Doin' the Pine Burr

I've become a little obsessed with making Pine Burr blocks.

This is my first.  I thought I'd make only one.

But then I couldn't stop!

I've made one each evening for the last four nights.  

Talk about a stash buster!  Each one has at least 144 three inch squares.

It all started with this quilt at the Bold Expressions show.

Did you know that the Pine Burr is the official state quilt of Alabama?

Em's mom, Marian, sent me this wonderful box of 1970's fabrics cut in 3" squares.  And Mary sent some lovely small scale gingham.  What's a girl to do?

Want to make one yourself?   

You can go here, for instructions from Loretta Pettway Bennett of Gee's Bend, Alabama.  

 Geesh, I discovered these instructions AFTER I made the blocks!

Or you can just wing it like I did.  My method is below.

  First you need a ton of 3" squares and a 12.5"square of muslin or other fabric.

Put a square of in the middle.  The color should match your middle "burrs."

Fold 4 - 6 squares diagonally twice and iron them.  Then pin them on.  

Sew a ring of stitching.  This could be done by hand too.

Then do another ring.  I lined mine up just so they would just cover the raw edges of the prior ring.

I think of the raw edges as the little triangles' "privates."

Keep goin'.  You get the picture.

It took 8 rings to cover the square.  You could do yours thicker and it may take more.  

If you end up with not enough to cover the fabric on one side, just add some more triangles.  You can see I had to do this at the top of this one.  

Then you fill in the corners.

You end up with this.

Get out your 12.5" ruler and cut off the extra.  Wa-la!

Betcha can't make just one!

If you do make one--or more--you can post them on the "Inspired by African American Quilts" Flickr group!

Fini!

"Spring Equinox"  87 x 87"

Quilted by Cindy Gilbrough

Just in time for fall!

A Bold Expression

I've had this quilt on the wall for about a month.

  I kept adding blocks, but I didn't like it, and I wasn't having fun.  

I was trying to make my own version of this quilt from the Bold Expressions Show.  

Lesson number one:  You can't make someone else's improvisational quilt.  Duh!

Buffy came over today.  She didn't like it, and I was so relieved to hear it!

We started throwing old tablecloths up on the wall and the excitement began.

Lesson number two:  Find a really honest friend and listen to her.

"A Bold Expression"  70 x 79"

A few hours later, this quilt top was all done!  

Lesson number three:  If you don't like it, cut it up and add outrageous fabric.

  

Inspired by African American Quilts

Many of us are inspired by African American quilts.

  

This quilt, part of Corinne Riley's Bold Expressions collection, was made in Texas in the 1950's.  When I saw it recently, it just took my breath away.    

So I'm working on making my own version of it.  

I can only try to imagine what it was like to be an African American woman in Texas in the 1950's, living with oppression, poverty and long, hard working days.  

As I cut, sew, and discover the surprises in this quilt, I feel like I might begin to understand the joy and freedom that quilt making provided for these women.  

With limited time and materials, these women found ways to express their individuality, creativity, and humor.  It was one small part of their lives they could call their own.   

These quilts were essential, made to keep their families warm.  Yet the makers found ways to have fun with them.  When they were creating quilts, they could do exactly what they wanted to do.  

As one quilt maker friend said, "They never heard of the quilt police."  

I've made a few other quilts inspired by African American quilts.  This one inspired by Anna Williams.

Each one has been so much fun to make.  

Having no patterns or templates, they're impossible to replicate.

Sometimes we call them "improvisational," "intuitive," or "wonky."

I'll call them tributes to African American quilt makers. 

If you make quilts inspired by African American quilts, I've created a Flickr group where you can post your quilt photos.  It'll be ongoing and open to everyone.  Just go over there, add your photos, and enjoy the inspiration!  

This is inspired by an African American quilt in the book, Bold Improvisation, by Scott Heffley.  

Be sure to see Smazoochie's QAL for more great "Streak of Lightning" quilts!

  

Bold Expressions Show 2

Bold Expressions Show, a set on Flickr.

Here are some better photos of the Bold Expressions Show of African American Quilts from the collection of Corinne Riley, now showing at the Bellevue Arts Museum in Washington.

You can click on any of these to get to the Flickr set, or click here to see them all. There are 133 photos, including lots of close-ups. Enjoy the show!


Good news! The museum has ordered a reprinting of the book. They say they'll receive it "any day now." You can phone them to place your order. They'll ship anywhere. Here's the phone number (425) 519-0722.