Not your usual history lessons...........

Do you love history, specifically quilting history? I'm always curious about traditional quilt patterns. Sometimes I'm concerned with copyrights and if a particular pattern is public domain but that's not the fun part. I'm always wondering who the woman was and what her life was like that thought up a particular design. Was she an artist at heart of was her design a happy accident? Did she make quilts because she loved the process or was it a necessity to keep her family warm? Did she make a business out of her quilting? Some did, you know, just like today.
Well, I stumbled upon the most interesting sites the other day. Actually, several sites chalk full of quilty history for us to soak up. Judy Anne Breneman has done all the work for us and compiled the most interesting articles from crazy quilts to quilts made with tobacco premiums (cigarette silk, cigar ribbon and tobacco flannel quilts) and everything in between.

About Judy: "I love quilts, quilting and most of all learning about the history of quilts.
The purpose of this site is to bring you short, informative articles on these topics.
Care has been given to be sure the history information is as accurate as possible and links are provided so that you can learn more on any given topic.
~Judy Anne"


If you haven't discovered Judy's websites and blog, I'd like to introduce them to you. Even if you're not a history buff, you'll love the wonderfully informative articles and discover some interesting facts about your favorite old patterns and how they've continued to be favorites thru the ages. You'll be offered a look into the past lives of our ancestors and why they quilted, what their everyday lives might be like, what types of fabrics could they afford to buy or the garments they had to recycle to make their "necessary quilts".

Judy can tell you from what era particular patterns originated and how things may or may not have changed in our world today. And if that's not enough, Judy offers some free patterns that she's re-designed using Electric Quilt. (I love Electric Quilt, also).

Do something for yourself today and take a few moments whenever you can and learn a bit about your beloved craft from Judy's easy reading articles. You'll be glad you did. I haven't scratched the surface of all her articles yet but they are on my daily reading list now.

Thank you, Judy for all you're sharing with us!

http://www.womenfolk.com/
Quilting History Quilt Patterns News & Highlights Newsletter

http://www.historyofquilts.com/
Scraps of Textile, Needlework & Quilt History

http://www.patternsfromhistory.com/

http://usualdays.blogspot.com/

Hand or Machine Quilt.........that is the question.

Once I said, I'd never buy bottled water, never pay to watch TV and never ever machine quilt my quilts. It's not a quilt unless it's hand quilted. I now buy water, pay cable bill every month and at least half of my quilting projects are machine quilted. Only because of the time element. But, machines have advanced, batts have advanced and so do our techniques.
Ah, the machine quilting done today is just amazing!

I'd love to hand piece patchwork. I try it now and then, but it's like being able to draw a straight line, some people can, some can't. I can't. My hand piecing is atrocious. So, I machine piece and machine quilt but I usually always have some type of hand work going at the same time, a too large to quilt for my small sewing machine, a totebag, etc.

But, there is just something soothing to the soul about hand quilting. It forces one to slow down for one thing. Forces you to stop long enough to "see" and think, not just "getter done" and on to the next thing. Stop and enjoy the process.

Maybe the best thing of all, it gives time for remembering. Remembering the Gram, Mom, Aunt and even the Dad or Uncle that took the time to teach you how to quilt. Time to remember the visiting, the planning, the laughing. Or just time to enjoy the comfortable silence that people are allowed to enjoy when they are comfortable with each other. Not to mention, nothing wrong with a little solitude now and then.

What do you prefer to do yourself, hand quilt or machine quilt?

Lazy Quilting Day

It's dark and gloomy outside and supposed to begin freezing rain again. What a strange winter we've started out with and it seems to be continuing. I've seen enough ice to last me awhile.

So, best thing to do is quilt. I just put this black and white on the frame and began quilting yesterday. No fancy designs, just more or less an outline of seams. I can't even remember the name of the block, it's been a ufo for so long.

I love black and white. It's so bold. I even collect black and white fatquarters although my stash is shrinking. What do you think of it?