Have you discovered old quilts and/or patches in your attic or a closet?  Are there quilting patterns there?   

When cleaning out a closet in the old farmhouse where I grew up, after my mom developed Alzheimer’s, I discovered some old quilting patches.  Some were simply pre-cut pieces and others consisted individual blocks with the pieces stitched together.

I’d never seen these before and knew my mom hadn’t made them.  Although she encouraged me in my quiltmaking, she hadn’t done any since she was a young girl.  When I discovered them, Mother no longer had any memories about the blocks and pieces.

So I let my imagination take over.  These pieces must have been something given to Mother after her mother died because there were other mementos of that era in the box.  If my grandmother made them, it wasn’t when I was quilting with her. Perhaps they were from earlier days than that.

My daughter framed some of them as keepsakes for relatives.  Now that we have some books on fabric history, perhaps she and I can somewhat date these pieces.  This is another instance where I wish that quilts could talk.

Have you found any old quilting secrets in your attic or closet?  Share with us!

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

Post from: Blisstree

Are There Quilting Secrets in Your Attic?

I’ve heard of several quilters recently who have been recycling men’s shirts into quilts. 

*These might be shirts from a family member and thus evoke memories.

*They could be shirts you’ve acquired at a second hand store and thought would make a colorful quilt.

*You might have some colorful shirts with Hawaiian prints that would be very striking in a quilt.

*They may be shirts you were going to get rid of and then had an “Ah! Ha!” moment when you decided they’d make good fabric for a quilt.

Lauren Smith and Derek Fagerstrom at Design*Sponge created an interesting quilt from some of Derek’s shirts and a duvet cover.  Take a look at: diy wednesday: vintage shirt patchwork “quilt.”  They also give you complete instructions for making your own vintage shirt quilt. 

For variation, you could use women’s blouses, old dresses, skirts, and other colorful fabrics.  Their quilt reminds me of popular ones I made when I operated my at-home quiltmaking business.  Those created with large squares went together quickly and could be priced more reasonably than time consuming designs.

(I used 7-inch or 5-inch squares instead of the 11-inch ones Derek  and Lauren did.) 

How have you become creative with older fabrics or by recycling fabrics?

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

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Memory Quilts from Old Shirts

 I discovered fascinating wall art with the artist using some of her grandmother’s vintage fabrics at How about orange…..  The framed hangings of vintage fabric flower petals are bold and colorful and created without stitching. 

Graphic designer, Jessica Jones also provides a tutorial for the hangings and book marks, actually relatively simple to create, yet stunning.  Her fabrics also took me back to the years when I sat beside my grandmother and stitched quilts.  (Does that make me vintage?!!)

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Fascinating Vintage Fabric Wall Art…a Variation of Quilting

Further research revealed that these jelly rolls consist of fabric pieces.   They’ve been introduced by Moda Fabrics and consist of a roll of fabric, tied with a ribbon.  These jelly rolls are comprised of forty 2 1/2-inch strips from a particular collection, then rolled up. Some of the collections in Jelly Roll form mentioned at Quilters Buzz include Kansas Troubles, Gervais, Minick & Simpson’s, and Fig Tree Quilts.   

At the Fat Quarter Shop, you’ll even find a Moda Jelly Roll Club and a selection of Jelly Rolls.

It appears Jelly Rolls are the fabric fad of the moment and in demand along with fat quarters and charms.

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Jelly Rolls for Quilters

Today I’m sharing with you a b5media blog, The Daily Tee, all about T-shirts, by Mike Coutermarsh.  Mike talks about all types of T-shirts and provides pictures of them.

This blog may give you ideas for T-shirt quilts you can make. You might find some that Mike discusses among your family’s or your tees.  Looking through The Daily Tee could provide you with inspiration and ideas for this type of quilt that’s becoming popular. 

These are just a few T-shirts among the thousands out there, that could inspire you with quilt and pillow ideas.  Perhaps you even have some of them among your family’s clothing…the beginning of a Memory T-Shirt Quilt.

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More About T-Shirt Quilts

Now Beatrix Potter, with Peter Rabbit and his friends, are influencing quiltmakers.  At the Snow River Quilts web site I discovered the delightful Garden Tales fabrics with the characters from Ms. Potter’s stories.  These come in yardages and panels…and are delughtful if you’re enthralled by Beatrix Potter’s stories and drawings.

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Beatrix Potter & Peter Rabbit Influence Quilters

(I receive Julie’s newsletter with the happenings at her quilt store and new fabrics available.) 

So as we think of spring and flowers, we might start searching for floral quilt patterns and fabrics with these designs on them. 

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Thoughts of Spring & Flowers for Quilters

Question: Which type of fabric do you prefer for your quilting and fabric art?

The possible choices: Polyester/cotton blend; 100% cotton; silk, satin, brocade, metallics; a combination of fabrics.

There’s no right or wrong, simply the fabrics that each artist prefers to use.  Sometimes, too, we’ll find ourselves changing as we venture into new artistic avenues.

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New Poll at Quilting and Patchwork

Some quiltmakers asserted that unless you used pure cotton fabrics you weren’t a true quiltmaker.  Admittedly, the older fabrics for quilts usually were cotton.

However, this was all the early quilters had to work with, other than linen, wool or linsey-woolsey.  Possibly they might have an occasional satin or silk garment they utilized for a quilt when it wore out.  Most of the quilts they made for use and warmth, so cotton was a desired fabric.

 I’ve always felt, though, that if the early quilters had cotton/polyester blends available, that didn’t shrink so much nor wrinkle, they would have used them.  It becomes a personal choice nowadays whether quilters want to be “purists” or incorporateother fabrics into their quilt work.

Today’s art quilters, of course, are using many types of fabrics and embellishments for their work.  They even make some of their fabrics.

Do you have an opinion about th fabrics to use in quilting and quilt art?  What do you prefer to use?

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Cotton vs. Polyester Blend for Quiltmaking

Now that I do my fabric art mainly for myself and gifts, I don’t have the excuse for collecting so much.  However, my daughter has quite an accumulation for her quilt art work….and I can always borrow!

What quilting or arts fabrics do you collect? 

*Some artists collect specific colors or color combinations. 

*Others look for fabrics with particular designs. 

One lady said she’s always looking for fabrics with cats and kittens.  Another likes nautical designs.  Perhaps you like desert scenes and the colors that accompany them.  I’ve also found fabrics interesting with Oriental motif and had great fun making my fabric postcard using this fabric and adding to it with embellishments.

Let me know what fabrics you enjoy collecting and working with.  It would be fun to share with other quilters and fabric artists.

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What Quilting Fabrics Do You Collect?