Month: April 2025

I think the longer you quilt or sew or do any type of craft concerning textiles, the more you’re drawn to them.  If garment sewing is your thing, it will not surprise me at all if you love fashion displays, old Hollywood costumes, or significant historical clothing.  I quilt.  The first thing I gravitate towards in antique stores is the quilts.  And if I can’t see any, I ask someone who’s employed there if any quilts are available for me to look at. 

I remember the very first antique quilt I purchased.  I was in the North Carolina Smokey Mountains (years before Helene) and stopped at a general store.  It was one of those real general stores, not some modern one playing at the business.  There were clothespins, dress goods, Moon Pies, and groceries mixed in with seeds, fertilizer, and chicken feed.  After purchasing a Moon Pie and a cold drink, I asked the woman behind the counter (who looked almost as old as the building itself) if she had any quilts for sale.

You have to remember, when you ask someone if they have quilts for sale, you generally get one of two responses.  Either something to the effect of “I have no clue what you’re talking about,” or “Maybe.  Maybe I have a quilt or two.  Why do you want them?”  In this case I got lucky.  She motioned to a small wooden building almost as old as the general store across the gravel parking lot and said, “There’s a few out there. Door’s unlocked.  If you find anything you like, bring it up.” 

It didn’t take any more prodding to get me across the parking lot to the building.  It was dark and warm, and I was glad I still had some cold Cheerwine left.  After my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I had to sort through some odds and ends until I caught sight of a small quilt.  Thinking it was a crib quilt, I carefully removed it and carried it outside.  And my heart almost stopped.

Caught somewhere between the measurements of a crib and child’s bed quilt was a quilt done in pinks and blues in a Chimney Sweep pattern.  It was a bit tattered, the batt was made from thin cotton, and the quilting stitches were exquisite.  The pink was once a vibrant color, maybe even red, but it had long faded into a softer hue. However, the indigo blues still held steadfast.  I carefully folded it up and carried it back to the general store.

“You like that one?” the lady asked.

I nodded.  “The quilting is beautiful. Any clue who made the quilt or when it was made?”

We spread the quilt out and she carefully looked it over. “No.  I can’t say that I even recognize it.  Don’t think it was ever used in my house or my momma’s.  Couldn’t swear about my sister’s, though.” 

You ask.  You always ask if there’s a known maker.  Usually, heartbreakingly too often, there’s no history on an old quilt.  But still….you ask.

“How much do you want for it?” I questioned.

“It’s a mite small one.  Won’t cover your bed.  Probably would fall apart as soon as you put it in the washing machine.  Can’t charge you a dime over $40.”

Money was exchanged and I left the store a happy quilting camper.  I’m sure each of us thought we got the better end of the deal.  

That was the first quilt.  I still have it, and it is carefully folded and kept out direct sunlight.  After a long soak in my bathtub, she cleaned up beautifully. And I still think I got the better end of the $40 deal.

My second antique quilt has an equally interesting backstory, but it was the hubs who procured this one. 

Every summer until both my children moved away from Greensboro to other cities and deserted me we took a family vacation.  Our kids, their spouses, the grandkids…everybody would head to one of North Carolina’s beautiful beaches.   We would rent a house and for a week we did nothing we didn’t want to do.  Swim, fish, shop…whatever.  One summer we stayed near Beaufort, North Carolina and I was having a blast until I caught a cold.  For a day or two I was miserable and did nothing more than stay inside and rest.  The rest of the family carried on, including some shopping in old Beaufort, where there is this wonderful thrift store operated by a local Methodist church.  We always go there.  Since I didn’t feel like tagging along, the hubs did the annual pilgrimage.  Once he was in, he saw a darling Sunbonnet Sue quilt hanging over the railing of the upstairs loft.  After he went about his shopping, he casually picked up the quilt and brought it to the counter.  I wasn’t there, but according to my daughter, the conversation went something like this:

“How much for the quilt?” he asked.

After a brief search, the salesperson found the tag.  “It’s $80.”

Bill spread the quilt out.  “There’s water stain on half the quilt.”

“Only on two rows,” countered the salesperson.  “Besides, it’s hand pieced and hand quilted.”

Okay.  Let’s pause for a moment here.  My husband may not be all into quilts like I am, but through the years, he has picked up on some crucial facts. 

“This quilt is machine pieced,” he countered.  “The applique is done by hand.”

And so the haggling continued.  Once he got the price down to $60, the quilt came home with him, and I was so happy it found a good home.  He did manage to get somewhat of a history on it.  It belonged to a man in the Methodist church, who had kept the quilt in a basement (horrors!).  The basement flooded and the last two rows of the quilt were water stained.  After a couple of soaks in the tub, most of the water stain came out.  It remains one of my favorite Sunbonnet Sue’s.

Now anyone can tell you, if you have only one of something (such as one old Chimney Sweep quilt), that’s one thing.  But once you add another one (such as a water-stained Sunbonnet Sue) a collection is born. 

So suddenly, I’m a quilt collector. 

It’s a natural thing for quilters to keep some of their own works, but many quilters also collect quilts made by other quilters.  And if you find yourself in this realm, it can really be a bit confusing to know where to start.  How do you know what to collect?  Where should you go to get them?  To begin with, it’s really a lot of trial and error and then zeroing in on what you really like.  I really love that little Chimney Sweep quilt, but it’s one of the few pre-Depression Era quilts I own.  I fell in love with the quilting and it was the quilting which really prompted me to plunk down  $40 and bring the quilt back home with me.  It was my second quilt – the water-stained Sunbonnet Sue – which helped me decide the 1930’s was my period.  I immediately fell in love with the Little Miss (go here: https://sherriquiltsalot.com/2021/02/03/sunbonnet-sue-the-quilt-block-born-on-a-dare/) and soon discovered the charm in that era of quilting.  From that time on, I’ve collected primarily quilts made in the 1930’s – 1940’s.  In that collection, I also have two stellar 19^th century applique quilts and a very nice circa 1983 purple Carolina Lily, all purchased simply because I love them.

Ironically, the type of quilt you like to collect may be diametrically different from the kind you make.  If you’re collecting what appeals to you, it may take some time, and some trial and error, to really determine what type of quilt you want occupying your space.  Allow yourself time to look and give yourself permission to sell off a quilt if, in the long run, you decide it’s just not you.  If you’re collecting for primarily monetary values, you probably want to look for antique quilts (quilts 100 years old or older) that are in good condition.  Condition is one of the primary factors when considering the value of a quilt.  A 100-year-old quilt in poor condition can very well be of lesser value than a 50-year-old quilt in pristine condition.

Where Do You Shop for Quilts?

There are the obvious places, such as quilt collections in art museums (often they will have a section of quilts available for purchase) and antique shops.  Museums generally have a good idea of what a quilt is worth, and the price tag will reflect this information.  Antique shops can be a bit iffy.  Sometimes they are on the mark, as far as a price goes, and sometimes they overshoot the value a lot.  If you’re quilt shopping at either of these places, here’s some prime advice:  Don’t be afraid to haggle about the price.  All they can do is say “No.” 

Thrift shops are surprisingly good places to find quilts (as per my Sunbonnet Sue).  You have to pick through them but occasionally you’ll come across a gem of a quilt you’ll want to take home.  Again, check for large areas that may need repairs or impossible stains.  Estate sales, Facebook Marketplace (to a somewhat lesser degree), and yard sales (does anyone still have these?) have yielded some good results in the past – especially estate sales.  However, if you come from a family of quilters, those folks may be your best resource.  Only a quilter can truly value a quilt made by another quilter and if they’re related to that quilter, there’s more than a good chance those quilts have been lovingly and carefully stored.  Sometimes these quilts are already spoken for – they’ve been promised to a child, grandchild, niece, or some other family member.  However, the quilt owner may be looking for someone to pass the quilt to who will take the same loving care of it.  You could be that person.  What’s more, quilters generally have a circle of quilter friends.  Your family members who quilt may very well know other quilters who would be willing to part with quilts you’re interested in. 

Finally, quilt shows may offer some antique quilts for sale.  With most local quilt shows, there is a space for guild members to show their quilts, but some of these also allow members to sell antique quilts (this is how I purchased my purple Carolina Lily).  The same protocol may also be followed for larger quilt shows, such as the AQS ones.  If you plan to attend a quilt show with the goal of purchasing a quilt, it’s always a good idea to ask ahead of time to see if any are available.

I Bought a Quilt!  Now What Do I Do with It?

It stands to reason that you’ve carefully looked the quilt over before money was exchanged – or at least closely enough you know there are fragile areas, faded fabrics, or frayed binding.  If the quilt needs a bath, I suggest a soak in a tub with some quilt soap.  I know some collectors throw their quilt in the washing machine on a delicate cycle and the quilt does just dandy, but I’m more cautious.  After it’s soaked and rinsed, roll it up in a sheet to get as much water out of it as possible and allow it to dry flat.  If the quilt is particularly dirty (as my Chimney Sweep was – it was filthy), it may need a couple of spa days to regain its original loveliness. 

Next you want to record as much of the quilt’s province as you have.  The only history you may have is when and where you purchased it and why.  Occasionally you may find the maker’s initials or if you’re really lucky a name, a date, and a state.  Sometimes armed with this information you can make some headway into the quilt’s history through some online searches.  Whatever information you can pull together, be sure to record it.  Some collectors put this on a label and attach it to the back of the quilt.

You also may want to consider an appraisal by a certified quilt appraiser or antique textile appraiser.  If the quilt is an antique (at least 100 years old), and is in good condition, the appraisal can accomplish three goals for a quilt collector.  First, it does put a monetary value on the quilt.  If you or your heirs decide to sell the quilt, the appraisal gives you a starting point for a sale price.  If years pass between the initial appraisal and the sale, you will want to get the quilt re-appraised, especially if the quilt remains in stellar condition – it probably will have increased in value.  The second reason is for insurance purposes.  If, heaven forbid, the quilt was destroyed in a fire or other natural disaster, or if the quilt was stolen, the appraisal document would give you the replacement value.  And third, if you’re the philanthropist quilter and decide to donate the quilt to a museum, the appraisal serves as a tax document for your gift in kind. 

And Finally….

I’ll be the first to admit that collecting quilts is almost as fun as making them.  And collecting quilts is kind of like that old Lays Potato Chip commercial – you can’t seem to stop with just one.  So as you decide what quilts you like and start to collect, treat your collection the same way you should your fabric stash – make sure you have room for them and that they don’t overwhelm your entire living space (unless you live by yourself, and no one will give you flack about it).  Also make sure you treat the quilts with care.  Display them properly and rotate them out so the quilts are not constantly exposed to light.  If the quilt is really old, the best place to display them is on a flat surface, like the bed in your guest room.  As you rotate them out, be sure to store them in cotton pillowcases or in an archival storage box with acid-free tissue in the folds. 

My last words on old quilts are these:  Consider the legacy.  You may very well know who wants the quilts you made when you go to that Great Guild Meeting in the Sky, but what about the quilts you collect?  Does any family or friends want them? Will any of those family or friends take proper care of them?  Will they rotate them out?  Will they not store them in cedar chests or in damp basements?  Even in the best of conditions, textiles – from clothing to quilts – become more fragile over time.  I would strongly urge you to contact a university/college or museum before that Great Guild Meeting to see if they would be interested in your antique treasure.  They have the space and the proper storage facilities for these rare and wonderful quilts.

Until Next Week,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

Let’s talk about one more quilt topic we generally think about at the last minute:  The backing fabric.  Once the quilt top is constructed, the backing is another one of those last decisions we need to make.  It’s an important one, because besides completing the look of the quilt, this is also the area which can absorb the most abuse.  While the front of the quilt is looked at and admired, the back of the quilt (at least for the most part) is always against something – the sheets on the bed, a wall, a tabletop, etc.  It is constantly in contact with a surface.  The backing needs to be attractive, but sturdy. 

Many quilters (including myself) like to make their back out of the fabric in their stash.  So many times we make pieced backs.  However, when I can find a wide back on sale, I like to purchase it, because my longarm doesn’t like pieced backing.  Between either piecing the back, or purchasing a wide back, there are several ideas to keep in mind about the quilt back, such as aesthetics, fabric type, seam placement, ensuring the back compliments the front, and that it’s large enough for quilting.  And for this part of the blog, I am only dealing with cotton fabric.  At the end we’ll cover using minky, flannel, and bedsheets.

AESTHETICS AND COORDINATION

It’s easy to think that the type of backing isn’t really a concern.  It doesn’t matter what kind of fabric you use, as long as it’s big enough.  Since the back is seldom seen, does it really matter?

I’ve always believed a quilter should think of their quilt as a package deal.  I believe it’s a good idea to have some kind of completed concept of the quilt before you take your first cut in the fabric.  You may not have figured out every single, last detail yet, and many of us know we tend to make impulsive design decisions as we go along, but overall, I think some kind of final concept is a good thing to have in mind – and this includes the backing.  You want the back to coordinate with the quilt top’s colors, patterns, and textures (although this one can be sidetracked). 

The quilting thread should also be given some consideration as you chose your quilt back.  We spend a bit of time (hopefully) as we consider what thread we’ll use to quilt the quilt.  We think about what kind of texture it will or won’t leave, and will it be readily seen or sink into the fabric.  It’s important to know you can use two different colors when you or your longarm artist is quilting the quilt – one color can show on top and another on the back.  They also can be different weights, but I’ll be honest, at least for me that situation introduces possible tension problems and tension headaches.  You need to decide if you want the thread to contrast with the back, so the stitches show up really well, or fade into the background by using one of the colors in the backing fabric.  And one more concept while we’re talking about the quilting thread – a busy back can cover a multitude of quilting sins.  With a printed back, your stitching “goofs” are more difficult to see, whereas on a solid back, they glare at you.

If you plan to pull the backing around to the front and stitch that down as binding, be sure your back matches or coordinates well with the front.  Otherwise, the binding will not frame the quilt, but contrast with the top.  And if your quilt is seasonal (such as a Christmas or Easter quilt), you have a couple of choices.  You can use seasonal fabrics on the back and have Santas or bunnies all over the quilt, or you can use a large print, non-seasonal backing, quilt it with an all-over neutral design, and have a reversable quilt which can be used year-round simply by flipping the quilt over. 

FABRIC TYPE

We are so fortunate to have such a wide variety of quilting fabrics.  For this particular part of my blog, we’re discussing cottons only.  We’ll deal with other fabric options at the end. 

As a general rule, the backing should coordinate with the top.  If you’re piecing your backing, this is easy to do.  You can use the left-over scraps from the top to piece your back.  You could make an additional block or two and use it in the back.  If you’ve made an applique quilt, put together a few extra applique pieces and place those on the back (my favorite way to do this is to frame the label with the applique).  But if you want to use a wide back (108-inches across the width or wider), this may be difficult because a wide back may not be exactly like any of the fabrics on the front of the quilt.  When this is the situation, I use one of the dominate colors on the top to help me choose the back.  For instance, if I have used lots of blue on the front, I’ll use a backing with a lot of blue.  Or if it’s an applique quilt, I’ll try to find a wide back that contributes to the theme – if I applique flowers, I’ll find a floral back.  A word of caution about the wide-backing fabric:  Some of it has a higher shrink rate than quilting cottons.  You may want to test the shrink rate by cutting a five-inch square, rinsing it in some water, and drying it in the dryer or allowing it to air dry (treat it the same way you plan to treat the quilt). Once dry, press flat, and re-measure it.  Any difference in size should give you an idea of how much the backing will shrink when you wash the entire quilt.    If the shrink rate is a lot, you may want to pre-wash your back before quilting. 

Regardless of whether you decide to piece the quilt back or purchase a wide quilt backing, keep in mind the backing must be wider than the top.  This is important for a couple of reasons.  First, the backing and  batting tend to shrink a bit during the quilting process.  To keep it from becoming smaller than the top, cut both larger and then trim down the excess before binding.  The second reason concerns those quilts which will be quilted on a long arm.  The long arm artist will need something to attach their clamps to in order to keep the quilt taunt.  The extra batting and backing fulfills that need.  Most quilt books, tutorials, etc., state the quilt back should be at least eight inches larger than the quilt top, all the way around the perimeter, and that is a comfortable amount for a long arm.  I tend to narrow that margin when quilting on my domestic sewing machine to three to four inches.  This eliminates a lot of the fabric bulk in the harp and makes turning the quilt easier.  I’ve also discovered quilt backing doesn’t shrink up as much when quilting on my M7 than it does on my long arm, so  I don’t need a lot of extra margin. 

SEAMS PLACEMENT IN QUILT BACKING

Generally, if the quilt is 61-inches or more wide, seams should run vertically in your quilt back.  If the quilt top is less than 61-inches wide, the seams should run horizontally.  This quilt math has to do with the weight of the quilt and the strain put on the seams.  The seam allowance should also be larger than a quilter’s standard quarter inch.  A full half-inch seam allowance absorbs the stress put on the backing better, and the seams should be pressed open to reduce the bulk. 

To make things easy on yourself, you probably want to avoid prints which would require matching to disguise the seams – such as plaids, checks, and stripes.

ODDS AND ENDS AND THOSE “OTHER” FABRICS

• Care Requirements – Choose fabrics with the same care requirements as the quilt top.
• Hand Quilting – If hand quilting, choose a more loosely woven fabric for the backing.

• Minky – Minky is a wonderful fabric for cuddle quilts and baby quilts.  Just be aware that it’s not cotton and does have some stretchy-ness to it. Personally, I think quilting the minky without the raised dots quilts easier, and if I’m quilting it on the longarm, I turn the selvedges crosswise instead of up and down to try to minimize the stretch as much as possible.  It is a type of backing I use only once in a while.
• Flannel – Like minky, flannel has a bit of a stretch factor, although not quite as much.  I don’t turn it crossways to quilt it – the stretch isn’t quite that bad.  If I use it on the long arm, I allow it to have a bit more “give” on the rollers than I do cotton fabric.
• Sheets —  Yes, you can use sheets as backing.  While I have never done this, I have talked to quilters who have. They caution to wash the flat sheet a few times to make it soft, and stay away from a really high thread count.  Most of them recommended sheets found in thrift stores as these have been used and washed numerous times and are super-soft. 
• Long Arm Artists – If you are “quilting by checkbook” be sure to consult the long arm artist about how they prefer the backing.  Preference can differ not only from machine to machine, and also from long armer to long armer.

I hope this information helps you as you choose your backing fabric.  Either pieced or wide backing should be given careful consideration.  Both are doable, both have their good points and not-so-good points.  Pieced backs help you wisely consume your stash, but some machines don’t like quilting over the seams.  Wide backs have no seams, but may have a higher shrink rate than regular quilting cottons.  The choice depends on your preferences (and your long-arm artist, if you’re using one). 

Until next week,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

There’s something completely unique and precious about old quilts.  It was an old quilt which led me to quilters and finally quilt making. 

It’s my great-grandmother’s quilt. It’s quite utilitarian and to hear my mother speak of it, Great-Grandma Annie would be mortified anyone still had it.  According to family who still remember her, this quilt was made solely for the purpose of keeping her family warm while they lived in a small house near the textile mills of Eden and Spray, North Carolina.  The backing and batting are wool blanket scraps.  The thing is enormously heavy, but it would definitely keep you snug as a bug during the cold winters.  Machine pieced and hand quilted with something akin to kitchen twine in a Baptist fan pattern, this was not her best work. The quilting stitches are large, and it was pieced with fabric scraps in a kind of Chinese coin pattern.   It was made quickly so it would be ready to go as the temperatures began to drop in the late fall. 

Still, it’s precious to me.  Those fabric scraps tell a story of a family dealing with the Great Depression and a woman who used what she had to keep her family warm.  And perhaps the greatest gift in all of this was when my mother pointed out scraps that were from her school dresses, her grandfather’s shirts, great-grandma’s apron, or her mother’s Sunday dress.  I think, with varying degrees, all quilters hold somewhat of a fascination with old quilts.  There’s something kind of awe inspiring about holding the quilt of a quilter who lived years ago and hearing the story that textile can tell.  They hold many secrets – secrets that tell how the quilt was designed and how it was made.  I also think our ideas of what makes a good quilt and older quilt makers’ ideas of what makes a good quilt, are very different. 

Typically a quilt can be called an “antique” if it’s 100 years old.  So the quilts made in the 1920’s are now officially antiques.  During that 100-year (or more) span, both design and technique have drastically changed.  In the nineteenth century, design was more spontaneous, and technique was more direct – that is, there were fewer steps in making a quilt. For instance, let’s take this red and green applique quilt as an example:

If we were making this quilt today, great care would probably be given in the selection of fabric.  Even if we were making it scrappy, we would pay attention to the greens – not too blue green, not too limey – they would have to fall within a range.  Same with the reds – not too orange-y, not too pink, no blue undertones.  We may opt for the background to be all the same fabric or strategically scrappy – one or two cuts of different fabrics, not a mish-mosh of a lot of the same colors and tones. 

Then what about technique?  Do we needle turn or use freezer paper?  Prepared edge?  Apliquik?  Back basting?  Or do we applique by machine?  Once the background blocks were cut out, we would find the centers by marking the squares with lines in the middle from top to bottom, left to right, and then across both diagonals.  We may trace the pattern via use of a light box to the front of the background block and then carefully place our applique shapes on them.  We may thread or glue baste them into place.

All of this before we took the first stitch.  I often say I really love to applique, but sometimes the whole prepping process wears me out.

Nineteenth century quilters didn’t do much or any of this.  I guarantee you’ll find no freezer paper in their quilts (however, studies have shown they did have access to a rudimentary basting glue). 

In this blog, I’d like to dwell on three areas of quilting which seem to have changed the most over the years, and (at least to me) gives old quilts their charm:  fabric substitution, free placement of shapes, and piecing the patches.

FABRIC SUBSTITUTION

We all have experienced the following scenario:  We’re buzzing through our quilt blocks.  Everything is cut out and we’re sewing away.  Seams are matching, the applique is lovely, and our quilting life is just great.  And then…suddenly, somehow, some way, we’re short of fabric.  It may not be by much, maybe less than an eighth of a yard, but we’re short.  We calm our nerves and either A) make a quick trip to our local quilt or fabric store to purchase more or B) go to the online site where we ordered the fabric.  If we’re able to order or buy more, it’s great!

But what if we’re not?

Those of you who have followed my blog for a while know I’ve talked about this situation firsthand, because I, too, have made my fair share of cutting mistakes.  I get on Etsy or Ebay or Google to see where I can find more of the needed fabric.  I ask quilting friends.  I make announcements at my local quilt guild or online quilting groups.  Nine times out of ten, I usually find what I’m looking for. 

But there’s always the one time it can’t be found.  And then what do you do?  Do you make your quilt smaller?  Redesign the layout?  Put it on point?  There are certainly options – but most of the time nineteenth century quilters didn’t exercise any of those.  They simply found a substitute fabric and threw it in the mix.  They quite often didn’t have the option of purchasing any additional fabric.  They had to roll with what they had.  So they usually tried to find something in the same color family, but not always.  Sometimes the substitute fabric could vary drastically.  Regardless, they used fabric substitution with regularity and impunity.  If they ran out of fabric, they used the next best fabric to complete the quilt.  This is usually seen on pieced quilts, but it was also used on applique ones as well.  Personally I think fabric substitution adds greatly to the interest of a quilt.  Using a slightly different tone of the same color creates a subtle illusion of depth and movement.  Even tiny differences can hold the viewer’s attention longer and that can be the sign of a good quilt (Gwen Martson, “My How Things Have Changed”, McCall’s Vintage Quilts, Spring 2004).

When you examine fabric substitutions in old quilts, it’s important to keep in mind a few ideas.  First, you will see quilts where the majority of the blocks are made with the predominate fabrics and those which use fabric substitutions are placed along one side.  Quite often quilters would use substitute fabrics to finish the quilt, but strategically place those blocks in the part of the quilt which wouldn’t be seen as often, such as the side of the bed which faced a wall, or the foot of the bed, which may be hidden by a chest, footboard, or other piece of furniture.  Second, the pre-1940 Midwestern Amish quilts show even they used fabric substitutions.  Quite often they used black as their backgrounds, but a close examination of those quilts can reveal lots of various black fabrics used. 

Finally the third concept (and this point can help date a quilt) are fugitive dyes.  Prior to the mid-nineteenth century, fabric dyes were made from natural ingredients. The process could sometimes be long and arduous, and quite often the colors produced from the dyes could fade or even completely change color over time.  The first color-fast, safe, synthetic dye wasn’t invented until 1856 (and it was mauve).  One of the colors of pre-1856 dyes most affected by time and element exposure was green.*  Often it would fade to a light tan or brown or lime-green.  This means some of the fabric substitutions on those lovely green and red quilts we love so much may become blatantly apparent over time, as some of the greens change color while others remain green.  This dye-fact aside, most nineteenth century red and green quilts have color substitutions.  You may see several red and green fabrics used.  I personally like this technique and use it in my own applique quilts. 

FREE PLACEMENT OF SHAPES

For me, the best old quilt is an applique quilt because I love applique.  Today, when either I teach an applique class or I take one, the placement of applique shapes is emphasized.  They must stay within a boundary.  They must be precisely centered (or as close to precise as you can get).  To do this, you may want to make a plastic overlay, trace the pattern onto your background fabric, or use a light box. 

Nineteenth century applique quilters were having none of this.  Most of those quilts demonstrate placement by eye.  There appears to have been far less concern about precision placement than there is today.  Once the shapes were cut out, they were positioned on the background by eye with more, and sometimes less, care.  This is an example of the more direct technique I referred to earlier.  Today placement has become more complicated, requiring more steps, more time, and more tools.  If you examine these antique appliqued beauties, you’ll note there is variation in the amount of irregularity from quilt to quilt and sometimes from quilter to quilter.  Some of these quilts are quite precise and some are very relaxed.  However, if you study even the most precise nineteenth century quilt, you’ll notice variations exist.

These variations – both minute and obvious – are what makes these quilts so interesting.  If every applique block was exactly the same, you would only have to examine one block to comprehend the quilt.  Variations make each block an adventure, each one a new book waiting to be read.  They make each block an open invitation to explore every square inch of the quilt. 

PIECING THE PATCHES

We are used to piecing blocks.  Nineteenth century quilters pieced blocks, too, but they also pieced some of the patches (you may find this technique is some antique applique quilts, too).  This phenomenon was American ingenuity at its finest.  Out of necessity, when quilters found themselves running short of fabric, they would stitch together fabric until it was large enough to cut the needed patches for their quilts.  And to be completely honest, I have also employed this technique.  When I quilt a quilt with pieced patches, I tend to quilt more heavily over the pieced patches to “hide” the seam. 

But necessity aside, this is actually a wonderful way to add interest and energy to a quilt.  It has a similar effect as fabric substitution in that it provides depth, movement, and surprise.  Depending on your taste, you can use this to a greater or lesser extent. 

Quilts, quilters, techniques, and patterns change over time.  We are lucky to have so much available to us now.  We can produce accurate quilt blocks, uniform applique, and neat quilting stitches regularly.  I wonder what those nineteenth-century quilters (and even my own great-grandmother) would say about all of our tools and notions.  What would they do?  Would they embrace them with the same fervor and excitement we do?  However, something stirs me when I look at my antique quilts.  They are beautiful and charming in their own unique way.  And as I marvel at their ingenuity, a part of me wants to simplify my quilting life.  Do I really need five types of marking tools?  Do I need six pairs of scissors?  Maybe…just maybe these early  quilts and quilters have more to teach us than fabric substitution, placement of shapes, and piecing the patches.

Until Next Week–

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

*Scheele’s green was a color-fast dye, and it was actually discovered in 1775.  However, one of its components was copper arsenic.  Paris green was developed in 1814 by Wilhelm Dye and White Lead Company and it also contained arsenic.  Highly popular, both colors were used in everything from children’s clothing to wallpaper to upholstery fabric.  It appeared almost everywhere and at the height of its popularity, it was even found in the White House.  But as expected, people – especially those involved in the manufacturing process – got sick and many people died.  Once folks put two and two together, the color green quickly fell out of favor and really didn’t re-gain it’s foothold in the American fabric industry until the development of the mint-y green found in 1930’s fabric and feedsacks. 

A few blogs ago we discussed thread and in that blog I mentioned one of the very last decisions we tend to make about our quilt is what thread we plan to use.  I’d like to talk about another decision we make towards the end of our quilting-making journey and that’s batting.  Quite often we don’t give batting a lot of thought.  I mean, after all, no one sees it.  It’s sandwiched firmly between the quilt top and the backing.  So what’s the big deal?  Surely any old batting will do.  Whatever I have stuffed back or whatever is on sale or whatever my long arm artist uses should be just fine, right?

Maybe.  Probably.  But if you’ve shopped for batting lately, you can see we have choices.  And if we have choices, then we have options, which means the type of batting we use may make a big difference in the quilt’s appearance.  I think it’s important that as you make your quilt you have some kind of idea how you want the quilt to look when it’s finished. If the quilt under your needle is a cuddle quilt, a throw, a charity quilt, or something along those lines, then honestly if you have some cotton batting or 80/20 in your stash, you should be just fine.  But if the quilt is a special quilt or one bound for a quilt show, stepping back and thinking about how you want the quilt to look once it’s finished is important.  So let’s talk about appearance.

HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR QUILT TO LOOK?

Drape – Do you want the quilt to have a bit of stiffness to it or do you want it to drape over you like butter on a hot biscuit?  If the quilt is show-bound, a wall hanging, or a table topper, you will probably want a batting which will retain a bit of body after quilting.  On the other hand, if you are making a quilt to wrap a newborn baby in or yourself at night, you may want something with a softer hand post-quilting. 

Durability – If the quilt is likely to see the inside of a washing machine on a fairly regular basis, then you want a batting which can hold up to frequent washings and dryings without issues and will not mold or mildew.

Heirloom Quality – If the quilt is one which you know you’ll pass down, and want passed down, from generation to generation, you need an heirloom quality batting that’s Ph balanced, so the fibers won’t turn acidic. 

Quilting Density – Quilting density refers to how closely together you like your quilting stitches.  Some quilters like their quilting lines close together and others like a little breathing room between them.  And sometimes it depends on the quilt.  A quilt which needs to retain some stiffness (such as a show quilt or wall hanging) will need closer quilting lines than a bedquilt you use every night and want a bit softer.  All battings have a quilting maximum listed on the label which tells you how far apart the quilting lines can be, and the batt still maintain its integrity. 

Loft – Loft refers to how thick you want your quilt to be.  Batting can run the gamut from 1/8-inch to ¾-inch or thicker. The thicker the loft, the more challenging the quilt is to quilt.  As a matter of fact, if you desire a thick quilt, you may want to tie it instead of quilting it.  A long arm can deal with a high loft (usually) but a domestic sewing machine may struggle.  If I am quilting on my M7 instead of my long arm, I tend to stick to a lower loft batt because my harp space is limited, and the thinner batt is easier to manipulate. 

Color – Generally batts can come in one of three colors:  Ecru (or natural), white, and black.  Each has its own merits, but the color I overwhelmingly buy is white.  It brightens the colors and doesn’t interfere with my neutrals.  The ecru (or natural) is usually found in the 100% cotton category.  It’s an unbleached cotton batt and has a sightly tan appearance.  I have found that the ecru color tends to “muddy down” a white neutral as well as other light colors.  I do use an ecru batt if I want my quilt to have a more “antique” look.  If your quilt is predominately black (or a dark color like navy or a deep gray), a black batt is what you need.  It will maintain that inky darkness.  Two concepts to keep in mind as you use black batt:  First, don’t quilt densely over the areas where lighter fabrics are used, and secondly, a black batt works great with over-dyed batiks or color-saturated cottons.  It makes them sparkle.

After you’ve decided on what is important to you about your quilt’s appearance (and often more than one factor fits in), now it’s time to shop for a batt.  While there are several well-known batt manufacturers (I personally like Hobbs the best), nearly all of them have the following kinds of batts.

TYPES OF QUILT BATTING

100 Percent Cotton

These batts are comprised of 100 percent cotton fibers.  When quilting on a regular sewing machine or an embroidery machine, this is probably the kind of batting you want, as it doesn’t create a lot of bulk you have to deal with when maneuvering the quilt through the machine throat.  Although this batting may start off a little stiff, over time it gives way to great drapeability and is the kind you want to use when you want the attention to be on the piecing and not the quilting.  It is not the best batting to use for hand quilting, though.  Cotton batting comes in two colors, white and natural.  Care must be given when using the natural color.  It’s kind of an ecru shade and if you’re using light colors or white as the background or neutral, it can make those colors appear dull.  Overall, white is generally the best choice for almost any quilt that you plan to use a cotton batting.  One more word of caution, before putting the quilt top on the quilt sandwich, peruse the batting for any cotton seeds that somehow slipped through the manufacturing process.  These can be oily and eventually leave a small stain on your quilt top or back.

You also have a couple of additional options with a cotton batt.  If you want your quilt to have that slightly puckered, antique look, wash and dry your quilt top before quilting.  Then after you quilt it, wash it again.  The cotton batt will shrink just a bit, giving you that slightly puckered look.  If you want a more puckered look, wait until the quilt is quilted and then wash and dry it.  If you want no puckers at all, wash both your top and batt before quilting.

Polyester Batting – Like polyester thread, polyester batting has come a long, long way over the years.  Polyester batts used to have an incredibly high loft and have thin patches here and there in the batt.  No more.  Today’s polyester batts hold their shape and thickness better than almost any other batting, but is very light.  It has nice drapeability, and if the quilt you’re making is one that may spend significant time in the washing machine, (such as a crib quilt or child’s play quilt) this is probably the kind of batting you want.  It stands up well to such treatment.  The loft is a bit higher on polyester batting (it can run from 3/8-inch to 1-inch thick), which means your quilting stitches will show up more than with a thinner batt and it adds warmth without weight.  Another plus is that polyester batting is mold and mildew resistant.  Polyester batting is my go-to batt for hand quilting.  It needles beautifully. 

Wool Batting —   I love wool batting.  It has a higher loft, running about ½-inch thick.  This is my go-to batting for applique quilts.  The higher loft emphasizes the quilting stitches, which in turn defines the applique better.  And despite the thickness, it’s incredibly light weight.  It is also very warm.  This batting is excellent for hand quilting or the long arm.  It is a bit bulky for domestic machine quilting.  It also ties beautifully.  Because of the ½-inch thickness, it doesn’t drape as prettily as a polyester or cotton batt, but you’re trading that off for definition of quilting stitches – your quilting with be front and center with a wool batting.

If I make a super-special applique quilt, I sometimes will use two batts – a cotton batt on the backing and a wool batt next to the quilt top.  While this does add weight to the quilt, it really makes the applique look spectacular. 

Cotton/Poly Batting – Like the name denotes, this batting is a blend of cotton and polyester fibers.  It’s commonly called 80/20 (80 percent are cotton fibers and 20 percent are polyester), and this is generally the staple of all long arm quilters.  It’s a great all-around batting.  This batt has all the characteristics of a cotton batting, with the loft of a polyester one.  It quilts well and washes great, too.  The drapability is good.  While I will always prefer a wool batt for my applique quilt, this is my go-to batting for cuddle quilts, throws, and play quilts. 

Bamboo Batting – This batting is still fairly new to the quilt market.  It’s comprised of 50 percent bamboo and 50 percent organic cotton.  In order to make this batting, the bamboo is processed into fiber using pollution-free methods with little waste — so it’s a “green” quilting supply.  The pros to this batting are it is very breathable and holds up well to machine quilting of any kind.  It’s machine washable, with a 2 percent to 3 percent shrinkage.  The cons to this batting are I have always found it a bit stiff.  It doesn’t drape as well as the other batts.  And there isn’t enough history behind this batting to determine how well it holds up to time, use, and the elements. 

Silk Batting – If I had to name a favorite kind of batt and cost was no object, this would be it.  It’s great for hand or machine quilting – needles slip through this like a hot knife through butter.  It’s appearance in either pieced or applique quilts is spectacular.  It has a bit of a higher loft than cotton batting, but it is so light that the extra bulk isn’t a problem.  Like bamboo batting, silk batts are a recent addition into the batting market, so it doesn’t have a great deal of history, either.  To stabilize the silk fiber, it’s blended with polyester. The silk batting you purchase is really 90 percent silk and 10 percent polyester.  It’s also important to buy a bonded silk batt to prevent any bearding.  Silk batting maintains its loft, it’s light as a feather, and it’s warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  It can be machine washed, but any quilt made with silk batting should be laid flat to dry.  This quilt batt shows off your quilting stitches like no other batt and has the best drapability of them all.  It is simply the best.  The only drawbacks to this batting are the price and availability.  It is more expensive than the other batting and is generally only available through web sites.  I’ve never found it in a quilt store. 

Fusible Batting – This is great for small projects!  It can be ironed temporarily to secure it into the middle of a quilt, which saves time because that means no pinning or basting.  However, personally, I’ve never been able to successfully use it in large quilt projects without it wrinkling on me.

WHAT THE QUILT LABEL WILL (HOPEFULLY) TELL YOU

So besides the types and characteristics of batts, there are still a few other things about batting to keep in mind.  All of this information is usually found on the batting label.

Quilting Distance – Some batting will specify an optimal quilting distance between rows of stitches.  Take a look at your quilting pattern and use this information to your advantage.

Scrim —  This is a light layer or grid of woven fibers added to some cotton battings.  It acts as a stabilizer and helps to hold the batting together while quilting.  This can be a good safeguard if you’re a beginner quilter or prefer a design with wider spacing between the quilting lines.  If you use a cotton batting without scrim, you’ll need to plan to make your quilting lines close together, so the fibers won’t separate in the wash.  If the batting has scrim, be sure to leave it in place – don’t try to peel it off.

Bonded  — Some battings contain a type of glue or bonding adhesive, which means the batting fibers may get looser once the quilt is washed and the glue or adhesive is rinsed away.  This usually requires close quilting lines to make sure the quilt holds together over time.  However, if a batting is bonded, it generally won’t beard. 

So….what’s “bearding”?  This term refers to wispy fibers that eventually seep out of the quilt top.  I can’t begin to explain how annoying this is – and disheartening.  You spend months on a quilt and then more time (and perhaps more money) for the quilting, only to have batting wisps make you quilt look as if it needs a good shave.  The way to avoid this is to use quality batting.  Trust me, you’ll regret using the cheaply made stuff.

Needle-punched Batting – Needle-punch batting is mechanically felled together by punching the batting with a lot of needles.  Because of this process, it’s a firm batt and it is denser than other batting.  Needle-punch batting is a great choice for quilts that will endure a lot of harsh abuse (such as a play quilt or a chemo quilt).  It’s also great for quilted apparel. 

This batting often has an odd appearance.  It has small “dimples” on one side and then raised dots on the other side, both caused by the production process.  Quilters have long debated which side goes next to the backing, the dimples or the dots?  Personally, I put the dotted side next to the backing.  I’ve always heard that if the dots were next to the top, there was a better chance the machine needle would pull up fibers as the quilt was quilted.  If my batting has a scrim, I also place it against the backing.  Sometimes the scrim can play with the machine’s tension, and for me it just works better when I place it against the backing.  I’ve also read that the scrim (since it’s a protective coating) should be against the side of the quilt which will receive the most abuse, and usually that’s the back of the quilt because it’s always against something – a wall, a bed, a table, etc.

BATTING SCRAPS

Just like with fabric, you’ll produce batting scraps.  Sometimes these pieces can be butted end-to-end and zigzagged together to make a “Frankensteined”  batting.  If your find yourself running short of time and batting (and money) a frankensteined batting is a lifesaver.  My only word of caution is this: Separate your batting scraps according to content.  In other words, keep all your cotton scraps together, your 80/20 together, etc.  Not only are the lofts sometimes different, but they have different shrink factors.  For instance, if you sewed a cotton batting scrap to a polyester one, the area of the quilt where the cotton batting is will shrink a bit and the polyester part won’t.  It may make your quilt look wonky.

I  have found that smaller batting scraps work great on a Swifter dust mop and are wonderful for dusting furniture.

IN CONCLUSION

Like thread, batting shouldn’t be an afterthought.  Consider the “lifestyle” of the quilt – will see the inside of the washing machine frequently?  Is it an heirloom?  Do you want your applique to stand out?  Is it a wall hanging or show quilt?  The type of quilt you’re making directly affects the type of batting you need.  We (thankfully) have lots of batting options.  It’s good to have those choices available to us and use them.

____

Thanks to all who took the time to ask about Felix from last week’s blog. Since my blogs are generally written four weeks before the actual publication date, Felix is now just fine and dandy, living his best sassy-self life. However…he will no longer take treats off the floor. He only accepts them out of our hands or in his food bowl. I appreciate his skepticism.

Until Next Week…

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

First thing let’s circle back to Felix Alexander.

Despite all the reassurances from Dr. Lori, Felix did not get better.  He was not fine.  He continued not eating.  His first trip to the vet (Banfield of Greensboro, South – do not go there ever—they are awful) was on a Tuesday.  By Thursday he still had not eaten anything.  We were back to see Dr. Lori.  I was offered a new kind of food and an appetite stimulant.  I was cautioned if he still had not started eating, we needed an X-ray.  Friday he was a wee bit better, but still not eating.  Saturday evening he began crying in pain.  Sunday morning I was back on the phone with Dr. Lori and her office manager scheduled an X-ray at 11.  We were there on time.  His carrier was bagged and tagged for X-ray, and I was ushered into an exam room to wait for the doctor.  A few minutes later the vet tech came in and the first words out of her mouth were these:

“I have some bad news for you.”

Well it doesn’t take too many brain cells to figure out where my mind went.  Then she stated their X-ray machine had been down since Saturday.  And no one thought to tell me this BEFORE   I made the appointment? 

From there because Banfield’s ineptitude I had to go across town to Carolina Emergency Services.  First words out of their vet’s mouth were “Why wasn’t an X-ray done at the first appointment?”

Seriously.

Two sets of X-rays, blood and urine analysis, and an ultrasound scan later, we did find that Felix had eaten something.  And that something was lodged in the tiny space of a cat’s gut where the small intestines and large intestines meet.  The object was the perfect size to completely plug up that tiny space and that’s what was causing him so much pain.  It would need to be surgically removed.  Carolina Emergency Services’ surgery was booked, but they so, so, so helpfully found us another surgeon.  Enter Dr. Wendi Wells of the Animal Care Clinic of Rural Hall North Carolina.  She was waiting on us when we arrived with Felix on Tuesday – a full week after this saga began.  After a brief consultation, Felix was on his way to have the object removed.  He sailed through the surgery, recovered from the anesthesia and immediately perked back up to be his bright-eyed and bushy tailed best cat ever self.  He stayed over night is now currently residing in a large dog crate in my bedroom.  He has to stay confined and quiet and in the Cone of Shame for eight to ten days.  He hates that cone so much that I searched for alternative things to keep him from licking his stitches.  Amazon has this:

So I ordered a couple of them. 

He’s eating normally and is on really good pain meds for the next three days.   He’s high as a kite and living his best life.

Oh, and the object that was causing so much discomfort?  It was this:

As soon as I saw it, I figured out the mystery.  This is one of those wooden caps that fit over top of an exposed inset screw in some furniture.  One had fallen out of our kitchen chair.  It is the exact size and color of the Temptations Cat Treats we feed him.  He probably thought it was one and by the time he figured out it wasn’t, it was too late. 

Now the question is, will he eat those treats again?

---

It has been a while since I wrote a blog about the history of a quilt or quilt block.  This week, I want to talk about this lovely block which makes a lovely quilt:

The Seven Sisters

This is a lovely block with set-in seams and one you would probably use templates for cutting everything out.  Yes, this is one of those labor-intensive quilts, but it has a cloudy history which can be cleared up if you believe it has references to either the Civil War or Greek mythology.  Let’s start with the Civil War first.

Nearly 164 years ago, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas seceded from the Union.  If you’re counting, that’s seven states which initially formed the Confederacy.  One of the first tasks this new union undertook was the design of a flag. 

The flag was similar to the Union Flag (what we know as the American flag), but the blue field held only seven stars.  The seven gold stars on a dark blue field of fabric looks almost identical to the Seven Sisters block. 

The gold stars on the blue background did not confine themselves only to flags.  The Seven Sisters-type block found its way onto women’s clothing and aprons, giving Southern women the chance to show their loyalty to the Confederacy even when their town may be occupied by the Union Army.  Most (if not all) of these Seven Sister-type blocks were appliqued, not pieced, most likely because it was easier and faster.  It wasn’t until the late nineteenth century that a pieced Seven Sisters block was designed. 

Just for fun let’s muddy the waters just a bit more – also during this time it was called Seven Stars, Seven Bright Lights, and Viriginia Pride.

Now let’s consider the Seven Sisters and the Greek mythology angle.  Some quilt historians believe the Seven Sisters quilt blocks refers to the Pleiades star cluster in Greek mythology, which is composed of seven visible stars, further supporting the connection to the star-shaped pattern. Pleiades, in Greek mythology, are the seven daughters of the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid Pleione: Maia, Electra, Taygete, Celaeno, Alcyone, Sterope, and Merope. They all had children by gods (except Merope, who married Sisyphus).

The Pleiades eventually formed a constellation. One myth recounts that they all killed themselves out of grief over the death of their sisters, the Hyades. Another explains that after seven years of being pursued by Orion, a Boeotian giant, they were turned into stars by Zeus. Orion became a constellation, too, and continued to pursue the sisters across the sky. The faintest star of the Pleiades was thought to be either Merope, who was ashamed of loving a mortal, or Electra, grieving for Troy, the city of Dardanus, her son with Zeus.

Since Greek mythology was studied and read during the nineteenth century, this version of the Seven Sisters is just as viable as the Confederate Flag theory.  Both quilters and non-quilters alike knew the story of the Pleiades and quilters could have easily designed a quilt block representing the story.

So which theory is correct?  Well, let’s not reach that conclusion until we research the block a bit more, and this time we’ll work with the name.  My Electric Quilt program (which also has Barbara Brackman’s Block Base) lists six blocks which go by the name “Seven Sisters” but for the sake of this blog we’ll only look at three – the other three blocks look nothing like the traditional Seven Sisters block.

This block:

Is not only known as Seven Sisters, but also Seven Stars (1989) and Seven Stars in a Cluster (Cappers Weekly, 1928).

This Seven Sister Block

Was christened with that name by Carrie Hall.

And this block

Is not only known as Seven Sisters, but also Spinning Spools (1990). 

Naming quilt blocks isn’t exact or uniform.  There was never a group of quilters who came together and decided on uniform names for all the blocks.  Unlike biology where you have sets and subset names which are consistently used throughout the scientific world, quilt block names are a verbal free-for-all.  One block can carry several names depending on the part of the world you’re at or the particular time period you’re in.  So for as much as this block is known as Seven Sisters, it actually wasn’t called that uniformly (more or less) until after the 1930’s.  The earliest reference this block has to the name we’re familiar with is in 1890 when The Ladies Art Company of St. Louis used the Seven Sisters tag in their early catalogs.

  By the 1930’s, Ruby McKim called the block Seven Sisters, and so did Eveline Foland when she sketched it for the Kansas City Star in 1930.  In 1935 Carrie Hall called it Seven Stars and wrote that the design offered “many possibilities and makes a very attractive quilt.”  However, in 1933, Nancy Page gave the block two names – Seven Sisters or Seven Great Lights. 

Needless to say, the name Seven Great Lights didn’t stick. 

One of the earliest references to the name Seven Sisters was in a March 13, 1933, Chicago Tribune article written by Nancy Page.  Page not only referred to the block as Seven Sisters, but also Seven Stars and Virginia Pride in honor of the seven lovely daughters of the old Virginia Fowler Family.  Which makes me wonder who were the Fowler Sisters and how did they rank getting their name on a quilt block?

So many names for seven stars set in a block.  However, in all my research (which I admit this week was limited due to my cat and his medical experience), I could find no link to either the Civil War or the Pleiades.  And the 1930’s were less than 100 years removed from the Civil War.  It does seem if there was some kind of link between the Confederate Flag and this block, someone somewhere would have left some kind of reference.  Or better yet actually remember it themselves.  So do I think the Seven Sisters block was influenced by the Confederate Flag?

Nope.

Do I think it was influenced by Pleiades?

Possibly. I think this idea has better footing than the flag.

What do you think?  Let me know!

Until Next Week,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and the recovering Felix