Primitive Quilts and Projects

Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine

A premium publication dedicated to the primitive quilter, rug hooker, stitcher and more! Each issue features at least 15 projects from some of the most admired designers in the primitive fiber arts world.
www.primitivequiltsandprojects.com

Monday, September 28, 2015

Dessert First

Kristen and I have started back up on our quilt "This is How We Roll" from Spring 2015. There's a lot of paper piecing involved, which I have not really mastered yet, so I have been sewing a bunch of strips together. I told Kristen it's like I'm eating my dessert first - I'm going to be left with nothing but paper piecing soon! Oh well... Here's one of my long rows of chain piecing. So much fun!


This is the project we are working on if you aren't familiar with it:


We can't wait until ours starts to resemble a quilt! We just have a bunch of strips and squares waiting to be sewn together. We will keep you updated with our progress!

Gretchen, Grandma and Grandpa ("Ask Mom" and "Dad") are at the press check for our Winter 2015 issue right now! We are so excited... so many great projects in this issue. Here is a picture of the cover being proofed:


It will be ready to ship by mid October! Click here to see the gallery of projects. Have a great week!

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Something to cherish

 

Have you ever been given a gift that took many years to make, that you knew about from the first day the handwork had begun?

Our Mother, AKA "Ask Mom" started a quilt years ago. I believe she started it somewhere around 1999. It was for a quilt shop sample of a Block of the Month program for a local shop that we helped and taught classes at. Before she got very far making it, the owner decided to close the shop and gave Mom the rest of the fabric to complete the quilt because she knew Mom was going to eventually give the quilt to me. I can't remember for sure, but I think our Mother was still working full time as a Legal Secretary, so she worked on it when she had time, knowing speed wasn't necessary since the shop closed. Every so often I would see her working on it, and she just loved doing hand applique. Finally the quilt was all put together and ready to quilt. mom was a wonderful hand quilter, and made the most beautiful stitches. I knew it would take her some time to get it completed, but I wasn't in a hurry. As Mom's eyes began to get worse with Macular Degeneration, I watched her progress when she would bring it out to quilt on, and she seemed a little more in a hurry to finish it. She was worried about her stitches.

The day finally came when the quilting was complete, and ready to bind. mom was having trouble sewing straight lines on her machine, so she asked if I could sew it on for her so she could get to the hand stitching. When it was done, I told her she should hang on to it for a while to enjoy in her home. That many years working on it, I knew she really grew to love the quilt. My turn would come. About a week or so ago, Mom gave me the quilt. It is so beautiful. I can see where her eyes started to fail while she was quilting, but it is still the most beautiful gift, and I have the perfect spot to enjoy it for years to come in my sewing room, where I work most every day. I can't wait to show it to my Grandaughter, Henley, as she seems to love looking all around my sewing room and house at the quilts on the walls. I sewed a sleeve on the back the past couple days, and got it hung up today. I hope you enjoy the photos of our Mothers handwork. The quilt is a pattern by the late Linda Brannock.

 

 

 

Thank you Mom, for the most special gift.

Jeni

 

 

 

 

Monday, September 14, 2015

"Floral Abundance" from Spring 2013



As many of you might remember, I made Dawn Heese’s “Somerset” medallion quilt from our 2013 issues.  I enjoyed every stitch, and was tickled pink with the finished result.


Now that I know I can accomplish such a big project, I have begun work on Deb Eggars’ “Floral Abundance,” from our Spring 2013 issue.

 

Hmmmm…I wonder what it was about 2013 that keeps me making projects from that year?  Maybe when I finish this, my next quilt will be from a current issue.

Have any of you made either of these quilts?  Please share pictures of them!!!

Would any of you like to follow along with me on “Floral Abundance?”

I’m expanding on Deb’s pattern.  I want to make a queen sized quilt and two shams.  Her pattern consists of 24 floral blocks, sashing, and two borders.  I’m going to add a couple more borders to increase the overall size.  And for the two shams I’ll need 8 more floral blocks.  A total of 32.


So far I’ve completed 9 of the 32 blocks needed.  I’m still a bit of a rookie.  It took a while to get in the grove of how to lay out the appliqué pieces, and how to get somewhat adept at needle turn appliqué.  For the appliqué pieces, I’m using 3 different thread colors (off white, black, green), and initially used one needle, changing thread colors as needed.  I finally wised up and now have 3 needles ready with each thread color.


This is my Yazzii organizer, embellished with a spare star from the “Somerset” quilt.  Rather than carry around a pin cushion, I simply keep a scrap of wool with the pins and needles I need.  And while working, it’s convenient to pin it on the outside of my Yazzii.  (That's Pearl, looking bored, in the background...my little rescue, an Australian Cattle Dog--sweetest little thing I've ever known!)





 If you have any advice for me (appliqué tips, how to do neater work, enlarging the quilt for a queen bed, quilt photography, doggie kisses, ...) please comment here!

Thanks!!!!!!!
Judy