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About Me
- Mary Lou Cheatham
- Hi. How are you? I’d like for you to read my blogs. One is called CollardPatch.blogspot.com. A few years ago, I started cooking collard greens and cooked them for two years. I fixed collards every way I could and published recipes and a cookbook about collards. It’s out of print, but people started calling me the collard queen and going to my collard patch blog. In the meantime, I wrote other books, mostly historical fiction with a vital element of family and a sprinkling of romance. My latest book, All Her Dreams of Love, will soon be released on Amazon. It’s a romance taking place in the 1880s in Mississippi. A woman waits for her husband to return. She watches for him faithfully. Will he return? She goes looking for him. Meanwhile, other men seek her company.
28 comments:
I am asking for advice about three quilts I inherited. All were done by hand in the early 1930's. They are tops that need to be quilted. Can I have them machine quilted or should they be done by hand? Does the value change or does it matter as they aren't completed yet?
Thanks Anjivina
Anjivina, here is a beautiful answer to your question from a friend who is an expert. Thanks for your question, Mary
Anjivina, The value of your quilt tops is determined by several factors, such as the quality of the work, the rarity of the pattern, what fabrics were used in its making, and what condition it is in now. The value can best be determined by taking it to a qualified appraiser. The American Quilter's Society keeps a list of registered appraisers ( link ---http://www.americanquilter.com/about_aqs/appraisers.php -- here) who can help you find out the monetary value of your quilt tops. Without seeing them in person their value is very difficult to determine accurately.
My training tends to make me a bit of a purist, so I'm going to recommend that you seriously consider hand quilting the tops, especially if they have any value but even if they don't. Don't you just love the idea of that handstiched 1930s quilt top becoming a completely handmade multi-generational heirloom, out of the Great Depression and the Great Recession? Be sure and put a documenting label on the back with all the known info and even a photo and bio about you and about the original quilter, to hand down the story as well as the quilt to future generations. If you don't feel up to the challenge of that much hand quilting, check with your local quilt guild to see if there is a hand quilter who can help. Your local independent fabric store might also know the names of quilters who could do the work.
Having said that, if your quilt tops are of more sentimental value than monetary value ($200 or less), there is absolutely no harm going to be done to the value by machine quilting them and then you will have a finished quilt which you can lovingly display in your home. I would warn you that if you plan to have the tops completed by a longarm quilter you may want to address the condition of they quilt. Longarms use tension to hold the layers of the quilt sandwich and if your quilt top is fragile in any area it may end-up tearing when subjected to that stress. Either way you decide to go, I would still put a label on the back with the story of the quilt and the quilters who made it.
I hope that helps. --Lochlanina
~ Lochlanina
http://piecefulslumber.blogspot.com/
I inherited several sunbonnet sue blocks. They were probably made in the 20's as he died when my mother was 6, and I am now 60. They were in the first quilt I ever made and I hand-quilted it. I don't know about the value, but I think she would be thrilled to know someone put her blocks to use and kept it true to her era.
deb
I was wondering if anyone had an opinion of the difference between the accu-cut quilt cutting machine and the sissix quilt cutting machine...Which do you think is a better machine and most accurate..Thanks, Betsey
I was wondering if anyone has an opinion of the difference between the accu-cut quilt cutting machine and the sissex quilt cutting machine...Which do you think is more accurate and easier to use..Thanks for your help..Betsey
Betsey, my friend, Laura, who works in a fabric store told me that her store sells the Accu-Quilt. "I have seen it used and it seems to work very well. Everyone who's bought it seems very impressed with it. Never heard of the other brand."
We'll continue to check on your your question. Thanks for writing.
Deb, I love your story. It reminds me of the quilting bees my mother used to have when I was a child. We used to play under the quilt, which hung from the ceiling of our farmhouse.
I was an avid piecer/quilter years ago when I made two sunshine and shadow baby quilts using an easy technique, but I have since lost the instructions. The trick was to have all the tiny squares laid out before piecing. Then beginning at one corner, the pieces were sewn together and, going diagonally, the threads NOT cut. The half-finished product consisted of all the squares hanging together by threads. Then, the dangling pieces were sewn together from the opposite diagonal direction. My question is: Does anyone have these explicit instructions? I'm not sure I could duplicate this feat now without them. Thanks in advance!
Anka, go to this link and see if it helps.
http://quilting.about.com/od/babyquiltpatterns/ss/easybabyquilt_2.htm
Thanks, Mary Lou! It took a while for my "quilting brain cells" to begin functioning again, but I did manage to remember the sequence of steps to make an "easy" sunshine & shadow baby quilt. The top is almost completed...three more rows. Can I send you a photo? Let me know how... And thanks again for your help. ~Anka
want to start a quilt I have some wool scraps I am a beginner in every aspect of the word. Suggestions please.
Anka, I'd love photos of your quilts. Send them to me as jpgs at Mary C 888 at Yahoo dot com, and I will post them on the blog. (Just fix that email address the regular way.)
Quiltingclueless, are there quilting clubs in your town?
I am having trouble with my tension on my long arm quilting machine. help! the top stitch looks great but underneath it is messy!
I am having problems joining a quarter square triangle to a half square triangle. Is there a secret to having them come out even?
I am having trouble joining half square triangles and quarter square triangles. Is there a secret to this procedure? I need help! Thanks.
all thumbs asked: "I am having trouble joining half square triangles and quarter square triangles. Is there a secret to this procedure?"
all thumbs, are you trying to join 2 quarter square triangles to one half square triangle? If so, join the two quarter square triangles first, then press or finger-press the seam allowance aside and join the now-half square triangle to the half square triangle.
What I usually do before machine sewing is stick a straight pin through the points at which the sewing lines (penciled or imaginary) align, especially at the end points of the triangles. This assures that the fabrics, usually cut on the bias on the long side, won't slip as you're feeding them under the presser foot. This video may help you:
http://quilting.about.com/od/quickpiecingtechniques/ss/halfsquaretria.htm
Good luck!
Anka, thank you for helping All Thumbs.
I guess my problem is that the quarter square triangle is slightly longer than the side of the half square triangle I'm attaching it to. I don't quite understand how to place them. Do you leave the extra length at the top? Or bottom? Or split the difference? It just doesn't seem to be working out for me.
Thanks so much for your help!
all thumbs said: "...the quarter square triangle is slightly longer than the side of the half square triangle I'm attaching it to."
If I understand you correctly, you have a half triangle made of two quarter triangles that is larger/longer than the half triangle you're attaching it to. Place the seam (where the two quarter triangles meet) in the midpoint of the long length of the half triangle. There should be excess at both or either ends. Pin and sew these two pieces together, press, then take a template of the completed square (eg. 4" x 4" plastic/cardboard) and position it over the fabric "square." Trim the excess. OR... You can use your rotary cutter/mat to trim the excess from the square-that-is-not-quite-square. Good luck!
Mmmmm! Wish I could draw a picture. I have the half square triangle. The two quarter square triangles will be sewn on either side creating a rectangle (rather than a square). It's difficult to explain and I haven't found any instructions online. I sew the first one and press. When I put the second one one I can't seem to get it to be even with the first after pressing.
I made a couple sample ones before I started this project and they turned out fine!! Frustration!
Maybe you could take pictures of it.
all thumbs, I think I understand what you're trying to accomplish. since you're dealing with a bias (long side of the quarter triangle) being sewn to a non-bias (short side of the half square triangle) it should be relatively easy to create a true rectangle. Again, pin the pieces together along the sewing lines, and baste if you have to, before sewing by machine. May I ask? Is this your first attempt at this? If so, practice, practice, practice...and when you think you're ready, take your time. Be meticulous about the seam allowances, etc. Don't pull on the fabric. Patience.
Sorry I haven't been back on about this issue. I have finally gotten it figured out. My pieces aren't always perfectly joined, but I do think I'm learning. I really do appreciate all the time and help you've given me. You're very kind.
Anka, we appreciate you.
In regard to perfection, specifically in quilting, I've read several quilting books that have mentioned incorporating a "humility square" into the quilt. The addition of a square that's intentionally imperfect is an acknowledgment our own failings and of God's utter perfection. It's a nice thought! Looking at some of my quilts, I have to admit that I notice many "humilty squares" and none of them are intentional! ~Anka
Anka, you are a sweet person! In regard to humility squares, it amazes me that some people have to go out of their way to make one. Oh me! Mine pop out of nowhere. But yes, only God is perfect and we can only strive to follow. Thanks again for your patience with me. I completed my blocks, they are for a friendship row by row quilt in my club. Most of our blocks were 8 or 9 inch. Only one gal had a 6 inch block and worried about it. I found a 6 inch one similar to mine so switched to that. I finished up the 11 blocks I needed for one girl today. It was so much easier than that troublesome block! When I get my material back I plan to make my own row of the smaller one. But I did (sort of) master my problem. Thanks again! And I will try to work on patience.
Anita, you can find me as Mary Lou Cheatham on Facebook. Go there and friend me. Then send some pictures. of your project to share in this blog.
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