Thousand Pyramids - The 30 Year Wonder Qluilt

According to my research, the Great Pyramid took about 20 years to build.  This quilt top took about 30 years from concept to last row joined.  Hmmm, maybe not so bad considering there are actually 1,175 pyramids in this charm quilt.

I think there were five of us who did an exchange that took about 18 months.  We had 4 templates (2 people used the same template).  We planned to exchange 10 fabrics a month in a particular color family.  Each of us drew around the templates and cut out the shapes with 1/4" seam allowances for hand piecing., Fifty quilt pieces were made and exchanged each month.  We were loose on the color families - red meant anything from deep burgundy to the lightest pink, blue was navy to pale blue, etc. Colors like rust might fit in either the orange or brown category.

The templates included a half-square triangle which was used by two quilters.  One (our East Coast native) used a clam shell, one shape was a diamond and then there was mine that was a pyramid shape.

I moved cross country during the exchange and found that 10 of the fabric shapes could be sent in a #10 envelope for the price of a first class stamp, so each month, I continued to send my shapes to each of the others and they sent theirs to me.

A little Amish Influence.

All types of fabrics were exchanged.  There are a few that probably  aren't the best quality and maybe should have been left out, but our stashes weren't as big back then.

Christmas fabrics including a fussy cut Christmas bear were exchanged.

Even a vintage Holly Hobby fabric made it into the top. Notice that it is next to an Irish clover leaf.

There is even an "A" for Arnold in the top.

There may be a point or two that need to be "fixed" or maybe they will be left in even if they are slightly off.  Maybe it's more important to have this quilt done and quilted than it is to have it be perfectly pieced after 30 years or so!

One of the neatest things about the fabric is that even though the original exchange was with a small group of dear friends in Iowa, as I was finishing the quilt, I needed more fabric to make it large enough.  Of course, I used some of my newer stash, but I still needed unique fabrics in some colors, so asked two of my dear Arizona friends if they would contribute the colors I needed and they did!  So this quilt includes fabrics from not only over time, but from more friends than the original group.  

Isn't that part of the culture of quilting?  Neighbors exchanged fabrics, friends contributed fabrics to fill a need and relatives shared their stash.  Today just like in the past, these traditions continue and I'm very happy they do, aren't you?

Here's to Quilting Traditions!

xoxoXOXOxoxo

Lois

Autumn Chains Quilt Blocks

One question quilters get asked a lot is, "How long did it take you to make that quilt?"  It always makes me laugh a bit because I think about the actual working time versus the time span it took to complete a quilt.  Actual working time is far less than the time span.  If you are a quilter, you understand this.  A design can be in the works for months before it is even drawn.  The fabrics can be cut and waiting for quite some time before a stitch is taken.  It all depends on how much time you have to work on these projects as well as how many projects you have in the works!

Autumn chains was begun at the mini quilt retreat my friends and I had in August.  I told you about that here.  The light blocks were done a bit later and I showed you those blocks on the design wall in this post..  Finally last week, I finished the dark blocks and added them to the design wall.  Now it looks like this.

 

It would be nice if this quilt would be completed by next Autumn instead of joining the quilt tops ready to be quilted and sitting around for ummm, sometimes years!

 

 

Some of the blocks mights be switched as I notice fabrics that are too close to other blocks with the same fabric in them.

 

 

Do you see the dark chains and the light chains going through the quilt? I've been wanting to make one of these forever!  It is really a simple single Irish chain variation which is a traditional pattern.

 

 

Now the next decision is what to do with the setting triangles around the edge.  I haven't decided if I want to do a single fabric which would be the fastest or do string triangles like I did for the Saw Tooth Star quilt that I showed you in this post.  What do you think?  Plain or pieced triangles?

 

I do think I want it to be a light fabric as even the white of the design wall doesn't look all that bad, though it is a bit stark.  I don't think I want dark triangles, though since the outside row of blocks are dark.

 

So, how long does it take you to make a quilt?  Do you start a project and not stop until it is complete or do you have multiple projects going and work a little on this one and then a little on that one.  Or, perhaps, you are just a busy person and stitching time is hard to come by so a project drags on and on.  I tend to just get busy with other things as well as stopping to make other projects. Maybe I have project attention deficit and I need to hop from one to the other to be content.  What do you think? Does that sound right?  Though there have been times when I have stitched long into the night working to complete a project if there was a deadline.

 

Hope you are having a fabulous day and that you have at least a little creative time.

 

 

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

 

Lois

 

 

 

String Setting Triangles It Is!

Hi friends!

This week, I have been to a sew day, babysat a 2 year old, helped pack part of the 5000,000 plus meals our church is sending to Haiti and Africa, and made 18 string setting triangles and 4 corner string triangles.  Whew!  It's been busy!  In between there is always the laundry, ironing, cleaning, shopping, etc.  You know the routine -- husbands say they are going to take a shower and they do.  Wives say they are going to take a shower and they do, plus clean the shower, counters, mirrors and any other cleanup that needs being done in the bathroom.  Big difference!

You may remember that last Fall I was in a fabric exchange.  I told you about it here.  Also I had received a box of goodies from DH's cousin, Sheila, which I showed you here.  Well, here is a look at what I've done with all those neutrals.  (A lot of the other fabric from Sheila is in the saw tooth star blocks).

The one that is divided are the 4 corner triangles and the one in back is one of the 18 string setting triangles I made this week.  Those neutrals really create some texture used this way don't they?

I will show you a photo of the quilt top again when I finish piecing the blocks and sashes and setting the rows together.  I stopped working on that stage so I could work on the setting triangles on sew day Tuesday rather than trying to take all the blocks off the design wall.

Now do you remember my dilemma about the fabric I wanted to use for the sashes? I showed you what it looked like in this post.

Well, I got an e-mail from cousin Sheila who has a great sense of humor.  She asked me why I couldn't be a green person instead of a blue person because she had scoured quilt shops in the Chicago area and found the stripe I wanted -- except it was green and tan!

In yesterday's mail, I got this.

Ha, ha!  Can you read the print?  It says, "See!  I told you I found it in green & tan!

Now, I need to make a quilt where green and tan are the starring colors!  Thank you, Sheila!  What a treat and I really enjoyed the giggles when I saw what was in the package!

Until next time,

Lois

Uh, Oh! I need help!

Dear Friends,

You know I love scrap quilts.  You know I almost never buy yardage unless I know exactly where it will be used.  Well, that habit has gotten me in trouble this time.

I found the PERFECT fabric to use for the sash pieces in the quilt I'm working on.  But and you knew there was a but, didn't you, there is not nearly enough.

If you have this fabric (the blue) in the photo, would you be willing to part with it and sell it to me?  I need a little over 2 yards.  If you have 2-1/8 yards, I could make it.  I need 120 of these sash pieces, but only have enough fabric for 16.  BIG difference!

See how perfect it looks?

So far only 4 of the blocks are finished, but the rest are getting close.  I have attached the 3rd side and am pressing them getting ready to add the final row of half squares and squares.  The rows are ready to go, just need to finish pressing the blocks and pin the final side on.

In the mean time will you check your stashes to see if you have this fabric.  It is a Terry Clothier Thompson/Barbara Brackman print from -- are you ready for this? -- 2000.  I know, it's old, but it is perfect!

If you have this fabric in the yardage I need, please e-mail me so I can make arrangements with you to buy it and for shipping it.  I will forever be in your debt!

Thank you for listening to my plea for this fabric!  Next time I'll share the other 47 blocks of this quilt. 

Until Next time,

xoxoXOXOxoxo

Lois