Cutter quilts: New life for old quilts beyond repair?

I want to share with you an interesting concept in the world of quilting. It is called a "cutter quilt."

A cutter quilt is a portion, or a "cut" of a quilt that is no longer able to be salvaged, saved, repaired, or restored. In essence, there is nothing else that you can do with the quilt--at least in its current, uncut form. It thus gets cut into pieces, discarding those sections that are irreparable, and keeping the pieces that are still in decent condition. Cutter quilts are commonly portions of antique or vintage quilts that are so badly damaged, they might be in shreds in some portions. Yet, these quilts may have sections that are still in good enough condition to be saved and used and even repurposed. Some cutter quilts find a new life as doll quilts, table toppers, wall hangings, Christmas stockings, just to name a few. You might even be fortunate enough to find an entire quilt that is being sold as a cutter due to threadbare portions of the quilt, leaving you the opportunity to cut the quilt yourself.

Hence the birth of the cutter quilt. A cutter quilt, besides taking a textile that is no longer usable and making it usable, also has an interesting tale about its maker and the materials she had available to her. For example, many cutters of antique quilts have scraps of fabric from ties and feed sacks, for example. Some have wool batting, indicating perhaps a flock of sheep was being kept by the family, or perhaps by a neighbor. Some are fairly heavy, even for a cutter quilt (after all, the quilt would have been used in unheated homes, where the temperature inside the house could easily fall below freezing during the winter).

If you have an interest in acquiring vintage quilts and textiles, perhaps your entry to this world may be through cutter quilts. They do not cost nearly as much as an intact antique quilt, yet they are every bit as beautiful.

Photo source: Primitive Pieces of the Past

Quilt block study: The Jacob's Ladder quilt block

The Jacob's Ladder quilt block is believed to have been in existence since the late 19th or the early 20th century. It has not always been known by this name; it has also been called Underground Railroad, or Stepping Stones, just to name a couple. Because quilt block pattern books simply did not exist until more recent years, it is difficult to determine just when this block was first pieced. Quilt historian Barbara Brackman does not believe that this block was created before the early 1900s.

Jacob's Ladder is believed to have been named such for the biblical reference to a ladder "resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it" (Genesis 28:12, NIV). It is easy to see how the upward motion of the block symbolizes ascending a ladder. Similarly, the Stepping Stones name is appropriate, as the small blocks are easy to visualize as small stepping stones. Also, the block, with its upward motion, could be used to symbolize the Underground Railroad, and the movement of slaves up to freedom from slavery.

Photo source: About.com

Quilt block study: The Log Cabin quilt block

Question: Who makes Amish quilts?

Answer: Not necessarily the Amish.

Surprised? I sure was!

Turns out, that sometime during the 1970s, a faction of Hmong refugees found their way to Pennsylvania Dutch country after the war in their homeland left them homeless. The Mennonites of the Central Pennsylvania region--Mennonites are well known for opening their arms to assist refugees of all races and cultures--took them in, and were pleased to find that the Hmong were quite capable with a needle and thread. And the Mennonites, as you know, are rather closely affiliated with the Amish.

So, one thing led to another. In order to provide the Hmong with the opportunity to support themselves, they were permitted to use their skill to assist in the Amish quiltmaking industry. After a time, these families apparently made contact with family and friends back at home, and got them involved in the craft. Entire villages were transformed, as male and female, young and old alike, began sewing Amish quilts to send back to the States. The Hmong even moved the industry forward, by introducing their skill in applique work in the 1980s, a skill which the Amish did not possess.

As this phenomenon becomes more well known, shops which sell Amish quilts are becoming more vigilant as to whom they allow to stock their shelves with quilts. And rightfully so. While I greatly admire the industry, and how it has greatly improved the quality of life for the Hmong, I think I'd like to know that the $600 "authentic" Amish quilt that I am considering buying was not made by the Amish. The book shown above, World Of Amish Quilts, which comes very highly rated (by others; I have not had the opportunity to review it yet), has a beautiful "Trip Around the World" quilt on its cover.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/9nbtwo

All About Quilting from A to Z: A book review

All about Quilting from A to Z is an informative guide to quilting, with a dictionary/encyclopedia layout. Quilting topics are very easy to find with this format.

After the User's Guide, there are full-page, full-color photographs of well known quilters and their homes/studios. The next section displays a collection of classic quilts--album, Amish, charm, crazy, mariner's compass, medallion, postage stamp, sampler, story, string, strip, and whole cloth. This is followed by illustrations of 60 quilt blocks, everything from Dresden Plate to Spools to Whirlygig, and how to use colors and lay them out. Fabrics are discussed, tools are shown, and basic quilting techniques are demonstrated.

The rest of All about Quilting is in alphabetical format. Topics included range from applique, to basting and binding, to foundation piecing, to labeling, to yo-yos and zigzag sets. There are obviously dozens of topics in between, but it is obviously not feasible to list them all here. Rest assured that whatever topic you are looking for, this book most likely covers it.

For those who appreciate current, up-to-date reference books with lots of full-color photographs and illustrations to provide further explanation, All about Quilting will be a book to consider owning. Also, for those who appreciate an alphabetical approach to a discussion of quilting topics, All about Quilting also meets this criteria. Further, the book offers lots of helpful written explanation on all topics presented. Especially to be appreciated are the pages which offer a glimpse into the lives of professional quilters.

Happy Hour - Relax and Enjoy: Picture This quilt

If you have ever had the opportunity to make a quilt from a pattern created by Terry Atkinson, you know what a joy it is to work with her patterns. I'd decided a few months ago to take a class at my LQS which featured the Happy Hour: Relax and Enjoy quilt booklet, and the Picture This quilt in particular.

The quilt pictured on the cover is the quilt I will be making. I, too, chose batiks, but I chose tans, browns and reds. It will match the great room in my house. However, I think I will be adding a narrow inner border and a wide outer border; I like the look of the two borders in a quilt.

Yesterday, I took this class. For all of the sewing and quilting I've done, it was the first time I'd ever taken a quilting class, and it was all that I'd anticipated that it would be. Granted, I did not learn anything new, and I moved quickly enough to complete all of my blocks by the end of the day, but I greatly enjoyed the experience. I will definitely do it again.

As of today, I have ironed all 30 blocks, and I am partway through the process of trimming them down to a uniform size. I'll keep you posted.

Quilting 101: A book review

Whether you are trying to decide if quilting is something you’d like to try, or maybe you’ve already decided to take the plunge, you will need a good instructional book on the basics of quilting. Quilting 101: A beginners guide to quilting is such a book. As its name implies, Quilting 101 is an ideal guide for introducing the beginner to the first steps of creating a quilt. Even for those who are more experienced, this book very clearly illustrates some of the elements of the craft that quilters may find confusing, and may want to receive more details on the subject.

Quilting 101 begins with an introduction as to how to use the book as a reference. Assuming no foreknowledge of quilting, the book introduces the reader to Sewing Basics: the sewing machine and its accessories, including presser feet and needles; how to sew a seam; quilting supplies; fabric and batting information; rotary cutting; layering and basting; basic quilting techniques; and binding. Even for those who have sewn a number of quilts, you will still find this discussion of the basics to be very helpful and informative.

The rest of the book is dedicated to basic quilting projects: kitchen accessories (hot pads, coasters, placemats, table toppers, and table runners); lap quilts; pillows; zippered bags; Christmas stockings; wall hangings; sewing machine covers; pillows; even doll quilts. Through these projects, quilters are introduced to the most common quilt blocks, such as Rail Fence, Log Cabin, Nine Patch, Ohio Star, Churn Dash, Flying Geese, and Bow Ties. Also, the projects allow the quilter to sew using common quilting techniques, such as applique, quilt-as-you-go, sewing triangles, sashing, paper piecing, strip piecing, and chain piecing.

Everything that is described in Quilting 101 is also illustrated in full color photographs, making the quilting process that much easier. Quilting 101 is an excellent book and comes highly recommended to you; you could easily own this book alone, and possess virtually everything you need to know about basic quilting. Many thanks to Creative Publishing for yet another great publication!

For the love of quilting

Recently, I was asked for a sewing machine contest by YCQT to share why I love quilting. So, I stopped to really think about it.

I thought about how it gives me a diversion from all of the crazyness that life has to offer at times. If you quilt or sew, or really do any type of crafting, you can relate; just by planting myself in front of the sewing machine, or by handling fabric, I can feel the tension begin to melt away. There is something tranquil, almost therapeutic in the cutting and arranging of fabric, or in the soft whirring of the sewing machine.

I thought about how, while quilting is something I do in solitude, I can also do it with others. Sometimes my daughters quilt and sew with me.

I thought about how sometimes I quilt and sew with my sewing circle (our group is mentioned in previous posts on this blog) in our quest to provide quilts and other sewn items for those in need in our area. We have sewn for families of deceased infants, abandoned babies, the elderly, the homeless, families living in shelters–the list goes on and on. We do not have outside financial backing, and many of us are not much better off than those for whom we sew; our fabric comes to us through donations. (If you have any fabric you'd like to donate, by the way, let me know; we'd be ever so grateful.)

I thought about how it would be great to work with a brand new machine. New machines often sew faster, and, for the most part, do not need frequent repairs, so you can sew more in the same amount of time. But whether our machines are new, fairly new, vintage, or otherwise, we will continue with our mission. Even with older, vintage machines (from the 60s, quite often), we do all that we can for the babies, children, women and men of our community.

Hawaiin quilting: An interesting story

The Pillows to Patch Quilt Collection: The Hawaiian Way

I don't know if you have ever looked closely at the origins and significance of quilting in Hawaii, but it took an interesting detour from the route that was taken here in America, and one with which we are accustomed. Most cultures can take a guess or make an estimate as to when a particular practice first came into being, and where it may have begun. Attempting to figure out who the first users are is almost impossible.

With Hawaiian quilting, however, this is not the case. In fact, quilting in Hawaii can be traced back to a specific year, place, event, and persons. It is my understanding that in 1820, the wives of two prominent Hawaiians were invited aboard a ship named the Thaddeus. Once aboard, they were taught the traditional method of piecing quilts by missionary wives. Over the next few years, Hawaiian women wrestled with this strange concept of cutting up perfectly good fabric, only to sew it back together again. To a culture which had no use for warm bedcoverings, and was highly resourceful, this was considered to be wasteful indeed.

So the women of Hawaii took this art form and placed their own unique spin on it. First of all, they appear to have abandoned the practice of piecework. Instead, they used one piece of fabric for an applique and cut their design of choice from this fabric. It is in the cutting that Hawaiians made their quilts distinct from the rest of the world. Using a cutting method not unlike the one you may have used as a child to cut snowflakes, they folded the fabric into fourths or eighths and created their applique pattern. They then allegedly handed the remnant pieces back to the misisonaries! Isn't that funny?

Hawaiian quilts are highly symbolic, as they are not utilitarian. The quilts of Hawaiian women were a reflection of their beautiful surroundings, their religious beliefs, and their homeland. They memorialized and celebrated loved ones who had passed on, as well as yet to be born babies. In a land where an elaborate hand appliqued design could take several months to complete, quilts were considered to be very special, and were regarded as heirlooms. Since there was no need to ward off the cold, it did not matter how long a quilting project took to complete.

Who knew that quilts in different regions of the world could have such different meanings and evolve so differently? Because quilts have their beginnings in necessity here in our American culture, it may be difficult for us to understand, at least initially, how quilts could become so different in other places in the world. Today, it is perfectly normal to see quilts here in the United States that were created specifically as art and not as bedcoverings, but in the early 19th century, this could not have been anticipated.

Elm Creek Quilts series: Some thoughts

I have decided to stop reading and rating the Elm Creek Quilts series--at least for now. Mainly, I can no longer overlook the storylines that have been created for this book. I believe that historical fiction has to have some grounding in history, and these books feel very contrived and "over-the-top" to me. Practically all of them have a modern-day storyline with flashbacks to families of the past who once resided in the region. Now, I have no objection to this method of storytelling. What has made me decide to stop reading them is the fact that, as an African American, I have a hard time believing that events in the flashback stories described in the books could have even remotely happened. Perhaps I am just no longer a starry-eyed optimist (hmm; was I ever?) and unable to accept the degree of opposition to slavery that is described in the books. Yes, there were certainly those who opposed it, but to romanticize this period in history and its surrounding events is almost an insult.

There is also the fact that the myth of underground railroad quilts still, in a roundabout fashion, continues to be suggested. Again, the notion of using quilts to aid escaping slaves in their journey to freedom, which has not been proven to be true, is put forth repeatedly in these books. African American history is complicated enough without adding fiction and wishful thinking. I wish I could keep ignoring this and try to enjoy the books (after all, I am a quilter!), but I think I have just read my last book of this series, and written my last review. At least for now.