Have you made any of these?  I made the Missouri Star pattern in a quilt for a customer.  It was a lot of work, but was a lovely quilt in the colors the customer wanted.

My daughter created the Ohio Star in a wall hanging for her grandmother’s room in assisted living.  Her grandmother grew up in Ohio. 

1. Ohio Star
2. Missouri Star
3. Lone Star (Texas)
4. Iowa Star
5. Tennessee Star
6. Virginia’s Star
7. North Carolina Star
8. Kansas Sunflower
9. California Rose
10. Indiana Puzzle
11. Kentucky Rose
12. Rocky Road to Kansas
13. Florida Star

Of course, there are more states with patterns named after them, but for today’s post, I’ll stop at thirteen.  Have you made any of these…or ones named for other states?

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Post from: Blisstree

Thursday Thirteen – 13 States Named in Quilt Patterns

 The  b5media Lifestyles Channel, of which Quilting and Patchwork is a part, recalls the 1980s for their Theme Day this month.  I’ll reminisce about the 80’s as it relates to my quilting.

At that time I was operating my in-home quiltmaking business, writing a quilt business column for a Quilt World Omnibook magazine (which no longer is published), interviewing quilters for the local newspaper, and learning all I could about this fascinating topic.

Beginnings of my Quiltmaking

Although I first made a quilt with my grandmother, in the 1940s, my quiltmaking business began during the United States’ Bicentennial Years of 1975-76, when my mom needed quilts to sell in her country grocery store.  The lady who made them couldn’t keep up with the orders.  There was a resurgence of quiltmaking during that time with anything quilted and patchwork having great appeal.

The quilts evolved into pillows, table cloths, potholders, placemats, skirts and aprons…in fact, anything in this line.  A write-up about MEA’s Quilts in Yankee Magazine almost overwhelmed me with orders, but was exciting, too. 

Projects that stand out in my mind:

• Missouri Star quilt for one of Mother’s customers
• Patchwork aprons for costumes
• Sunbonnet Sue quilt and pillow shams for a little girl’s bed
• Quilt in Southwestern colors I was asked to design
• Hand quilting two older family quilts
• Quilt order from a prisoner
• Taking a quilt design class taught by Michael James

Quiltmaking…a Family Affair

It’s enjoyable now to see my daughter, Beth Mastin, participating in quiltmaking.  She’s become involved in areas I never tried…such as dyeing and painting fabrics and making fabric for mixed media art.  (Her blog is Meandering Threads, where you can view some of her projects.)

My granddaughter currently is making a Civil War era quilt for a school project with reproduction fabrics of that era.  It shall be interesting to see her finished work.

Did you participate in the Bicentennial quilting and the resurgence of the 1980s?  I’d love to have you share your story here.

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

Post from: Blisstree

My Quilting in the 80’s

Cyndi at Layers Upon Layers and Noreen at Hankering for Yarn tagged me for the 7 Random Facts Meme that has been going around.  I participated in it previously, but there are always facts and ideas I can relate that you’ve not heard before.

1. I like old quilts and finding the stories connected to them.
2. My granddaughter is making a quilt for a school project using a Civil War theme with reproduction fabrics from that era.
3. My daughter had one of her fabric art pieces displayed at a gallery in Costa Rica.
4. I like to work on the smaller pieces since they’re easier to take with me when I travel.
5. My daughter makes exquisite fabric postcards.  (Check out more of them at her Meandering Threads blog.)
6. I’m researching my family’s quilting history for a series about the Trails End Quilters, along with family recipes, note cards, and reproductions of my painting of the Trails End Farm.  I currently have a blog about this, Tales of the Trails End Quilters,  http://trailsendquilters.blogspot.com . 
7. The Missouri Star design was one of the most difficult I’ve made, especially when I jumped into it during the early days of my quiltmaking.  However, the quilt for a customer turned out lovely.

I’m not going to tag anyone for this meme because it has been making the rounds in some form or fashion for quite some time.  However, I’d love to have you participate voluntarily by naming 7 Random Facts about you and your quilting, either here in the comments or on your blog and linking back to Quilting and Patchwork.

(c)2008  Mary Emma Allen

Post from: Blisstree

7 Random Facts About Quilting & Me