Month: April 2024

Most quilters are familiar with this block:

And most of us call it “Bear’s Paw.”  As quilt blocks go, it’s an advanced beginner/intermediate block.  The construction isn’t tricky, but some precision is required with those half-square triangles.  There is some debate about when this block actually developed, but quite a few quilt historians believe it began as a sawtooth border in early American quilts.  Sawtooth blocks such as the ones below

Appear in many early nineteenth-century quilts, arranged first in borders and then developed as their own blocks.  As time and creativity progressed, by 1823, we see the first “Bear’s Paw” block in Ohio.  Quilt historians believe the block was named “Bears Paw” due to all the stories about bears in that area of the United States.  The same block appears on Long Island, New York a few years later and it was called “Ducks-Foot-in-the-Mud.” 

I understand this name. I really do.  If you squint when you look at the block, it does kind of look like a duck’s muddy footprint.  However, when you trace the block further south, down into Pennsylvania, the Quakers who settled  this state, called the same block “Hand of Friendship.”  Side note:  I am in Guilford County, which was heavily settled by Quakers.  I’ve lived here over forty years and I’ve heard the block called both “Bear’s Paw” and “Hand of Friendship” pretty equally.  The block is also known as “Forest Path,” “Indian Trail,” “Irish Puzzle,” “North Wind,” and “Rambling Road.”  However, the moniker “Bear’s Paw” is the name which stuck and it’s the one most quilters are familiar with.  Electric Quilt 8 shows six versions of the block and Barbara Brackman’s Block Base has four, one of which looks suspiciously like a Churn Dash block. 

Like I said earlier, this isn’t a complex block with lots of small pieces.  It’s actually pretty easy to construct.  There are two techniques you really have to be careful about – the half square triangles and making sure all your block units are the correct size so everything lines up.  And it’s because of the block’s relative simplicity that, once basic construction is mastered, you can really spice things up.  Let’s talk about how to make a 12-inch finished Bear’s Paw and then we will play with some design options and talk bit more about the Block’s dubious history.

The basic “Bear’s Paw” block looks like this:

To make this version in a 12 ½-inch unfinished block (the size of the block before it’s sewn into a quilt) you will need:

From the background fabric cut:

Four 2 ¼-inch squares

Eight 2 ¾-inch squares (cut squares 3-inches if you want to make them larger and then trim to correct size)

Four 2-inch x 5 ¾-inch rectangles

From the “Paw” fabric cut:

Eight 2 ¾-inch squares (cut squares 3-inches if you want to make them larger and then trim to correct size)

Four 4-inch squares

From the center fabric cut:

One 2-inch square

Make the half-square triangles first, by drawing a diagonal line across the wrong side of one of the 2 ¾-inch squares.  Match one of 2 ¾-inch “Paw” fabric to a 2 ¾-inch background fabric, right sides together.  Sew a seam on both sides of the drawn diagonal line, ¼-inch away from the line.  Cut the square apart on the line and press the seam allowance towards the darker fabric.  Trim the half-square triangle to 2 ¼-inches.

You may also want to consider those four 4-inch squares.  In these directions, you’re cutting them as one square from a piece of fabric.  However, there’s nothing stopping you from making these squares a four-patch:

Or a half-square triangle:

Or even sewing strips of fabric together and cut those into 4-inch squares.

Honestly, the sky is the limit with that 4-inch space.  You could make a 4-inch block from nearly any pattern….or applique on that 4-inch space.  You’re only limited by your imagination!

Then assemble the block as shown above, making sure the triangles are all facing the correct direction. 

I must confess this is one of those blocks I have to lay out on my mini-design board before I start stitching everything together.  As sure as I don’t, one of my half-square triangles or paws will be pointing in the wrong direction.

This block makes a lovely quilt set in rows without sashing:

Or with sashing:

It takes on an entirely different look set on point:

Set on point, with setting squares and triangles:

Set on point with corner squares and sashing:

“Bear’s Paw” is an awesome block, no matter how it’s used.  I think I would feel comfortable piecing one as small as 8-inches, but for anything less, I would pull out the paper piecing.

Now that’s we’ve taken care of construction (or at least the way I would put the block together), let’s deal with this block’s dubious past.  In nearly every source I used for research with “Bear’s Paw,” it mentioned the block’s place in Underground Railroad Quilts. 

According to legend, the appearance of a Bear’s Paw quilt meant the runaway slaves were on the right track to freedom.  The sight of a Bear’s Paw block in a quilt could also mean that in order to find food, they would need to follow a bear’s trail by looking for bear scat (bear poop).  Along this trail, they would supposedly find enough berries, fresh water, etc., to sustain them until they arrived at the next Underground Railroad post. 

Along with Bear’s Paw, there were other quilt blocks which held secret meanings:

• The Monkey Wrench Block – According to folklore, this was the first block to appear in the open, and represented a freed African-American blacksmith who could travel between plantations and spread the word when it was time to leave.  It told folks to gather supplies and get ready.  When the block was hung outside, it meant the time was right for the escape.

• The Wagon Wheel Block or Carpenter’s Wheel Block – This block indicated a safe wagon or cart was on its way.

• Crossroads Block – This could be a symbol referring to Cleveland, Ohio, which was a main crossroad to freedom.  Leading out from Cleveland were several routes to free states.  This block could also mean reaching a turning point in one’s life – they needed to decide to escape or stay put.

• Bowtie Block – This meant it would be necessary to travel in disguise or to change from the clothing of a slave to a person of higher status.

• Shoofly Block – This block identified a person who could guide the slaves and help them escape along the Underground Railroad.

• Tumbling Blocks or Boxes Block – It was time to pack up and go because an Underground Railroad Conductor was in the area.

• Broken Dishes Block – This block symbolized broken crockery at some future landmark.

• Britches – This block meant the escaping slave should dress as a free person.

• Log Cabin – The Log Cabin – either the quilt block or drawn on the ground, indicated it was either necessary to seek shelter or that a person was safe to speak with.  Some sources even say it indicated a safe house along the Underground Railroad.

• Rose Wreath – This symbol indicated someone had died on the journey.

• Drunkard’s Path – Zig-zag as you go along – you may be stalked by hounds.

• Double Wedding Ring – This block meant it was now safe to remove chains and shackles.

• Flying Geese – This block was always pointed north to show the correct direction to head towards. 

All of the supposed symbolism the blocks carried with them was ignited by a book written by Jacqueline Tobin and Raymond Dobard, a journalist and art historian duo.  About 25 years ago, they wrote Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad. 

For the book, Tobin interviewed Ozella Williams, a South Carolina quilter who descended from enslaved people.  Williams recalled an oral history shared by her grandmother that explained enslaved people made quilt blocks with coded meanings to help guide escapees to freedom.  The story was appealing because as Sandra Daniel, an African American quilter and owner of the Country Barn Quilt Company in Augusta, GA, said, “…Those blocks actually gave slaves directions on how and when to leave and which route to take.”

This narrative, once it was out in the open, spread quickly.  The book sold well and everyone from teachers to quilters to historians embraced the book.  However, a disconcerting issue quickly popped up.

There was no evidence of such things as Underground Railroad quilts.  None.

According to Tracy Vaughn-Manley, a Black Studies Professor at Northwestern University and Black Quilt Historian, while there’s plenty of evidence enslaved people made utilitarian quilts from old clothing and scraps of fabric given to them by their enslavers, there is no evidence of Underground Railroad Quilts.  “Based on my research, and the research of highly regarded slave historians, there has been no evidence.  No letters, no notes, nothing that would signify quilts were used as codes,” Vaughn-Manley said in an interview with PBS. 

Quilt historian Laurel Horton agrees. “The history of quilts and slavery conditions contradict this code story.”  However, Horton is also a folklorist.  As a narrative, she recognizes the cultural significance of the codes.  “It’s appealing because it gives the idea of agency, that your ancestors had some way of dealing with their situation.”

Still other quilt historians, such as Mary Twining-Baird, vehemently disagree with both Vaughn-Manley and Horton.  “If people’s lives were at stake, then it stands to reason that there would be no trace of the quilts.  Of course there is no documentation! Literally if anyone found out they could lose their lives.” 

Hmmm.  This is a lot to unload with one simple quilt block – the Bear’s Paw. 

As with much of quilt history, what we have as record is the re-telling of oral histories which invariably either becomes lost to time or open to interpretation.  And this is one of those quilting history/mysteries I’ve mulled over for a while.  I can share with you what I think, and you are free to disagree with me in the comment section of my blog.

1. The Bear’s Paw as well as most of the quilt blocks recognized as codes do pre-date the Civil War, so they definitely would fit the time frame.  However, the outlier is the Double Wedding Ring.  It came into existence during the late 19^th century. 
2. Nowhere in all the literature and artifacts we have is there any scrap, mention, or drawing of an Underground Railroad Quilt.  If they existed, surely somewhere along the way, no matter how frightened or secretive people felt they had to be in order to survive, some sort of evidence should have remained.
3. When researching this blog, I was particularly interested in Harriet Tubman.  For me, it seemed if anyone would have utilized a quilt code, it would be her.  The Underground Railroad quilts would deliberately be understated, everyday items – literally hidden in plain sight.  They would raise no suspicions.  In my research, I asked if Harriet Tubman used these quilts.  The answer from the National Parks Service (who are involved in preserving some of Harriet’s routes) was a strong negative.  “No,” was their reply.  “The Underground Railroad code is a myth.”
4. This one is the clencher for me.  As stated before, I live in Guilford County.  Quakers, who were devout abolitionists, moved into this county around 1750.  Immediately they opened schools, churches, and businesses.  They also became an integral part of the Underground Railroad Movement.  Jamestown, the small town I am in, became a particular “hot bed” of the movement.  The Mendenhalls and other Quakers had possession of a Precious Cargo wagon (still carefully preserved) and many of the larger Quaker homes here had hidden rooms which served as a stopping place for enslaved persons escaping to freedom.*  With all the thoroughly preserved artifacts we have from the Quakers, with all the archives at Guilford College (a Quaker College), and in all the Quaker church histories we have, there is no mention of Underground Railroad quilts.  And I can’t help but feel that if those quilts were truly used, we would have some evidence of them. 

So no, I personally don’t believe Underground Railroad quilts ever existed. 

There you have it.  The long and muddled history of the Bear’s Paw block.  While its imaginary history may be just a bit more glamorous and adventuresome than its reality, it’s still a pretty block.  It’s not too hard to construct – just challenging enough to keep our half-square triangle skill set in place. 

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

*It’s always interesting when the Guilford County Powers That Be decide to demolish an old Quaker home in the name of progress and more townhomes.  Many times in the process of the inspection prior to demolition, secret rooms are found which more than likely once hid runaway enslaved people. These stand as a true testament to the Quakers who fully lived out their faith on a day-to-day, real-life basis.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog about quilting tools and notions I would never buy again. This week I’d like to talk about the topic of quilting tools and notions quilters love and couldn’t imagine living without.  Just like with the other blog, I surveyed three different quilt groups to get their input.  The results were a long and varied list of supplies – some of which I had never used but may very well put on my Christmas list this year.  Because the list was so diverse, I divided the items into categories:  Cutting Tools, Rulers, Pins and Needles, Marking Tools, Technology, and Miscellaneous.

Cutting Tools

1.  A Good Pair of Scissors.  Kai was the name brand bandied about the most on the survey.  The length of the blades varied, but the primary issue was they needed to cut to the end of the point. I have three pairs of the small Kai scissors (blade length 2-inches) and several pairs of the larger Perfect Scissors from Karen Kay Buckley.  While I don’t think you have to spend a fortune for a good pair of scissors, you do want them to hold up to the abuse we put them through.  Electric scissors can cost over $700 and regular thread snips hit the market around $3.00.  On average, a decent pair of fabric scissors should hit your wallet for about $25.
2. Cutting Machine – Under this category, we’re looking at tools such as the Brother Scan-and-Cut, Accuquilt Cutters, etc., — anything that does the cutting for you.  I’m a bit divided on this one.  I have a Brother Scan-and-Cut and have tried to use it for applique, but always found it took a long time to cut out what I needed.  You had to program what you wanted, treat your fabric, and then send it through the cutter.  By the time I prepped the machine, treated the fabric and let it dry, and then actually cut my applique pieces out, I could have performed the same task without the cutter in less time (which is the reason why I am in the process of putting my Scan-and-Cut on Facebook Marketplace).  I guess if you’re not in a huge hurry to start an applique project, this gadget may be just what you need – you can cut out dozens of circles, Sunbonnet Sues, flowers, leaves, etc., with the push of a button. 

However, I have an Accuquilt and I do love it.  It is one of the electric ones, so it spits out quilt pieces like nobody’s business.  I realize you need certain dies for certain shapes, but if you need to produce 120 two-and-a-half inch squares, the Accuquilt can certainly do that for you in a fraction of the time that a ruler and a mat could take.  Bonus, all those 2 ½-inch squares will be perfectly 2 ½-inches.  There is no sweating if your cutting is accurate or not, because the Accuquilt makes sure it is.

•  Quilting Ruler with Cutter Combo – I do not own one of these, but according to several of my quilting friends who have one, they are the bees’ knees.  If you have arthritis in your fingers and hands, this gadget takes the stress off and keeps your cutting accurate. 

•  A Good, Ergonomic Seam Ripper – If I remember correctly, this also made the list of Quilting Tools I’ll Never Buy Again.  This is one of those tools we definitely have a love/hate relationship with.  We hate to use them, but if you have the right one, it does make picking those stitches out just a little easier.  We’re human, and we’re gonna make some quilting mistakes – it’s a fact you have to face.  If you have to “unsew” some stitches, make sure you have a sharp seam ripper that fits comfortably in your hand.  And remember, if you have the same seam ripper for several years, it dulls just like a needle or a pair of scissors.  Splurge on a new one.

• Thread Cutter with a Base/Blade Saver – Honestly, this is a gadget I had never considered until my BFF Janet gave me one for Christmas.  This is such a stellar notion to have if you’ve chained pieced a lot of units and need to cut them apart.  There is something oh-so satisfying about cutting those units apart with one of those.  If chain piecing is your jam, you may want to get one of these.  They’re not expensive and they are wonderful quilting tools.

The Blade Saver is a great notion to get the very last vestiges of sharp-iness from your rotary blade.  When you change the blade in your rotary cutter, you can take the used blade and insert it in the Blade Saver.  Then you can use it just like a thread cutter with base. 

Rulers

1.  Clear Rulers with Accurate Grids and Built-in Grippers – For those quilters surveyed, no matter what their preferred length and width of ruler, they all wanted a clear, not opaque ruler, with clearly marked inch increments and built-in non-slip grippers.  I completely agree.  This is why Creative Grids rulers have been my favorite brand of rulers for over twenty years. 

•  Folding Rulers – This gadget never crossed my mind.  I have seen them advertised on quilting websites and in magazines, but I never thought a great deal about them.  However, Cindi, a good quilting buddy of mine, told me they are great to take on retreats.  They fold up, taking up less space and making them easier to pack.  Once they are unfolded, they do retain their straight shape.  I trust Cindi’s word on this, since she attends numerous quilt retreats through the year.  I think this one will be on my Christmas list.

Pins and Needles

1.  Glass Head Pins – Known for their sharp points and the fact the heads will not melt under the heat of an iron, these pins are favorites of quilters and other sewists.  These are not expensive, so treat yourself to a box or two (because no matter what anyone says, quilters do need to pin) and enjoy the process.
2. Fork Pins – These little jewels look like this:

And are known for their ability to keep fabric securely in place.  The double-prongs keep seam allowances firmly lined up with no wiggle room and can easily handle the bulk and weight of borders as they’re pinned to a quilt center.

•  Wonder Clips – These now come in a variety of sizes and some even have ¼, ½, and ¾-inch marks.  While first introduced as a way to keep your binding in place when it’s folded over to the back of your quilt as you sew it on, quilters soon discovered Wonder Clip were great pin substitutes.  Personally, I think they’re great to use with young sewers who may be just a tad immature to deal with pins.  And I think they work better at keeping block units grouped together than any pin.
•  Good Hand Sewing Needles – If you think all hand sewing needles are created equal, go here: https://sherriquiltsalot.com/2020/10/28/hand-sewing-needles-more-than-meets-the-eye/.  Overall, in the great concept of quilting, even the most expensive hand sewing needles are relatively inexpensive.  However, the variances between a good hand sewing needle and a bad hand sewing needle can make a huge difference in your stitching experience.  Cheap needles are notorious for cutting thread, being difficult to thread, and breaking.  My favorite hand sewing needles are John James (the kind made in England, not China), Tulip, and Roxanne. 
• Magnetic Pin Cushions for Wrist and Tabletop – The particular brand which received the most recommendations is Riley Blake.  These do make handy-dandy places to drop your pins and needles without having to stop and jab them into a cloth pin cushion.

•  A Good Thimble – These can take a little getting used to but will actually speed up the hand sewing process.  However, they must fit correctly and be comfortable to use.  For more information, go here: https://sherriquiltsalot.com/2020/11/18/thimbles/

Marking Tools

While this entry didn’t surprise me, the fact that there were no specific marking tools mentioned, does.  It seems like every quilter has their favorites – from the water soluble blue markers to Frixions to pencils.  Currently my favorite is a Hera Marker.

This leaves no ink or pencil residue behind, since it marks by creasing the fabric. 

Regardless of your marking tool of choice, it’s important to have a few in your quilting space.

Technology Tools

This was another category I wasn’t surprised at, but was a little taken back on how few entries were in it, when you consider we have quilting calculators, laser levels we can use to help trim and square up quilts, and sewing machines which can do nearly everything except cut the quilt out (but with an Accuquilt, you even have that option).  Long arm machines are now computerized to the point you can plan out the quilting, hit a button, and let it go.  Oh how far we have come in the last 100+ years…

The iPad was a frequently mentioned favorite tool.  Besides checking your email and shopping on-line at your favorite quilt shop, an iPad can be used to download patterns and watch instructional videos at your sewing machine while taking classes or making a project.  iPads are small enough to slip in your sewing bags, but offer almost the same amenities as a laptop.

Electric Quilt 8 (EQ8) was also listed as a preferred techno tool.  And I agree.  While, yes, you can certainly sketch  your quilt and math it out via calculator, EQ makes it much easier and faster, with so many additional options. 

Miscellaneous

•  Quarter Inch Quilting Foot – While this particular entry comes from a friend of mine who just recently discovered quilting, I think all quilters can attest of the joy and accuracy this foot brings to piecing.  If you don’t have one, you may want to get one.
• Good Lighting – Lots of quilters listed this.  They have paid good money for good lighting and will do so again in the future.  If you’re laying out cold, hard cash for lighting, skip all the advertising schpells and go straight for the lighting which is the closest to direct sunlight available.  Not only does this lighting make it easier to see, but it also makes a big difference when choosing fabrics.  Hues, shades, and tints look their best under natural sunlight.
• Good Iron – I wrote two extensive blogs about irons a few weeks ago.  The most interesting information I discovered is that all irons – expensive or inexpensive – have about the same life span unless you’re really hard on your irons and drop them or knock them off the ironing board like me .This means just because you may spend more for an iron doesn’t mean it will last you years and years.  The average life span of an iron is three years and for a decent iron with good steam capabilities, a long cord, and solid soleplate, plan to spend about $45 on average.

• Bent Tip, Pointy Tweezers – These are great to use as a stiletto, hold and place tiny pieces of applique, and I also use these to pull up my bobbin thread to the front of the quilt when I am quilting on my domestic machine. 

• Wool Pressing Mat – These things make pressing a breeze.  The wool holds heat so you’re able to literally press the front and the back of a block or fabric or quilt center with one pressing go-round.  These come in super-small sizes (great for freezer paper applique) to the size which fits your entire ironing board.  Word of warning, the super inexpensive ones may not be comprised of 100% wool and do not work as well as the 100% wool ones. Plus the fake ones smell even worse than the wool ones for the first several uses. 

• Design Wall – No matter if this is the flannel back of a table cloth pinned to a wall in your studio, or one made from foam board and flannel, or the smaller ones you can sit directly next to your sewing machine, or the portable kind you can purchase and take with you on quilt retreats, design walls are a crucial tool to have if you’re piecing complicated blocks or arranging quilt blocks for a quilt top.  They allow you to lay things out and make sure everything is in the right place before picking up the blocks or block units and sewing them together.

• Organization Mat That Has Room for Tools – This mat sit beneath your sewing machine and has pockets for your seam ripper, scissors, stiletto, and all the other sewing tools you use when you’re quilting.  It’s a great way to keep them together.  And if you’re keen to make your own, there are a lot of patterns available.

• Bias Tape Makers – These come in sizes ¼-inch through 2-inches.  Many applique quilters love these, as they allow you to make yards of stems without a lot of time, fuss or effort.   Bonus, they are relatively inexpensive and can be found at both quilt stores and big box establishments (as well as Amazon).  Some come in nifty kits, but they also can be purchased individually. 

• Roxanne Glue – This one is my personal favorite glue.  Roxanne has cornered the market on glue and the ways you can apply it.  Roxanne has a glue you can dab, a glue you can pour, and a glue with a needle-nose you can use to lay down a line of small, glue dots.  And I think their glue stick is the best on the market.  Roxanne Glue is also ph-balanced, so there is no need to worry about long term damage to your fabric.

• Pop Socket – These great, little inventions were made primarily for cell phones.T hey allow you to hold onto your phone or prop it up to watch videos or talk.  However, once quilters saw them, they realized pop sockets worked great for quilting rulers.  It allows a firm hold on a ruler while the hopping foot does its work along the ruler’s side. 
• Light Box – Whether you make your own or purchase one, if you applique, it’s hard to live without a light box.  They help you accurately trace patterns, lay your applique out, or trace a pattern directly onto your fabric.  I have a Cuttapillar and love it…however, I really would like to have a light box as big as my dining room table to make appliqueing borders just a bit easier.

• Yazzii Bag – I have lots of bags I tuck my sewing into, but I don’t have one of these.  Since this quilting notion was mentioned on several surveys, I decided to do a little research on it and find out what made it so wonderful.  According to the description, a Yazzii Bag is a  “Crafters Dream! Get organized with this ultimate craft storage bag. There are 20 see-through zippered pockets of various sizes to hold all your craft accessories. This bag has a large area on the bottom to provide additional space for unfinished projects, quilting fabric, and more. It also has a slot for a 12×18 cutting mat — an asset to any crafter.”

It is certainly impressive and there are Yazzii bags of all sizes.  They even have a 100-spool thread organizer that I am seriously in love with.  I can see how this bag would make organizing and packing for a quilt retreat or class super easy.  I don’t have one of these yet…but it’s going on my Christmas list.

And there you have it.  All the quilting tools we would buy again.  I know we may have missed a few, and if yours isn’t on this list, please leave your favorite tools in the comments.  Again, I would like to thank the Network Needlers Chapter of TAS, my Tuesday Night Sit and Sew Stitching Sisters, and the High Point Quilt Guild.  All of your input was invaluable to this blog.

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

Of all the quilt techniques available, my favorite is applique.  I do both machine and hand applique and like them both equally.  Hand applique tends to slow me down and soothe me.  Machine applique is faster and takes a different skill set.  Both are a bit like painting with fabric. 

Applique is defined as “a sewing technique in which fabric patches are layered on a foundation fabric, then stitched in place by hand or machine with the raw edges turned under or covered with decorative stitching.”  The word “applique” is taken from the French appliquer which means to “put on.”  Applique began as a practical way to mend holes in tents, blankets, and clothing.  Examples date back to the ancient Egyptians and Middle Ages. The process was used to strengthen worn fabrics, patch holes, and add decorative flair to banners and ceremonial costumes. 

Differing from piecing – which can also be done by machine or by hand – applique allows the quilter to tell a story, represent an event, reconstruct a landscape, or almost anything else the quilter desires.  And to be honest, while those can also be pieced (somewhat), most of the time applique gives a better representation.  Piecing is all seams, no matter if they’re straight or curved.  And sometimes the things we want to represent in our quilts have some odd shapes which cannot be accurately reproduced with seams. 

For me, applique was love at first stitch.  This technique allowed me to make beautiful quilt blocks without much piecing involved.  And to me, applique holds some advantages over piecing (per Sue Pelland also):

• It doesn’t require the precision that piecing does.  While yes, precision does come into play with applique, applique is much more forgiving than piecing.  When you piece, if your seams are off kilter or you lop the top off of triangles, it can be glaringly apparent.  With applique, if your shapes are a little off, no one knows but you.
• The ¼-inch seam can be difficult to consistently execute.  The buttonhole stitch for machine applique is much easier to master.  An inconsistent ¼-inch seam can bring about much “weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Seams won’t match and block sizes may be all out of kilter. However, with applique, as long as your thread matches your applique piece, no one will notice if your buttonhole stitches go a little wonky on occasion.
• Pressing is easier with applique than with pieced blocks.  When you press pieced blocks, there’s always the dilemma (unless your pattern contains specific pressing directions), which way to press the seams so they nest or whether or not to press the seams open to reduce bulk.  The entire time you’re mulling that over, you also have to consider the quilting part, so those stitches won’t have issues with the seam integrity or bulk.  With applique blocks, you simply place the right side on top of a pressing cloth and press on the wrong side of the block.  Easy-peasy, no major decisions have to come into play. 
• No bulky intersections.  There’s no denying, some pieced blocks can have a lot of bulk coming together at one intersection.  And if you’re constructing small, pieced blocks, it can seem as if you’re working with nothing but one intersection after another.  That bulk, whether beneath a quilting needle of a machine or a quilting needle in your hand`, can be difficult to deal with and it may seem you can never get the block or the quilt to lay completely flat.  With applique, generally the only seams coming together are the ones joining the blocks (unless you’re making a pieced and appliqued quilt).
• Truing up is easier with applique.  If you’re constructing a quilt which is comprised of only applique blocks – no pieced ones set in – trimming to size is a breeze.  You simply make the blocks an inch larger than needed, applique, press, then trim the blocks down to the size needed.  No maddening surprises of blocks too small to trim.
• Applique can mimic the look of pieced curves without the headache of actually piecing the curves.  Anyone who has made a curvy quilt, such as a Double Wedding Ring or Drunkards Path, knows piecing curves can be a bit tricky.  They require a certain skill set and a large amount of patience.  Sometimes you can avoid this trauma by appliqueing the curved piece. While  I don’t think you could do this for a Double Wedding Ring quilt, ask me how many stress-free Drunkard’s Path blocks I’ve made by applique. 

Applique is a long-standing technique, and I happen to love the type which evolved in the 1930’s.  Quilters used applique in Broidery Perse, Baltimore Albums, and other quilts, but  by the early twentieth century, quilts were trending towards being only pieced.  It took the ingenuity and talent of applique artists such as Marie Webster, Bertha Corbett, Rose Francis Good Kretsinger, Charlotte Jane Whitehill, and Hannah Haynes Headlee to really shake up applique and move it away from  the nineteenth century (and earlier) appearances.  From these women came realistic flowers, Sunbonnet Sue and Sam, and the art-deco look of the twenties and thirties.  However, there is one applique artist I haven’t written about who managed to contribute to this shake up, and that’s a woman named Ruby McKim. 

Ruby McKim was born in 1892 in Millersburg, Ill, to Morris T. Short and Viola Vernon Short.  In 1899, when she was eight, the family moved from Millersburg to Independence, MO, into a log cabin riddled with holes from the Civil War.  Two years later, Mr. Short, a fronter missionary affiliated with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ, Latter-Day Saints (now Community of Christ), died of ill health.  Viola then supported the family on her income as a church librarian.  The family was financially poor, but it was rich in values.  Viola was an accomplished teacher before marriage and a strong promoter of children’s education.  She made sure Ruby, as well her sister and brother received a good education.  Mrs. Short later published her own book about education and traveled around the country promoting it.

Ruby developed an interest in drawing early in her life, constantly carrying around a sketchbook with her everywhere she went.  After high school graduation in 1910, her uncle sponsored additional art studies for her at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts, now known as Parson, The New School for Design.  She graduated in 1912, with her diploma signed by Frank Alvah Parsons, himself.  After graduation from  NYSFAA, she returned to Independence and became the Supervisor of Drawing for Independence School District and was a popular teacher.  Manual High School soon lured her away and by 1916, she relocated to Kansas City to teach art there. And it was during this time and in this place that Ruby McKim found her love for art and her love for sewing meld together. 

Henry Hold and Company, a New York publishing firm, was preparing to launch a series of children’s stories about small woodland animals written by Thomas Burgess.  The publishing firm held a contest.  They wanted a quilt pattern designed for children, which they would publish in their newspaper.   Ruby won the contest.  Her Quaddy Quilty quilt blocks were published in a promotion which was co-copyrighted with the author.  This was her first, and probably most famous, quilt series. 

In 1917 she married Arthur McKim, a public relations businessman as well as her former high school sweetheart.  On October 31, 1918, their first daughter was born – Betty.  As soon as the baby could be left with the grandparents, Arthur and Ruby set off to sell Ruby’s patterns and design ideas to publication syndicates across the country.  Ruby would write letters to little Betty, filled with illustrations and pictures of whatever she and Arthur saw that day.  Sometimes Ruby’s spelling was questionable, but the letters seemed like story books to Betty.  A second daughter, Marilyn, was born five years later and the grandmothers informed Ruby that her traveling days were over. 

The McKim family briefly settled in St. Louis, but soon returned back to Independence and converted the first floor of Viola’s house into offices and made the second floor into apartments for the two grandmothers.  By 1925, McKim Studios had become a home-based mail-order business that oversaw the publication of Ruby’s designs in newspapers and magazines throughout the United States.  The McKims also published catalogs of patterns and kits under titles such as Patchwork Patterns and Designs Worth Doing. 

By the time 1922 rolled around, Ruby had begun a 16-year career with Child Life with her Alice in Wonderland series. 

She was also supplying designs to other magazines and syndicated features.  The Kansas City Star, The Omaha World-Herald, The Nebraska Farmer, Woman’s World, Successful Farming, and The Indianapolis Star were among the publications which featured McKim’s designs.  Eventually Better Homes and Gardens welcomed Ruby as their artcraft editor, and she designed kits and patterns for quilts and other home decorating projects. 

Like her mother, Ruby developed a keen interest in children’s education, and her quilts The Jolly Circus, Nursery Rhymes, Colonial History, Bible History, and Bird Life were part of her children’s series which appeared in the 1920’s.  Farm Life, State Flowers, Flower Garden, and Patchwork Parade of States became popular series during the 1930’s.  Quilters eagerly waited for each block installment, clipped it out from the newspaper, and saved them, as most women wanted to collect the entire series.  Newspapers running her patterns often sponsored contests for the quilts made from these patterns, which not only increased the paper’s sales, but also their circulation, since hundreds of women entered these contests.  Many of Ruby’s pattern collections have survived, have been reprinted, and are offered on the internet, proving that McKim’s designs are still just as popular as many of the other 1930 applique artists. 

In 1931, Ruby published her book One Hundred and One Patchwork Patterns.  This book served as a comprehensive pattern encyclopedia and how-to book for avid quilt makers at a time when this information could be difficult to find.  Her husband, Arthur, oversaw the publishing process and decided once the book was published, it was time to go to Europe to explore other publishing markets.  The McKims came home with a contract for a paper in Australia and a new idea for another business – imported, domestic, and antique dolls by mail-order.  From the mid-1930’s onward, McKim Studios gradually evolved away from quilt patterns to Kimport Dolls, a business which continued for the rest of their lives and was later carried on by their son, Kim, who was born in 1933. 

Her final quilt pattern was American Ships published in 1937. 

Eventually she became editor of Doll Talk, a position she held for decades.

Ruby Short McKim was a great deal like the other 1930’s applique designers.  She took an enterprising hobby and turned it into a profitable business.  In a business world dominated by men, she worked hard to take her place at the table of commerce and be successful.  Unlike a lot of those artists, her husband became a vital part of her business phenomena.  They worked closely together until Arthur’s death in 1967.  At his death, Ruby penned a poem as a tribute to the part he played in her life, and it was sent to all their mail-order friends as a final memorial of their life together.  Ruby died nine years later, on June 28, 1976.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica called Ruby Short McKim “one of the 20^th century’s most innovative American quilt designers,” and she was included in the first edition of Who’s Who of American Women and is listed in the subsequent editions of the encyclopedia.  According to a biography of McKim, she became a successful entrepreneur during a period when women did not enter into the business industry.  The publications of her works led to quilt contests and shows which spread across the United States and her works experienced a revival from 1999 to the 21^st century.  McKim was inducted into the Quilters Hall of Fame in July 2002, the 33^rd member to be so honored, in recognition of her “important contributions to the quilt revival of the early twentieth century through her widely distributed designs, her book, and her business.”

While I have read a great deal about Marie Webster, Bertha Corbett, Rose Francis Good Kretsinger, Charlotte Jane Whitehill, and Hannah Haynes Headlee, I was late to the Ruby McKim Admiration Club.  A few looks at her quilts and her book made me an instant fan.  If you have a few minutes, pour yourself a beverage and Google her quilts.  If you find yourself falling in love, I’m about to tell you something wonderful.  Ruby’s youngest granddaughter, Merrily McKim Tuohey, pulled Ruby’s patterns and book out of the attic and revived them.  She has an online shop that has Ruby’s patterns and books (https://www.mckimstudios.com/).  I really like her Flower Basket Block of the Month. 

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

Big doings over here at the Fields House.  After a couple of years of dealing with a leaky stone chimney, we finally got the leak fixed.  We have a stone façade chimney and the façade had pulled away from the brick.  Result:  My fireplace looked like a water feature every time we had a hard rain. 

We tried everything.  We called everybody we thought could remedy the situation.  It wasn’t until we found a stone mason who guaranteed his work for ten years that we found a solution.  Once we were sure the leak was completely repaired, that meant the ceiling had to be repaired and re-painted. 

Well, once that was put into play, we decided we may as well paint the walls in the dining room and living room (the fireplace separated the two rooms).    While we’re talking about painting, it’s about time to re-paint the kitchen…and the entry way….and the hallways … and the bedroom…don’t you think? And the old floors?  They need to go, too.  And the kitchen cabinets.  I call this syndrome “Home Renovation Dominoes.”  You flip one project into play and then another domino falls.   My house will be total chaos for a month or longer, but it’s gonna look sooooo good when the last contractor leaves.  Meanwhile, my saving grace is I can still navigate into my quilt studio and access my coffee maker.  However, poor Felix has been relegated to a spare bedroom.  Which he is fine with.  He still has a bit of “Stranger Danger” complex and hides from anyone he doesn’t know (i.e., everyone but Bill and me).

Like most quilters, I have quilts hanging on the walls and quilt ladders as well as draped across the backs of couches.  As I was relocating them to my studio for temporary storage while the painters did their thing, I found my self muttering under my breath about how much “stuff” I had accumulated during 40 years of marriage and made a solemn promise to myself I was seriously going to slim things down.  I kept questioning myself about things I purchased and why did I need them.  Why did I keep them?  Did I really need those six pairs of candlestick holders I received as wedding gifts? (No) How many times did I use them? (Maybe once) Did I remember who gave them to me? (Absolutely not). All of this pushed me to think about the tools I had in my quilt studio.  If I had to offload some tools, which ones would have to go?  Which ones would I not purchase ever again?  I had a good idea, but just to be sure I polled a few more quilters.  Come to find out, we all had certain quilting paraphernalia we would just as soon toss as keep.

• Best Press – I know, I know.  There are quilters who absolutely love Best Press and won’t use anything else.  However, I’ve never felt it was as good as starch and I really could never justify the expense.  A bottle of Best Press on Amazon is $13.04.  A can of Niagara Spray Starch is $3.59.  Better yet a gallon of Purex Sta-Flo starch concentrate is $10.99.  Simply mix one to two ounces of starch concentrate with 16 ounces of water.  That means, if you use two ounces per bottle, you can have 64 sixteen-ounce bottles of spray starch for a whopping 17 cents per bottle. 
• Excessive Yardage – I have come to an ugly realization about myself.  I have stash beyond any life expectancy.  I’ve made a solemn vow to use what fabric I have and if I need to purchase any additional fabric (such as applique backgrounds or backings), I will purchase only what I need.  Which brings me to my next one…
• Backing Fabric.  My exception to this is anything I quilt on my long arm – which hates pieced backings, even if the quilt is loaded horizontally so you’re only stitching over the seam once.  For anything I plan to quilt on my M7, I’ll make a pieced backing.
• Block Specific Rulers/Specialty Rulers/Specialty Templates* – These were the number one item both my quilting friends and I declared never to buy again.  They’re like having a bridesmaids dress in your wardrobe.  They work great for one occasion and then they simply take up space.  In my opinion, the only uni-tasker anyone needs in their quilt studio is this:

Not some fancy-schmancy one-use ruler or template. 

• “Binding Buddy/Binding Baby” – From what I’ve heard, these are pretty popular right now.  They’re cute, semi-practical, and help keep your binding neat and untangled.  I guess in many ways I’m old-school, because my first, last, and best binding buddy is a section of a pool noodle.  The binding can be wrapped around it and pinned.  When you’re ready to use it, remove the pin, and the pool noodle piece will lay in your lap while you sew the binding onto your quilt.  I’ve also found pool noodles a handy place to store applique stems until you’re ready to use them.
• Half-Square Triangles on a Roll/Paper for Large HSTs – This is a tool which I do believe has a place in my quilt studio, but only for certain sizes of HSTs.  For my larger HSTs, I like to make them a little bigger and then use my Eleanor Burns Half-Square Triangle Ruler (which, if you make a lot of HSTs, may be a good investment for you) to cut them down to size.  However, due to all the bias this block unit has, any HST smaller than 2 ½- inches finds me reaching for the papers.
• Rotary Blade Tools/Specialty Blades/”Bargain Blades” – We all love our rotary cutters and use them a lot.  In the past few years, several rotary blade “accessories” have hit the market and not all of them have improved my cutting life.  More specifically, I am talking about the rotary blade sharpener.

I asked for one for Christmas and my family dutifully complied.  I was thrilled, thinking I may be able to get some additional time out of my blades by sharpening them when the blade began skipping and not cutting my fabric.  Boy, was I ever disappointed.  The sharpener over promised and under delivered.  I followed the directions carefully, but to my chagrin, the blade was no sharper than when I put it in the sharpener. 

Specialty rotary cutter blades (such as the pinking blades) are the other cutter accessory which was panned.  This was another notion which seems to over promise and under deliver. Another type of blade that received a lot of flak were cheap blades.  One contributor to my survey specifically mentioned the super cheap ones offered on Amazon and another person highlighted the ones offered in some hardware stores which tout they can be used by quilters and in a toolbox.  Don’t be fooled.  They can’t — those blades will destroy your mat.

I think I will also add cheap rotary cutters. I’ve found cheap rotary cutters either fall apart too easily or don’t come apart at all, making it difficult to change the blades.

• Fancy Seam Rippers – While they may be beautiful to look at and delightful to hold, most of them aren’t made for long periods of picking out stitches (such as when a quilting motif goes horribly wrong).  While seam rippers will always remain a necessity for as long as quilters are human, they should at least be easy to use, not cost an arm and a leg, and be ergonomically correct.

• Rotating Cutting Mat – I’ll be honest, this one came from my surveys.  I have a rotating cutting mat and I really like it, but about half of those folks I surveyed said if given the choice, they wouldn’t purchase another one.  Why?  They don’t paper piece or use many small pieces of fabric to trim.  Personally, since I do a lot of both, I enjoy my rotating mat and have found it the perfect size to keep beside my sewing machine for quick cutting ease and to pack and take on quilt retreats.

• Template Plastic – As long as there’s freezer paper and Apliquick, I’ll never purchase template plastic again.

• Heavy scissors/Pinking Shears/Specialty Scissors – Quilters who mentioned pinking shears stated they never use them, and I agree.  I don’t use mine, either.  Heavy scissors hurt hands.  And specialty scissors (such as those used for cutting rag quilts) aren’t used enough to justify their purchase.

While we’re discussing cutting tools, I had a few mentions about specifics on rotary cutters which irritate some quilters.  Some quilters didn’t like rotary cutters with curved handles.  Others didn’t like rotary cutter with a side handle such as this:

And still others swore off any rotary cutter without a self-retracting blade.              

In retrospect, I think that cutting tools of any type are a very personal choice.  I believe you should take your time before investing in scissors or rotary cutters.  Pick them up and get a feel for how they will work for hours in your hand.  And don’t stop at your hands.  The muscles used for rotary cutter and scissors extend up your arm to your shoulder.   If you can’t imagine using them for an hour at a time without discomfort in your arm, put it back and try another.    

• The Embroidery Module for My Sewing Machine – I assume this one may raise some eyebrows, as I have quilter friends who love their embroidery machines and modules.  They use them for both embroidery and for quilting their quilts. 

I look at embroidery modules/machines like this:  If you can handle having your sewing machine tied up while it’s stitching out an embroidery pattern and not having the capacity to sew while this is happening, then an embroidery module will work well for you.  If you can’t, then maybe you should invest in an embroidery machine, so you can piece and embroider.  However, there may come a time when you’re “done” with embroidery and a machine is far easier to sell or trade than a module.  I’m at that point.  I thoroughly enjoyed my Baby Lock Spirit while the grand darlings were younger, but now they’re pre-teens and have no interest in anything embroidery related.  After I get it cleaned and serviced, I’m selling it.  It currently does nothing but take up space in my studio.

• Pre-cuts – I admit this one took me by surprise, as this one is not mine, but several folks gave this answer on my survey.  I like pre-cuts and for the most part have had really good luck with them – most have been accurately cut.  The most common problem most of my responders have is accuracy – the pre-cuts were too short, too big, varied in size, or were cut crooked.  And I don’t think anyone likes those zig-zaggy edges on jelly rolls.  They’re just too messy.  But let me throw in a helpful hint if you do find yourself working with a jelly roll.  Before you open it, head outside with it and a lint roller.  Open the jelly roll from any ribbon or cellophane covering and run the lint roller over it several times.  This tends to get rid of most of the threads. 
• Stilettos – This one is one of mine and several of my responders agreed.  I’m not sure why they don’t like a stiletto, but I prefer a Sixth Finger Quilting Tool:

This has slanted finger and a flat finger and is useful for more things than just feeding fabric beneath the presser foot.  It’s great to use with binding and it can hold the fabric apart if you need to press a seam open.  It is also helpful for use in applique.

• Any Templates or Rulers That’s Not Non-Slip – Personally I think all rulers should be non-slip.  It would cut down on so many cutting mistakes on fabric and fingers.  And while there are certainly  non-slip grippy stickers you can purchase to go on the back of a ruler, I’ve found those cumbersome.  This is why I’ve had a long-time love affair with Creative Grids rulers.  All of those come with non-slip surfaces built into the back of the ruler.

• Safe-er Grips – These are the Safe-er Grips

Normally used in bathrooms, several years ago, these were introduced as quilting tools.  You could affix one of these to your ruler and use the handle to move your ruler or template over instead of simply sliding it.  While there are a few quilters who still love them, most of us agree they just get in the way.  Case in point, we’ve had one in our prize box at Guild for door prizes.  It’s been in the prize box for two years.  No one wants the thing. 

In closing I would like to thank the Network Needlers Chapter of The Applique Society, my sisters in stitches from Tuesday Night Sit and Sew, and the members of the High Point Quilt Guild.  Thank you for taking the time to answer all my questions.  There will be a follow up to this blog concerning the quilting tools we absolutely cannot live without.

Until next week, from my studio to yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix