Saturday, April 15, 2023

Bricks and Houses and Hands 2 Help

 Welcome to Treadlestitches!

This week had me searching high and low in my stash for purple novelty prints to use in my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks.  I found some!  but I did have to include star prints to make up the numbers.  And there are no less than 3 butterfly prints, plus a caterpillar one.

I love this one!  It's a Kaffe Fassett design, meant to be buttons.

I've had this cat print forever.  The background is an odd color, almost lavender but not quite.

This is one that quilt author Judy Gauthier might call a "husband" print.  She says they're like husbands--you loved them at first sight, you want to keep them, but you don't always understand them or know what to do with them. (Click HERE to go to info about Judy's books and shop.)

A few more houses got cut and sewn from the same fabrics as the bricks.  Dora the Explorer is leading the way.

Here are two little quilts for Hands2Help 2023.  These are the first quilts I've made with the new poly batting.

First, more bricks!  This is another Little Bricks quilt, made with my free (and very easy) pattern.  (Click HERE.)

The poly batting makes it "bouncier" than cotton, and will definitely make it warmer.  I'm still learning how best to baste and quilt it.
 

The back is this rainbow print.

Here's quilt #2.  This pattern is perfect for poly batting.

Long long ago in a state far away (well, not that far, it was Ohio) I took a class with the woman who developed this pattern, the amazing Kaye Wood.  Kaye was a quilting pioneer at the beginning of this current quilt revival, although many quilters now may never have heard of her.  She had one of the first television quilt programs, and traveled the country teaching.  At quilt shows, she would sell her patterns and templates and videos (of course), but she would also set up a huge area with stations for volunteers to sew this pattern for charity from donated fabric and batting.  She called it the Love quilt or the 6 Hour Quilt.  At the end of the show, the quilts made would be donated to local hospitals, etc.  (Click HERE for her video instructions.)

As a teacher, she was down to earth, helpful, and fun.  The workshop was a full day, and I finished a twin sized quilt for my daughter there.  The quilt was used for years and was warm and well loved.  I was very sad to hear of Kaye's death in July 2019. 


 One of the best things about this pattern is this--it's reversible!  Side one of my quilt uses construction/vehicle prints, and side two has a farm theme with cows and chickens, etc.

 The technique is easy, but I had to modify it a little.  Kaye Wood may not need to pin the layers, but I do!  

It has been so warm and nice here this week!  We all went for a walk in the park, and Grandpa and the boys posed on the bench.

The rhubarb is up, a sure sign of warmer days to come.

By Tuesday, it was 75 degrees out, and our little boys were wearing shorts!  Our old dog is so glad to see the this Little Guy every morning.

I hope you're having a wonderful day today and a good week ahead, with time outdoors as weather permits.

Thanks for reading,

Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Check out all the lovely and exciting quilts at these linky parties!

Linking up with:

Alycia at Finished or Not Finished Friday

Sarah at Can I Get a Whoop Whoop

Angela at So Scrappy

Cynthia at Oh Scrap

 











13 comments:

  1. One of my old quilt bees had a sew day to make Kaye's 6-Hour Quilt for a group donation project. I made one that day, but can't recall how it was sewn. Off to check my notes...

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    1. It has been so long ago that I have forgotten most of what I "learned", but the video was a good refresher. It's twice as fast if you use a serger, but I've never had one.

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  2. I remember Kaye Wood, watched her on TV several times. I didn't hear that she passed, the quilting world lost another treasure:( We had some very nice days this past week and now we are down in the low temps again and rainy with perhaps more snow all this week.

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    1. Ms. Wood was such a calm lady, even in a room full of people madly sewing and calling for help. Oh, I hope you can avoid the snow. We're expecting a little, maybe just flurries.

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  3. Two great little finishes, and I particularly love the little bricks quilt. Thanks so much for sharing this delightful pattern, I've got two little brick quilts on the go for RSC.

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    1. Thanks, Jenny! I'm so glad you like it. I'm a big fan of simple patterns done in scraps.

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  4. Kaye Wood was an amazing individual. I never met her personally; but, sure enjoyed her television show. What a great memory you have of her! Terrific finishes and I too am looking forward to rhubarb season!!--TerryK@OnGoingProjects

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    1. Mm, rhubarb! We usually cut it in late May, so not much longer to wait. I think I still have a couple of pints canned from last year. Maybe rhubarb cake this week!

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  5. Spring is here for real at last, even though it felt like summer this week and we might get snow flurries tomorrow. Weird weather year for sure.

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  6. I LOVE the cat fabric (even if it's a husband print) [I laughed out loud when I read what is a husband print]. I do have husband print in my stash. I'm sure I'll giggle every time I pull them out. Bravo on the finishes. ;^)

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    1. Merci, Chantal! I've been finding lots of husband prints in my stash too ever since Judy gave a presentation at our quilt group.

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  7. your purples are so great - Love your novelty collections!

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