Block 24-You

Well, here we are at the final block! Nancy did something a little unexpected with this final block. She skipped over X, and used the Y to stand for YOU, whoever the recipient was. Among the paper patterns that were in Mildred's unfinished blocks there was a paper pattern for the letters X,Y and Z so that is what she did. I'm not sure where this pattern was printed but I am including both for you below. Here is Mildred's block:

Here is the original columns pattern:

While I liked the idea of the YOU, I decided to go with the XYZ for mine also. Nancy also  put the initials of the maker and the name of the recipient on her quilt. Mildred had a custom label all ready for hers that is pinned to the block as you can see above. I really wish we new when she may have made these so we could add a date. 

Here is my block:

I am planning to ad  my initials and date also.

I have figured out a layout and yardage in EQ7 and will post that next!

Block 24-You

There were still three letters in the alphabet, X,Y,Z. Had Nancy used them all she would have had an uneven number of blocks in her quilt. The quilt had been planned to have six rows of blocks with four letter blocks in each row, making 24 blocks in all.

In talking it over with the other club members, they decided to use on the “Y”.

Of course, the three letters could have been put on the same block. But Nancy had another scheme.

“Why not let the “Y” stand for “you” the person who is going to get the quilt. In my case it would stand for Joan, since it is for her that I am making the quilt.

“Then I plan to write her name at the bottom left hand of the block. That will identify it as hers in years to come. I hope, you know, that she will like it well enough to keep it and pass it on to her children’s children.

“Then in the right hand corner I am going to put my initials and the year in which I finished the quilt. So often in looking at old quilts we have wished that we knew just when they were made. In this way I’d identify the owner, the make and the year.

“Grace Roberts, who is making the quilt for her daughter, Clarice, will write, “Clarice Roberts” in the left hand corner bottom. Then in the right she will put her own initials, GDR and 30 for the year 1930. The YOU in the block itself stands for the child whose name is at the bottom left. As her mother shows it to her she will say, “This block is for you, here’s your name, Clarice Roberts.”

The group liked the idea and saw just how it worked.

A square of white gingham 6 ½ inches in size was cut and laid over the paper pattern. By holding the tow against the window pane it was possible to trace the letters “YOU” When these were traced the work was nearly done.

Fine outline or chain stitch was used to work the letters. Then the child’s or recipients name was written by each person in the lower left hand of the block and the maker’s own initials were put in the lower right hand. The date was added.

These names and dates were worked in fine running stitch.

Now the blocks were ready to be put together. All blocks were given a final pressing.

They were put in place, following the diagram given by the instruction leaflet which may be had at no cost by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the paper and asking for the leaflet. Perhaps you sent for it earlier.  An interlining may be used. In that case it will be wise to tie the top and bottom at intervals, say at the four corners of each embroidered block.

Or a running scroll or simple vine may be quilted the full length of the colored strips which put the blocks together.

The quilt is a joy to behold when finished, worthy of being a real heirloom.

The club members were really sorry to see the work come to an end.

Click HERE for the YOU pattern.

Click HERE for the XYZ pattern.

Happy Stitching!

Deb

Block 23-Windmill

This weeks block is a cute windmill. I had a little trouble getting the arms to line up the way they were supposed to so don't look too hard. LOL.

Mildred's block

My block

Block 23 –Windmill

Perhaps it was due to the fact that the members had made so many blocks and done them so well that made Nancy ambitious in her next-to-last block of the alphabet quilt.

But she assured the members that the pattern was not as complicated as it looked at first glance.

“As you will see, the windmill arms are all of the same pattern. One simply places hem at different angles. Then the windmill frame is in one piece with the door appliquéd on top of in.  And the small flowers at the base are embroidered. I would use lazy daisy stitch for the leaved and outline or satin stitch for the flowers. The stems are in fine outline stitch of course so in the base line. Here is my color scheme: The windmill frame is gray, the door is a rich blue and the windmill arms are of a white and rose print. All of these materials are fast color. I have tried them to see. I am using these particular ones, because I happen to have these scraps on hand. I did not want to buy any more materials since the quilt is so nearly finished.”

A piece of white gingham, 6 ½ inches square, was vut and laid over the paper square which had been cut from the paper. By holding the cloth over the paper and pressing the two against the window frame it was possible to draw the pattern on the cloth by using a sharp pointed lead pencil.

The paper square was then pasted on to a piece of light-weight tag board or card board and dried under pressure.

Next the initial “w” was embroidered. Nancy chose fast color green embroidery cotton and used a fine outline stitch. She might have done it in chain stitch.

When the paper pattern was thoroughly dry the various parts of the pattern were cut. Only one windmill paper arm was cut, since all four were alike and one pattern could serve for four cloth arms.

The flowers were entirely disregarded at this time.

The paper patterns were laid on pieces of cloth and outlines were cut after allowing a quarter-inch on all sides. This gave a raw edge for turning under. The turned-under edge was basted and then the pieces were pressed.

First the building itself or frame was appliquéd with fine slanting hemming stitches. To get the correct placement the frame was laid on the penciled lines on the white block.

Then the four windmill arms were appliquéd. They were laid over the frame. The door was laid on top of the frame and appliquéd in place.

A round dot was embroidered at the spot where the four arms ----to have been joined.

Then the flowers and the base line were embroidered. And that left the block “Y” for next week.

OK-what happened to X? I guess you'll have to wait to find out!

Click HERE for the pattern.

Block 22 - Violet

I can't believe we are almost done with this quilt! I am busy working out a setting for it. Despite 6 months of searching I have not been able to locate the leaflet that you could send away for with instructions to finish the quilt. But based on the drawing in the first column and Nancy's instructions she gave in the Doll block column I think I have got a good idea how it was designed.  Of course the blocks could be used in many ways.

Anyway, on to this weeks block-the violet.

My block

Mildred's Block

Block 22 – Violet

It must have been the air of spring which made Nancy choose the violet for the “V” block. She had embroidered using a vine, but decided that the violet was easier to make, prettier when finished and more interesting to Joan.

Occasionally Nancy’s husband would send her violets and Joan had seen the bunch she received on Valentine ’s Day, so she was familiar with the flower and identified it at once.

“Ahh , I see now why you did not want to have a violet umbrella. You were afraid there would be too much like color in one spot on the quilt. I’m glad I followed your example and made my umbrella a soft rose. It affords such a pleasing ----- in this block.” These in general were the comments of the other quilt makers in the club.

For the flower Nancy chose a polka dot material in white with lavender dots. She was sure that this was fast color, since she had washed a dress make of this material many times in the past summer. One club member chose a soft plain violet fast color cotton. Another woman used a scrap of a fast color English print with an ecru ground and violet design.

The stem was green and the leaves were of a darker shade of green. One member who had no green left chose deep purple for the leaves. And one member went +----- and made her leaves of rose.

The pattern square was cut from the paper. Over it was laid a 6 ½ inch square of white gingham. By holding these flat against the window pane it was possible to trace the pattern onto the cloth. A sharp-pointed lead pencil was best to use. Nancy told them not to trace the embroidery at the center of the flower since that would be covered up on the white background by the flower itself.

After the pattern was on the cloth the paper square was pasted on to a piece of light-weight card or tag board and dried under pressure.

Nancy embroidered the letter “y” in fast color embroidery cotton in green, using a fine outline stitch. The color chosen is determined by that used for the previous letters and also by the color of connecting strips which will put the alphabet blocks together in the finished quilt.

In cutting out the paper patterns, Nancy called attention to the fact that both leaves were alike. That meant that only one had to be cut and that the stem could be cut in one piece.

The stem is best cut from a bias piece and should be twice as wide as the finished pattern. The raw edges are folded back to meet on under side and basted in place.

Two leaves are cut with a quarter inch allowance on all sides. This is turned under and basted in place.

With the rounding edges of the leaves and flower Nancy advised the members to cut tiny slits around the edge. By doing this the raw edge may be folded under and basted in place without puckering the edge.

After the pieces were basted and pressed they were appliquéd with fine slanting hemming stitches.

The center of the flower is embroidered in fast color yellow embroidery cotton and the straight line at the base of the stem done in green. Use satin stitch for the center of the flower, running stitch from stamens and outline stitch for the base. 

Click HERE for the pattern.

Until next week-Happy stitching!

Deb