Cheddar Baskets

My newest quilt, Make Mine Cheddar, made for the American Quilt Study Group's 2016 19th Century Basket Quilt Study. Every 2 years, the AQSG has a quilt study on a specific topic and one finds an antique inspiration quilt to reproduce in a small size (42" or smaller). I picked a cheddar orange Mennonite basket quilt from the late 1800s (see below). I chose to recreate it in 1/2 scale - 1/2 sized blocks (5") and 1/2 the number of blocks.

Make Mine Cheddar
31" x 31"
Sandra Starley

The original had only 3 fabrics but I'm a scrappy gal and so I used a different set of fabrics for each basket and then used all of those in the border. So I went from 3 fabrics to 27.

I paperpieced the baskets and sawtooth border and hand appliqued the handles. I machine quilted in the ditch to stabilize and then hand quilted the heck out of it with hearts, lines, and feathers.

1890 Mennonite Baskets
Southeastern PA
Starley Antique Collection

Springville Quilt Show 2016 - hand quilting

The Springville Museum of Art Annual Quilt Show is always on my must see list each summer. Lots of amazing quilt art.

I love hand quilting and was happy to see a fair number of hand quilted pieces this year.

Detail of piece by Janice Howick that was awarded best hand quilting.

And here it is hanging with a 2nd piece also made by Janice and hand quilted too.

Detail of Cathie Cee's sampler quilt "Crib Quilt", charming hand quilting and button details

The full quilt. It received a show committee award

All aboard

Headed to teach at an amazing quilt history retreat this week. Hope you all have a great week and keep sharing quilts - old and new!

Spring Road Trip - Las Vegas Quilt Appraisals

Time for a spring break road trip!! Come see at the Desert Quilters of Nevada's Quilt Las Vegas show, March 18-20 in Henderson, Nevada. I will be appraising all types, ages, styles, etc, of quilts. I will also be doing appraisal demonstrations and discussing the process behind quilt appraising. Come join and bring a quilt.

There will be lots of quilts in the show along with wonderful quilt vendors and modern quilt bed turnings, a fashion show, and  other quilt demonstrations and much more!

What's in a Name

There are many ways for names (aka signatures) to get on a quilt. On some quilts all the names are done in the same method- i.e., all signed by hand by individuals or by a skilled signer, or stamped or stenciled, or inked and on other quilts there is a wide variety of methods. And on some quilts, all the methods are used. 

Here is an 1840s signature album quilt from Delaware/PA in the "Grandmother's Pride" block with a wide variety of signing methods.

Delicious hand inked drawing

This one is stamped with letters arranged in the stamp center to spell out the names.

Another stamp but the name is hand drawn.

And yet another stamp.

Quilted Moab

There is a great new retreat in Moab called Quilted Moab 2016, which will be held next week. This will only be the 2nd year but there is already a loyal following and awesome teachers and classes.
Come on down, over, up, etc.!

On Feb. 19th, I'll be teaching a unique class that is part paper piecing class and part antique trunk show. You get to work on creating a fun Flying Geese doll quilt while looking at lots of antique doll, crib, and children's quilts from the last 200 years. Guaranteed to be a LOT of fun!

Day 31 (62) Crazy Quilt

A truly strange and unusual and wonderful crazy quilt.

Oh, I would love to meet the maker of this quilt. She (or he) loved cheater (preprinted) fabrics, piecing and applique, just like me. The mariners compass next to the horse is  pre-printed as well as the crazy quilt print in the 3rd photo.

Day 30 (61) Glorious glazed chintz

An elegant chintz crib quilt or quilt piece with an amazing glazed chintz floral and a nice turkey red print too. 1850.

Day 29 (60) Crib Quilt

A new to me crib quilt. c. 1850

Day 28 (59) Antique Whig Rose Fun

Day 27 (58) Researching Signature Quilts

Learn so much history researching signature quilts in my collection. This quilt was made in 1846 for Solon Chapin by his mother in law and other family and friends in Easton, Pennsylvania. Unusual combination of album block and lily/tulip blocks.

Day 26 *57 More Stars

Love antique star quilts

Day 25 (56) Mom's Log Cabin

A few years ago my Mom made this striking Log Cabin medallion quilt in red, white, and blue. It won flawless workmanship and Viewers Choice at the Springville Utah Art Museum show. It also was awarded Honorable Mention at the National Quilting Association's annual show.

Day 24 (55) Centennial Log Cabin

day 23 (54) Double 9 Patch

Love getting inspiration from antique quilts in my collections. Aren't those cheddar polka dots great? and the dotty red print and the pink grounds has subtle little dots too.

The Prussian Blue floral is lovely as well.

But the best is the backing:  A monochrome pillar print

Day 22 (53) wild geese

This antique quilt top is screaming to be added to the "must be remade" list. Starley collection.

Top is from Michigan. 

 Multigenerational project, earlier blocks framed later in striking zigzag setting

Day 21 (52) Make Time for Art

Detail of one of my word play quilts reminding you to make time to create ART

Day 20 (51) Recreating the Past

One of the funnest parts of reproducing antique quilts is finding the perfect reproduction fabrics.
Here is an action shot of the process for my Cheddar Stars quilt.

The miniature repro:

The full sized antique: