Cadet Blue and Texas Too: Quaker Quilts on Kindle

I have added another title to my Kindle bookshelf.

Cadet Blue and Texas Too

This story took longer than I thought to finish.  The story has unfolded on this blog.  I bought the first quilt way back in 2015. That was an interesting blog post because it turns out that my initial assumptions about the quilt have been mostly proved to be wrong.

I discovered the second quilt in 2016 when pictures of it were shared on Facebook.  Two quilts from one family, made twenty years apart and showing up in the same Facebook group nearly one hundred years later. What a happy co-incidence!

Then in 2017 I was able to add Quilt #2 to my collection and the two quilts now live side by side happily ever after.

The story revealed by the research is amazing.  The e-book has just been released on Kindle.  Remember you don't need an actual Kindle to download, I use the Kindle app on my phone.  USA readers can get it here, and Australia readers can get it there.

It's not a long book, you will need two or three cups of tea to finish it.  And if you are able to share on your social media account, I would be very grateful. I hope you enjoy it!

Noonday Lily - A Bit of a Challenge

I now have another McKim Sampler.  This one is just a top and I think the maker was a young girl who still was on a learning curve when it came it needlework.

Noonday Lily from the McKim Sampler patterns

It is a combination of pieced and applique, and there is a blanket stitch around the stem and leaves.  There are a few tucks in the block to get all the pieces together.

The block is hand pieced using black thread - even on the white lily flowers.  The finished quilt blocks are all machined together with a bobbin tension that was too tight.

Then I noticed this detail on the front of the block. See that tiny triangle near the bottom of the block?  What happened here?

My guess is a slip of the scissors, and a quick patch was inserted to make things ... well, almost right again. The vague instructions printed in the newspaper didn't make the job any easier.

This is one of those lovely old quilts which so effectively combine pieced blocks with a bit of applique into most charming unity.  Patterns, as the others in our series, are size to mark and sew to, but they cut a seam larger all around.
The small pieced squares are made first, then joined together as shown with plain blocks the same size and one which cuts the area of four small squares, that is about nine inches, which allows for seams.  The longer straight stem pattern also is not given but should be about twelve inches long of the darker green.
Sixteen whole blocks set together diagonally with plain pale green squares of equal size make a center about sixty-eight inches square.  This with ten-inch border, top and sides with sixteen inches bottom border completes about seventy-eight by eighty-four.  The border of light or darker green could be enhanced by small pieced lily squares appliqued at regular intervals.
A number of women have written requesting the entire set of patchwork quilts patterns which is now running on the Woman's Page.  The entire set will not be for sale until all the patterns have been run in the paper.
If you have missed a block, or want extra copies of any of those which have been printed, just write to THE POST'S Quilt club, giving the name and number of the one you want, and inclosing 10 cents, the price of each back block, and a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Paper Piecing Pinwheel Star

This week's block is a Pinwheel Star.

Isn't it pretty? The geometry is mind boggling, those diamonds don't have equal sides; and three pieces inside the square meet four pieces around the edge.  I used EQ7 to print the pattern BB3866 as templates, then copied the page three more times onto heavy paper to use as English paper piecing templates.  Here is the back view.

English paper piecing - EPP - isn't my favourite activity, it is slow, but the end result is beautifully neat.  My block is 14 inches square.  The original pattern was in The Patchwork Book 1931 as a nine inch block!

I am going to use this big block as the centre of a small quilt.  The fabric range is called Yarra Valley, by the amazing Australian designers Max and Louise. I love the tiny conversation prints.  Here are a few more blocks to go with the Pinwheel Star.

Remember how I retired in March? Me neither.  I thought, with retirement, that I would have lots and lots of time and the blog posts would almost write themselves.  However I have been working again.  I spent three weeks working for the Australian Electoral Commission with the recent Federal election.  Long hours, precision work but entirely fascinating. The election work reminded me how fortunate it was to live in a democracy where everyone has a vote, every vote is equal and every vote counts.

I'll get back to retirement next week.