It all started in 2013, when Quiltdiva Julie sent me a box of crazy pieced vintage blocks.
There were 24 in all, and they came from a quilt top she'd bought on Ebay.
The seller said it came from Ohio.
I had saved this photo on my computer screen for some years before that.
I don't remember the source, but it became my inspiration.
I sewed the blocks together and cut out the diamond shapes for the star.
There were just enough leftover for the border.
Then I bought some embroidery floss.
I learned a few stitches, and embroidered all the seams.
Eventually, it was ready for a background.
I picked this spring green solid, because it was the only thing that seemed to work.
I wasn't excited about the color, but thought I'd get over it.
Well, I didn't. I just didn't like all that green!
I decided to remove it and find another background.
Several hours of stitch-picking later, I was ready for auditions.
I tried practically everything I had on the shelf.
Here are just a few.
Too light
Too dark
Too brown
Too bright
Too busy
Too gray
A few dear friends suffered with me and my auditions for WEEKS!
Then I went to the Houston Quilt Festival and found what I was looking for!
It's one of the new woven plaids from Kaffe Fassett.
The top is about 87" square, plenty big for a queen size bed.
I finished it last week.
THEN, just yesterday, I went to the Farmer's Market, like I do every Sunday.
The woman farmer I always buy from gave me this!
She said her great-grandmother had made it from old family clothes.
What a treasure! I tried to talk her out of giving it away.
But she said she had no room for it.
So I gladly brought it home.
While Julie's was sewn in blocks and not yet embroidered,
this one was sewn all on one sheet with embroidery.
Now I have TWO vintage scrap tops to quilt and to love!
News just in:
Bill Volckening found where the original inspiration quilt came from.
The quilt was shown in the European Patchwork show in France in 2012.
Katell Renon's quilt group in France was also inspired by the original.
They made a beauty!
What a beauty! Love the way how the blocks with those beautiful fabrics made a new appearance!The embroidery stitches are just perfect like gathering all the fabrics together!Looking forward to seeing what are you going to do with the second one!Have a nice day! Anneli
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful. Waiting for the "right fabric "for you paid dividens in the end. Great blend of old and news. I think the quilting fairy was watching and knew you were the perfect person to treasure a vintage quilt top.
ReplyDeleteOh wow. You have a lot of patience! I love how your scrap star quilt turned out!
ReplyDeleteSo much fun to see old blocks come alive in a new quilt! It is really a treasure you were able to take the crazy top/quilt home.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for showing all the try-out photos.
Groetjes
Annemieke
So much fun to see old blocks come alive in a new quilt! It is really a treasure you were able to take the crazy top/quilt home.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for showing all the try-out photos.
Groetjes
Annemieke
Wow, I didn't realize how large the scrap blocks were until the end of your post! The Kaffe plaid works great - did you have the blocks with you when you bought the fabric? Do you always go to Houston? If my daughter still lives in Texas next year I might try to attend. I have attended the Paducah show several times-so much inspiration! Anyway love both of your quilt tops, and I imagine your friend knew she was giving her family quilt to a good home. Have fun finishing them!
ReplyDeleteYou are the quilt Savior! Beautiful story!
ReplyDeleteGood choice...Stunning gorgeous !
ReplyDeleteYou give me inspiration....
Véronique
Thanks for sharing the process! That makes the quilt extra special! I love both the tops. (A side note... I was blessed to meet Quiltdiva Julie last week with her Build a Barn display in Memphis. She, too, brings 'value added' to her quilts through sharing the process.)
ReplyDeleteI did like the too dark version too! Lucky you to be trusted with an antique quilt!!
ReplyDeleteOh wow is right! What a beautiful quilt top you have made and thank you for showing the audition process you put it through.
ReplyDeleteIt is so nice to receive gifts of hand made textiles from friends and acquaintances - Gift cloths connect us. Art connects us.
Thread connects in more ways than we realize. xo
When I saw it on IG this morning my first reaction was....WOW !
ReplyDeleteCongrats for this quilt ! It's awesome !
What a nice story! Your star made of a friend's gift is wonderful and you finally found THE right background! I remember in 2013, not being innerly convinced by this aqua green you chose. Sometimes you just have to wait for the right fabric to come. Your final choice gives so much light and dynamism to the star! Now you trust blue to be a happy color too ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt is now one of the best quilts in your galaxy of works.
What WONDERFUL results for that vintage eBay quilt top. I am SO happy you transformed the blocks into something SO amazing! And waiting for the right background fabric - I completely understand every thread of that process.
ReplyDeleteLeeAnn—Making a back, taking it off, auditioning tons more. That's passion for fulfilling your artistic vision. The blue woven plaid mades the quilt top sing! P.
ReplyDeleteI remember when you were cutting out those big diamond shapes and wondered what would become of them. That blue check is a heavenly choice!
ReplyDeletePretty ♥ happy Tuesday ♥
ReplyDeleteThis is incredibly special, and I LOVE the final choice for background. Perfection. Thank you so much for sharing all the others, and your whole process!
ReplyDeleteLove the star. Greetings
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful'lone star' quilt! I do love that new Kaffe plaid, it's the perfect choice! I orderd some just for me the other day! Off now to check out the links, thanx!
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed reading the story of this wonderful quilt. Julie gave those blocks to the right person and you chose the perfect inspiration quilt. I felt your frustration at finding the perfect back ground fabric, but it was worth the wait. The top you have been given is wonderful too, once again it's in the right hands.
ReplyDeleteNice nice your Lonestar!! And the search for the back ground fabric...always difficult, so good you change it, now it is really a eye catcher!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool way to use those blocks. The lone star is beautiful. That was a lot of unsewing to do to change the background, but your new choice is incredible and oh, so bold.
ReplyDeleteOld and new living happily ever after : ) . Recently I decided that I love that combination! And I am trying to use something old or repurposed in every quilt I make. Because something about that just makes my heart happy. Thanks for sharing your treasures. I am always inspired. Janita
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful star from the vintage blocks. I love this with the KF new fabric as background.
ReplyDeleteNo I do wish we had Farmer's Markets her in NZ - I should be there every week!
Wow! thanks for sharing your process and for showing us that it takes time to find the right fabrics.
ReplyDeleteI love vintage fabrics. The star looks great! And what a nice gift!
ReplyDeleteSplendid crazy star ! Kristine
ReplyDeleteSo interesting to follow the auditioning of the background fabrics, it really shows how much that changes the whole character of the quilt. The chosen one is both surprising and lovely! A lot of work with the embroidery, and maybe also a great chance to study the vintage fabrics. All your work and patience in the process is really paying off. Beautiful...
ReplyDelete; )
Great quilt! I love the red embroidery.
ReplyDeleteYour final selection of background looks great.
What a generous gift from the farmers markets ladies. Wow.
They found the right home for that.
LOL, I had the same problem with that colour of spring green. It seems perfectly good until you try it with almost any other fabric, and then it looks ghastly. I don't know what I'll do will all mine! Practice FMQ, maybe.
ReplyDeleteIt seems karmically balanced to pair your vintage fabrics with a brand new one. Great finish! Have fun with the next. :D
Perfect background fabric - your persistence paid off. I would never have thought of using those original blocks like this but I love the end result. How lucky you are, too, to be given another vintage top.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delight. Love all your embroidery. I would have been tempted to stop at the one you called "too dark" but your persistence served you well. Perfect background.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting how many old styles/quilts/colors/etc. are new again? There may be nothing new under the sun but you've created a unique beauty while honoring the past. I especially appreciate the time you took to show your vintage inspiration points rather than pretend you dreamed this up out of thin air. What a help this is to other quilters as they look for their own muses.
Hi, Nifty. It's always a pleasure to stop by and see what you're up to. Wonderful old fabrics that you've brought back to life. And I especially like your "spare parts" quilt. The red just makes it sing. wishing you a wonder holiday season! best, nadia
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