Plastic Templates - a thing of the past?

How many of you have been quilting long enough to remember plastic templates?  I learned to make them out of tracing paper, old x-ray film and fine grade sandpaper when I took my first quilting class in 1974.  Rotary cutters, plastic rulers and rotary mats didn't exist then.  I made so many of these templates, then painstakingly traced around each one many times and cut out each piece using scissors.  My first quilt was a Triple Irish Chain with a plastic template 1 1/2" square.  I traced around it well over 2500 times, carefully cutting out each square. 

I stored them in carefully labeled envelopes so I was ready when I wanted to make the quilt.  Some were too big for small envelopes, so I stored them in the larger brown-gold-buff (or whatever you call that color) envelopes that I could fine at the stationary store (there weren't any office supply stores then.

I found all these envelopes in my filing cabinet when I was cleaning today. Several dozen of them.  I can't imagine they are of much use to most quilters today.  When I have something odd shaped I trace it onto freezer paper and then iron it to the fabric before cutting it out.  If it has straight sides - which most of these templates do - I just tape it to the bottom of a rotary ruler so I know what size to cut.  Or I buy a template suitable for rotary cutting if one exists (my preferred method!)

Different design companies came out with collections of templates to make specific quilts.  I subscribed to this one from Leisure Arts for at least a year.  The templates came printed on heavy plastic suitable for tracing around.

A definite improvement over gluing sandpaper, x-ray film and tracing paper together, though they didn't stick to the fabrics that well and could move while being traced.  This also didn't allow you any leeway in making size changes to the blocks.  You had to cut the lines straight to assure your pieces were straight.  Being the obsessive-compulsive quilter I am, I used a metal edged ruler and exacto knife to cut mine.

Obviously I never used some of them, as they were never cut out.

I really enjoyed looking through my quilting past while going through these.  No pictures exist of any of the quilts I made at that time, and my first quilt is the only one I still have access to.  I gave so many away to various aunts and uncles, and have no idea whatever happened to them.  Long before the digital era, it just didn't seem important to take pictures of my creations.  After all, film was expensive and developing even more so.  And being a stay-at-home mom with two preschoolers I had to squeeze every penny to make it squeal.

How many of you quilted with these things too?  I'd love to hear your memories - either in a comment or a blog post of your own.

More of my older quilts . . . .

Going through all the quilts I've made starting with the first one (started in 1974) and moving forward is a great exercise.  I encourage all of you to do this, so you can see how you have grown as a quilter.  It also helps you realize just how many quilts you've made - probably more than you think you've made, unless you are a very new quilter.  I've shared the first quilt I ever made on the blog, and a few of my older quilts - until now.  I'm enjoying this memory exercise, and I hope you are also.

For lack of a better name, I call this "Marsha's Precision Piecing Sampler 2".  I completed the top in 1993.  I still was choosing a "focus fabric" and picking other fabrics to go along with it, but was willing to add quite a few more fabrics to the mix.  I'm sure there are at least 20 or more different fabrics in this quilt.  That was really pushing my comfort level at the time.  I taught a class called "Precision Machine Piecing" many times - the first several for Clark County Quilters and the last two for Daisy Kingdom.  For a "textbook" I used  Lessons in Machine Piecing by Marsha McCloskey.  It was published in 1990, and still is a fabulous resource to help you improve your piecing skills.  I believe it is long out of print  and I don't know whether or not it is available second hand.  This sampler is the second "class example" I made to advertise the class at Daisy Kingdom.  I still use it in my fall decorating.  Edited to add:  This book is still available from third party sellers on Amazon.  They have a used copy for $0.01 - wow!  I repeat - it is a great book if you want to improve your piecing.

This quilt was pieced, hand quilted and bound (by me) before I started tracking, which means it was finished no later than 2002.  Called "Mountain Pathways", it is from an early Quiltmaker magazine.  The pieces finish at 1" square.  The background fabric had a tiny print in pinks, purples, teals, and blues, which determined the colors I used.  ( I think the colors used in the magazine were the same - I wasn't confident enough at this time to change the colors.)  This has WAY more fabrics that I usually used, because I just followed the picture and instructions.  These were OLD fabrics even then.  I love how it turned out, but I don't have it any more.  I believe I remember selling it when I participated in a twice-a-year cooperative quilt sale in Portland, OR.  I may just make another one one of these days, as it is a fabulous pattern for using up narrow strips of older fabrics. 

This quilt was made from the blocks I pieced when teaching Precision Machine Piecing to Clark County Quilters.  These are REALLY old fabrics, calicoes from the early '80's.  Started in 1997, it was finished  in 2004.  The machine quilting was done by my friend Jo Stubing.  In order for the students to make as many blocks in class as possible, I made block kits with all pieces cut to size ahead of time.  It was a great way to use up a lot of the calicoes in my stash.  I still have this one, and display it on the back of the couch with the "Red, White, and Blue Summer" decorations.

This quilt was made in a class I took through Northwest Quilters (Portland, OR) in 1990 from Roberta Horton.  The class on using plaids and stripes in quilts used her new (at the time) book called "Plaids and Stripes" which is another great book if you can find it at a second-hand store.  My selection of plaid and striped fabric was very poor at the time - I probably have 10 times as many now.  I finished this one shortly after piecing it, with a utility stitch, "crow footing", which I talk about in this post.   Edited to add:  This book is still available at Amazon and other places.

I taught one class at Daisy Kingdom using the traditional pattern "Burgoyne Surrounded".  I wanted to make the quilt, so I asked to teach the class.  This sample that hung in the store was pieced in 1993 and completed in 2008 using my longarm.  I hang it in the front hall in January, when I decorate with blue, white, and snowmen.

The red Burgoyne Surrounded was pieced as I demonstrated during class.  One of my students completed a top with the fancy zigzag border; everyone else used a plain border.  I finished the piecing two years after the class was over, and machine quilted and bound the top in 2008.

 

Another Daisy Kingdom class sampler made using a pattern from their files.  Called "Pinwheel and Four-Patch", it was pieced in 1990, hand quilted in 2004, and sold through the quilt cooperative sale.

This "Twisted Star" baby quilt uses still more blocks pieced in several "Precision Machine Piecing" classes. The first blocks were pieced in 1992, and the quilt was hand quilted and bound in 2003.  This also sold through the quilt cooperative sale. 

"Fireworks" is the name of this pattern from an early Quiltmaker magazine.  Another Daisy Kingdom class sample, it was pieced in 1992.  I started hand quilting it shortly thereafter, and finished the quilting in 2007.  It covers our dining room table during our "Red, White, and Blue" summertime.

Finally I leave you with this quilt, which graced our bed for many years.  I first joined Clark County Quilters in June, 1989.  I wanted to participate in something right away, so I took the pattern for the "block drawing" and made 12 blocks.  I had so much fun, even though the block was what I'd now call "super simple".  12" square, the modified 9-patch was to use white muslin and a medium and dark blue.  I was so afraid to try mixing prints that I played it VERY safe.  I turned them in at the next meeting and was thrilled when my name was drawn to win the blocks.  I brought them home and discovered two things . . .  the blocks were VERY boring when set together, and almost half of them were too small!  Another beginner (besides me) thought that a 12" block should measure 12" exactly before sewing together.  I didn't know what to do.  I played with the blocks, thinking I could cut the others down to size.  No matter what I did, the blocks on the design wall looked REALLY BORING!  (And that's an understatement.)  So I left them there and contemplated them for awhile.  And one night when I lay in bed the solution jumped into my head.  I would edge the too-small blocks with a narrow red border to make them 12 1/2" unfinished.  Then I'd set all the blocks together with white muslin sashing and red cornerstones.  It was truly amazing what the addition of that red did for the quilt.  I became so thankful that almost half the blocks were too small.  I loved the top when it was finished about two months after I won the blocks.  Two years later I served as guild president.  The quilt "in the frame" at our quilt show each year was a quilt top belonging to the president.  I marked this one for quilting, using a rope cable in the sashing, an anchor in each cornerstone, and a wider rope cable around the outside border.  During the week long show only about 1/3 was quilted.  I love looking at all those stitches - some very small and some very large.  Each person who did some quilting signed their name on a big muslin square, which I used for the label on the back.  I finished the rest of the hand quilting myself, and the quilt began to grace our bed sometime before 2003 (the start of the UFO spreadsheet).  I still have this one - it is in a stack of quilts on top of the quilt cupboard in the living room.  I could look at the label for the finish date, but I can't reach it without a stool and it is too late for me to be doing that anyway LOL!

The three pieced pillows are from another beginning quilting class I taught to a group of ladies at work.  It made sense to make the blocks into pillows - I had enough red, white and blue quilts!

Spring cleaning - and still another give-away!

After looking at all the fabulous organizational ideas on Teresa's blog I realized it was time I went through much of my "stuff" and did some de-cluttering.  So I've been doing that this evening while catching up on some of my favorite TV shows.  It obviously is WAY past time for me to be doing this.

For example, the first file I went through was "Quilts With Both Applique and Piecing".  The file held over 120 separate patterns I'd saved from years of quilting magazines.  After careful consideration I kept 10 of the patterns.  The rest I know I will never use.  There is nothing wrong with any of the patterns - it's just that my taste and skills have taken different directions from the time I saved all of these.

Most of the applique is simple - borders or accents on primarily pieced quilts.  A few are somewhat more complicated, but few involve "expert level" applique skills.  There are a few folk art and primitive designs, at least 16 baby quilt designs, and a few designed to look "old".  Most are just well known blocks put together in various ways to create a quilt that doesn't look "old".  All are from the 1990's through the early 2000's.

The stack is just under 2" tall!

 I could put these all in the recycle bin, but that seems like such a waste to me.  I'd rather send them to someone who would enjoy them, possibly use them, and share them with their quilting friends.

Same old story, my readers - leave a comment on this post if you'd like me to toss your name in the hat for a chance to win these patterns.  I'll keep it open until midnight on Sunday, and will use the random number generator to choose a winner on Sunday.

"Oh Rats!" - I did it again

All of my quilt books are on a spreadsheet.  Currently all 778 of them.  I created the spreadsheet to prevent me from buying a book twice.  I've done that at least a half dozen times in my quilting career.  Once I did it three times!  The book was "Butternut and Blue" by Barbara Brackman and Karla Menaugh.  I kept thinking I wanted to buy it, but kept thinking I hadn't yet LOL!  Luckily, the shop I frequented the most had the book - I'd bought one of the copies from her - and she let me return the two duplicates for credit.

Once I made the spreadsheet I didn't buy duplicate books again.  Until now that is.  When filling out the spreadsheet it helps to use the correct name of the book.  (It also helps to take out one's phone and check the spreadsheet - but I'll never admit I didn't do that!)  The spreadsheet had this book listed as "Schnibbles" by Carrie Nelson.  It is obvious that isn't the name of the book.  That's my excuse for buying it twice - and I'm sticking to my story!

My mistake is a gain for one of my readers.  Leave me a comment on this post telling me whether or not you've done this before, and the name of the book if you remember.  I want to be sure I'm not the only silly quilter who does this!  Post before midnight Pacific Daylight Time on Sunday.  On Monday I'll use a random number generator to see who wins this book. 

I bought it because I thought cutting up my older fabric for quick piecing projects was a good idea.  I still think it is.  But I need only one book to do that LOL!

More early quilts - all donated to charity

This quilt was a very fast project using only two fabrics.  The pattern was from an old Quiltmaker magazine.  I hunted for a good long while before I found the perfect two fabrics.  Pieced in 1992, it wasn't finished until 2005 when I could quilt it on my longarm.  I know this one was sent to New Orleans for a hurricane victim.

A Double Irish Chain pieced for a class sample in 1992 and not finished until 2008.  I hand quilted the white spaces in this one.  I loved having the large white spaces for a fancy pattern I could do in a contrasting color (you can see this if you click on the first picture).  Then I loaded it onto the longarm to quilt through the chains by machine.  I no longer have this quilt.  I'm almost certain I donated it to the last Northwest Medical Teams quilt auction.

I made this quilt to donate to Quilt Pink in 2006.  All the fabrics in it were old - from the 1980's and early 1990's.  Every one in our small guild made blocks to donate to the effort.  I fell in love with piecing this "Disappearing Nine Patch" and pieced enough to make an entire quilt plus more.  While machine quilting I accidently tore a hole through the entire thing.  Thus a scattering of hearts on the front, and one lone heart on the back covering the back side of the hole.

This is another early effort, pieced in 1993.  Called "Road to California", it is from an old That Patchwork Place book -  I think it was called "Stars and Stepping Stones".  Finished in 2005, it was also sent to New Orleans for hurricane relief.

The last is called "Stars and Stepping Stones", and was made from a Pat Sloan pattern in 2004.  Finished in 2008, I donated it to charity, but I didn't record which one.  I'm showing a picture of the back, so you can see how I created many quilt backs by using fabrics that no longer fit my "style".

It is a lot of fun visiting these old quilts.  I can see how much my skills and fabric choices have grown over the years.  I cringe when I look at some of them now, but know each one served as a step in my development as a quilter.  I was happy to donate them to charity.  Each was donated the year it was finished.

Ready for another give away?

You might notice that I've had quite a few blog visitors since I started posting - at this moment it is 488,777.

I'm still quite far away from the milestone of 500,00 visitors.  The more people who visit, however, the closer I'll get.  So please spread the word.

On the day I reach 500,000 visitors, I'll throw all the names of the people who commented on that day into a hat (really a random number generator) and the winning commenter will receive a great present from me.  I don't yet know what it will be - I have awhile to decide - but I promise it will be a goodie.

Final (I think) thoughts about washing . . . .

Dorothy in Australia sent me an email about washing pre-cuts.  She can't comment on my blog, bu has given me permission to copy her message:

Hi,
I once washed a charm pack - and my advice is, "Don't even think of doing it!"  The shrinkage was really weird - some ended up rectangular, some were rhombuses (distorted squares) and none were the same size and shape as the others.

Dorothy in Oz

Linda from Quiltifications told me this when I replied to her comment asking her if she ever bought precuts:

I buy them once in a great while and always prewash them.  but because they're all cut to specific sizes i end up doing LOTS of math to use them or wasting some time and fabric cutting them down to a consistent size.  all of that makes precuts a little impractical (plus they always charge so much for them!)

These make me even more confident that I've made the right decision about pre-cuts.

You think I'm organized . . .

Take a look at this quilter's system.  It puts mine to shame!  She obviously has lots of space, which certainly helps.  Space isn't an organization requirement - unless you can't control your shopping urges (raising my hand here and blushing in shame) - but it helps.  So does money, though this quilter has picked up much of what she has at bargain prices.  A system is what is needed, and each person knows how much of a system he or she can live with.  I've organized sewing rooms for my friends, but they don't stay that way because they aren't comfortable with that much organization.

This quilter has four different posts about organization.  Here are all the links.  I got some great ideas while reading these posts, and I'm very eager to put them to use. Here name is Teresa and she lives in Michigan.

Even if you don't crave organization take a look - you will be astounded by the pictures alone!  Also take a look at her blog, which is NOT where the organization posts are located. 


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Stash Organization

Please use the following links to access posts I've written about Stash Organization:

Fabric and Scraps: (October 23, 2010 on Stash Manicure)
http://stashmanicure.blogspot.com/2010/10/welcome-to-my-underwear-drawer.html

Patterns, Magazines, Pages, Ideas, and Books: (November 5, 2010 on Stash Manicure)
http://stashmanicure.blogspot.com/2010/11/keeping-up-with-paperwork.html

Patterns, Magazine Pages, Ideas and Books: (January 22, 2011 on Stash Manicure)
http://stashmanicure.blogspot.com/2011/01/need-to-feed-and-urge-to-purge.html

Quilt Archiving: (February 20, 2011 on Stash Manicure)
http://stashmanicure.blogspot.com/2011/02/give-those-quilts-and-projects-awaybut.html

Hundreds of people have visited the blog . . .

since I announced the comment contest, but not many of them posted comments.  It never occurred to me that it would take this long to find a winner.

The lucky lady is Vicki, who posted the 10,000 comment this morning.  Congratulations Vicki!  I always enjoy your comments, and hope you keep them coming.  This weekend I'll dig into the tubs of HSY's under the longarm and choose something you will really like.  At the same time I'll choose something to send to Karen, aka Kigwit, who guessed that we were vacationing in Death Valley.

I love to read your comments, and do my best to respond to every one.  It is the best way I know to get to know people better, and I love to get new ideas from blog readers.

A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to comment.

Quilts In My Past - and Quilts In Your Past

Vicki posted a thank you for the UFO spreadsheet.  She also asked a lot of really great questions:

Have you taken photos of all those quilts/wallhangings? Did you record sizes, who quilted and how, who received the quilt, samples of fabrics used,notes on anything special going on at the time working on quilt etc?

I told her I had pictures of almost all of them, I know who quilted all of them,  I know who received most of the quilts, though I don't know which particular charities got which quilts.  I know which ones I sold, but not what I sold them for.  And I certainly didn't keep fabric samples or notes of anything going on while working on each quilt.

This got me thinking - why have I never kept a quilting journal?  I know many quilters do.  It would be such a great record of one's quilting progress year by year.  Looking back, I really wish I had.  I think that is the main reason I started blogging - so I would have a journal of quilting activities year by year.  And I think that's why I stopped for two years - I wasn't quilting.

How many of you have kept the kind of information and fabric samples Vicki talks about?  If you have, I'd love to hear about them and see pictures of journals.  

I'd also love to know what a true scrap quilter does - if anything - to keep samples of fabrics used.  This always mystifies me.  If I kept all the fabric samples, the journal entry would be almost as big as the quilt!

So I've decided to write a post each day about one or more of my quilts - including pictures.  It is mainly to expand my own record keeping, and I will enjoy the sharing also.

These two quilts, which I call "Around the Twist 1" and "Around the Twist 2", are from my Daisy Kingdom teaching days ( 1992-1994).  The one on top was the sample that hung in the store to advertise the class.  The second was the one I pieced while demonstrating as I taught the class.   If I remember correctly, I used a pattern handout from the Daisy Kingdom files.  This was the first class I ever taught for them.

Pieced in 1992, finished in December, 2005 - the first quilt I did freehand with my new longarm

Pieced in 1992, finished in January, 2006 - the second quilt I did freehand with my new longarm.

At the time I made these, I was still using a VERY limited number of fabrics in a quilt, because I was afraid to try more.  I picked a "theme" fabric, then chose a "go along with" fabric and a background fabric.  Picking fabrics to go together was still a big challenge.  I can't imagine piecing a quilt like this now - my tastes have changed and my courage to put fabrics together is hundreds of times stronger.

Both of these were given to charity, though I'm not sure which one.  I think they may have been sent to Hurricane Katrina victims.  Or I might have given them to the Northwest Medical Teams quilt auction committee.  I just can't remember - I wish I'd written it down.