the damage section of the quilt back onto the batting and covered the exposed area with the lace. This was an easy solution and the tear is practically invisible. I am happy with the result.

Repaired block

Repaired block

About this quilt

The Letter H quilt dates to about the late 1890s to 1910. The Letter H blocks were probably made from the quilter’s scrap basket. The cream background fabric in the blocks is consistent throughout, as is the gorgeous double pink used for the alternate blocks.

Detail of blocks

Detail of blocks

The quilt has another double pink used for the side borders. The quilt measures 230 cms. (90 inches) by 178 cms. (70 inches) and the blocks are 24 cms. (approx 9inches) sq.

The backing is a very pretty shirting with a pink on white design. The maker obviously ran short of fabric and joined in a similar shirting to create enough fabric for her backing.

Joined Backing.

Joined Backing.

More of the pretty backing.

More of the pretty backing.

The quilting is the Baptist Fan design and is executed in a loose, relaxed style. The quilter bound her quilt by bringing the backing fabric to the front of the quilt. The batting is a hand carded cotton. When I washed the quilt the little black cotton seeds were clearly visible when the quilt was wet.

This quilt is one of my favourites. I love the design, the colours and the quilt’s tactile quality.

Unusual fabric design

Unusual fabric design

So it really is never too late to mend. ” Mend in time; patch to a purpose; reinforce for strength and take care with all.” (quote from Mary Brooks Picken).
Hope you enjoy the quilt and it’s story, Happy Mending – Janette – The Plain Needlewoman.