A Quilt Finish ~ Humble Quilts Antique Block Challenge

 

Lucky in Love is her name, part of my make-do small  quilts Lucky Series, always featuring the horseshoe fabric[s]. *This is the challenge finish post, so regular readers may find it a tad repetitious. ]

Here is my block, sent to me by Lori of HQ.  Not a fan of madder prints, that ugly brick rust red, and it was non-colorfast; and crooked, warped, and fragile. A challenge indeed. I believe the block is an Anvil variation, c. 1850-1875, for those who want names and dates.

I backed the block with very thin fusible interfacing, added a hopefully invisible narrow cream sashing to give me some seam allowances. 

My initial plan/ sketched notes:

I was inspired by Australian crib quilts seen on the internet, pre 1860, often with multipieced borders, in a new to me medallion style, like the one below.

Also by modern Australian quilters on Instagram who do similar works. Sorry, I do not have a maker's name for this beauty.

My idea was that my quilt had the imaginary date of about 1840-50. Though in the end the scraps used were more US Civil War era, as was the central panel's added Remember Me motto.

My friend embroidered the motto in my handwriting. I was pleased that its fabric, a mottled batik, blended so well once appliqued.

Added the lucky hearts, because I love hearts and they show up on early crib quilts.

Here is a tiny turkey red heart on my 1840 red painted jelly cupboard.

The dark stripe's dyes ran as soon as I touched it with the steam iron. Looked dirty or scorched, so in the end I got up my nerve and machine washed the project with a tiny bit of OxiClean, plus ALL Free, and Retayne, four Color Catchers.

Hooray! Brown splotches gone, not a bit of bleeding.

Loved the Hourglass block, using my "TQC shops scraps'' /$6.oo a bundle , from TQC, and special gifted scraps from friends. 

A few favorite fabrics. Anyone recognize the tiny light yellow calico?

I found the turquoise Dots.

My quilter did a beautiful scrolling Feather, as I requested. I felt feathers were more in keeping with the imaginary date, my go-to Baptist Fans would date it late 1800-early 20th century.

The same reasoning influenced my choice of the grey mushroom print for the binding. Though many of us loved the red choice, or the cheddar, earlier quilts are unlikely to have strong contrast binding. The grey flowed softly from the chintz borders.

The ''chintz'' border is from Two Thimbles "Dutch chintz'' category, dating around 1830-40? It doesn't, to me look like a chintz of that era, but I accepted the shop's expertise, and I loved the woodland feel and colors.

Note the antique horseshoe print, plus fabrics from Lori, my friend BJ, and Penny.

The backing---you may recall backings are a big deal for me. This print just arrived and I was/ am in love, lookit those fairy toadstools, oh my! Colors were just perfect, the ground color is deep grey, not black--- and what the heck, I went with anachronistic and fun. Very happy with it.

I feel all my design choices give an autumn feeling without having pumpkins and ghosts.

As mentioned I did wash the project successfully. I didn't put it in the dryer though which I normally do. Instead I smoothed it out on a kitchen counter, blocking and squaring it. Sometimes the dryer makes new quilts TOO crinkly, not my aim with this one. It was 30" square unwashed, 29" square when washed and air dried.

I do love the result. Working with antique blocks, studying them, has always been my favorite aspect of quilting. I never take a block apart and resew it, I respect the original maker and her efforts. Sometimes I may patch an area if  absolutely needed but that is all. Opinions on this differ.

On the right corner area you can see how the old dyes are unstable and bled.

And so here it is: Lucky in Love

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My other ongoing antique project is Cart Wheels in Red and Cheddar. I have one more red bit to add. The layout is very long and skinny. I'm tempted to add cheddar panels to the sides to make it wider, but am unsure. Realistically it will be displayed folded so the final shape is not as important? I hope to have this out to Lori C my quilter before the end of May.

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In other news, Baby Mo had to be rushed to vet Monday. My friend helped me. He had / has a bad chronic ear infection and when trying to scratch it [probably very painful] he tore a big scratch behind his ear. Oh no!--- they shaved his neck to treat the sore and  they gave him a Cone. Mo about had a heart attack, definitely had a panic attack, poor mite. The cone was choking him! He was so scared. I have him wearing a bandanna instead, so far so good, as the meds help his inner ear infection.

It's been that sort of week and it is only Wednesday. Friday I go yet again to try to get glasses to help me see and drive. I have to admit I am very discouraged. My little basket of bonbon pinkeeps from Penny always cheers me up, though. Penny and I may do the TQC mini sewalong, 4 installments of handpiecing. I have never handpieced an entire quilt! If anyone wants to join us, send me a message. I probably won't start mine til outdoor sewing beings late June, no rush.

Have a good week!

Link to my Crib Quilts/ doll quilts on Pinterest: HERE So inspiring, I want to make them all.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

crabapple blossoms and tulips. Deck pots' seeds planted this evening, as the wind is a bit less frigid. Finally...

This week's art drawing, painting to come later. "Pears on a Plate"

Here it is with butterflies animation. The table in the prompt photo was decoupaged with butterflies and I couldn't resist, learned something new!

prompt photo, cropped. @roomportraitclub