Ready for a Bit 'O Spring, Are Ye?!

Sharing a Beautiful Quilt with you!  Enjoy!

"How Does Your Garden Grow?" Pattern Now Available

Scenes from the latest design from Hailstorm Creek Press:

"How Does Your Garden Grow?"

These are in our series-in-progress called

"My Country Life".

First in the series was "Mama's Apron".

I also like to think of this gardener as my answer to Sunbonnet Sue.

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Pattern uses the following techniques:

Fusing fabrics together, machine applique, and simple hand embroidery stitches; machine piecing.

Jan Patek- Miami Valley Album Quilt- Dog Block

Dog Block!

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Below is a photo of my open toe applique foot on my Bernina,

in the process of machine appliqueing the dog to the background

fabric. I found the perfect stitch to use is the #3 stitch on my Bernina 180, which they call a "Varilock Stitch". I select this stitch on the machine, and reverse it, so that the "V" swings to the left as it sews. The Varilock stitch swings over to the left to catch the applique, then it swings back to the edge of the applique shape, sews two straight stitches, then swings back to the left for the next "V". If you don't have a stitch like this on your machine, you can also use a plain 'ol zig-zag stitch. Make it narrow and a little long, so that you're not doing a regular heavy line of applique, unless you want that effect.

 

Jan Patek- Miami Valley Album Quilt- Shoe Block

Shoe Block

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Another block done! Looks like pink shamrocks are blooming!

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I used the stitch and turn method on the shoe and flower petals, and the freezer paper method on the stems and flower centers.

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So where is the "Miami Valley" that this quilt refers to?

It broadly refers to an area surrounding the Great Miami River, and the Little Miami, Mad, and Stillwater Rivers in Southwest Ohio.

Communities include: Dayton, Middletown, Hamilton and Springfield, and other smaller communities.

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So- what's so special about this area as it relates to quilts?

Check the following links to find out and see the quilts:

Sue E. Cummings

Pictures of quilts

They are described as folk art album quilts. To me, they look like kin to the Baltimore Album quilts- but much simpler and a little less formal.

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Hey, while you're in Dayton Ohio, check out the following:

Esther Price chocolates

Miami Valley Quilter's Guild.

The founder of this guild is Sue Ellen Wassem.

And a wonderful designer is/was a member: Janet Miller.

National Museum of the Air Force

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Have a wonderful week!