A Label by Any Other Name....

There is a reason we label cans in our pantry.  Without labels on the cans you'd be having apple pie filling and garbanzo beans for supper.  

Labels are a very important piece of your quilt heritage.  When my Quilting-Auntie Nyla got me addicted, one of her rules
(after "save ALL your scraps") was "always label your quilts."  

She had specific things that needed to be on the label, mostly.

 

 

Name of the pattern.

Who pieced it and where they live.

Who quilted it and where they live.

Message to the recipient.

The date.

There are soooooooooo many ways to label a quilt.  Go to Pinterest and search for "quilt label ideas." 

There is no end to the ideas.

I agree with the Quilting-Auntie.  Label your quilts.  When my mom passed nearly four years ago and my sister was sorting through all her worldly treasures, one of her questions to me was "Do you recognize this quilt?  There is no label."  No, I did not recognize it.  I hadn't create it.  I was involved in most everything Auntie made and it didn't look familiar.  No idea where it came from.  Sissy sold it in a garage sale. (Confession:  I did make a lap quilt for my mom a number of years back.  It was the ugliest thing: that rag-quilt style with little pigs all over....I didn't label it.  I was embarrassed.  But, my nephew found it among mom's things and claimed it...bless him.)

There is no wrong way to label a quilt.  I like to print mine on Computer Printer Fabric and include a picture.  

Here are a couple of  my examples:

This was attached to a quilt you can see HERE.

This label was attached to a quilt you can see HERE.

 

 

My quilting friend, Dawn of First Light Designs has her own style for labels.  Her labels are round.  HERE is a link to one of her blog posts about labels.  

I'm actually going to go back and read this particular blog page more carefully.  I tried the freezer paper method and it did not work for me.  Obviously I missed something.  I'm going to give it another try.

Labels do not have to be difficult or time consuming.  If you can stand just one more YouTube video, watch this one by Jenny at Missouri Star Quilt Company about pre-printed label panels.

Here is one of Auntie's.  Short and sweet.  
She used my childhood nick name.

So, take the advice of the Quilting Auntie....
Label Your Quilt.

 

 

 

 

This photo is from Auntie's younger days. 

 

 

Getting Started Series: What Now?

It's been a rather crooked journey down this "Getting Started" road ... hopefully somewhat informative.
Some of the basics have been reinforced for me, that much I can say.

 

Where have we been?

We learned about the proper use and technique of a Rotary Cutter. 

All about Fabrics.

Whether we want to Stash or not Stash.

Not all Thread is created equal.

How to Square up fabric.

And finally the most important of all, that 1/4" seam.

We haven't yet discussed other "stuff" you'll need.... I have blogged about STUFF in the past; 

Follow these links:  More about rotary cutters and mats,  and other helpful stuff.

"So, now what?  We have a bunch of random bits of information, how do I actually MAKE a quilt?"

You have to start by picking a pattern.  The very, VERY first quilt I made was a simple four-patch lap quilt for my son.  I honestly can't remember where the idea came from or why I even had the chili pepper fabrics on hand, but I did....and he was impressed (me, too, truth be known.)

Over the years I've accumulated LOTS-O- patterns; both purchased and free, plucked off the internet or acquired here-and-there.  There is lots of inspiration "out there."
 

Pat Sloan, of course.  She has both for-purchase patterns and free patterns. 

Easy Quilting Corner

Quilted Twins 

Moda Fabrics

Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Company has a ton of tutorial videos on YouTube.  Many are no- pattern-needed.  

And don't forget Pinterest.  Many of the links lead to free tutorials and patterns.

And, speaking of YouTube.... you could get lost in the world of quilting tutorial videos on YouTube.  Anything you would EVER want to know about quilting is there.  Get a coffee (or a wine...depending on the time of day) and have a look.

Instructables.  This is the most fun website.  You can learn ANYTHING from this site.  And, look what I found! Quilting 101.  EVERY SINGLE step for making a simple quilt!  Have a look. (Disclaimer, I don't necessarily agree with every technique, i.e. using sheets for backing.  But, it's a good place to start.)

If you can stand just one more, Art Gallery Fabrics' site is amazing!

Also, check out your local quilt shops.  Take classes.  The second and third quilts I ever made were the result of a Block-of-the-Month class I took at Cool Cottons in Portland, OR. 

Even though I was following the directions, exactly (or so I thought) I managed to put EVERY SINGLE corner on EVERY SINGLE block on backward.  I didn't even notice until someone in the group said "Oh, look, how interesting your corners are...."  There is a verse in the Bible that says "Even a fool looks smart if he/she keeps their mouth shut."  I didn't say a word.

There are aspects of this quilt I like even now, I try to over look the many mistakes.  My g-sons cuddle up with it all the time, still, even though their little feet stick out.

 

You've heard the saying "If I can do it, you can do it."
Ya just have to get started.

Plugging Away

My grandson continues to work on his first quilt.

I posted his picture on a Facebook page, Singer Featherweight 221 & 222, because he is piecing this quilt on my 1951 Singer Featherweight, Miss Ellie.

He got such a kick out of the fact that 405 people (none of whom he even knows) liked this post.

In my heart of hearts I don't expect that he will continue to sew as he matures (especially after he discovers girls.)  But I get warm and fuzzy inside when I ponder the fact that he will remember this his whole life...hopefully with fondness (I do make him rip out wonky seams.)

Are you passing along the love of fabric and sewing?
Visit my Pinterest page https://www.pinterest.com/charquiroz/sew-teaching-kids/
 
PS  G-ma helped with the long seams and getting everything lined up.

Creative

I would not define myself as "creative."  The person who created this wall hanging is CREATIVE (and talented.)

I do not know the creator.

Isn't this just fantastic?!  I would LOVE to be this creative.

Still, when my daughter-in-law asked me to make a Hero Cape for a little girl's birthday party I think I did pretty good, if I do say so myself.

I started out with a basic idea from Pinterest and it evolved from there.   If you have not yet discovered Pinterest...DO.  Such an inspirational place.

Of Course, when I delivered the cape to my daughter-in-law, the "youngest Babe" (who is 3) wanted it.  So now I will make another...but not pink....

OCD and Scraps

Someone told me once that we are ALL "OCD" it's just a matter of degrees.  At least for me, I think that is true...  You know how the supermarket will have a promotion where you can get a whole set of dishes by collecting 'points' or stamps or something?  I never do those because if I start I MUST HAVE the whole set... and what if they are all gone before I've collected the required amount of points????

When I first started quilting my Auntie told me to keep ALL my scraps....they will be used for something sooner or later.  I always do what I'm told...so I saved every little piece of scrap.
Before long, I had a big pile-o-scraps.

Sooner or later you have to do something with those scraps.  Occasionally I dig through the pile for a tiny piece of some color or pattern I need on a project.  But mostly they just pile up.

What to do, what to do.

First you must tame them.











I started by dragging a small pile of them along with me when I travel for work...yep, a pile of scraps, a rotary cutter, a ruler and a small mat.  I would sit in the hotel room at night, set up the iron board in front of the TV and cut scraps.  I'd cut them into 1.5 inch, 2 inch, 2.5 inch, etc....all depended on how big the scrap was.  (If the "scrap" is bigger than 5 inches...it's not a scrap and back into the stash it would go.)  Very satisfying, I must say (and kept me out of the hotel bar.)

Back at the ranch (aka, home, in the sewing room) I store these scraps in plastic shoe boxes ($1 each at the dollar store.)


I've made several quilts from these scraps, here are a couple..














I tried to keep my scrap bin under control (and here is where my OCD kicks in).  I obsess about this scrap bin every time I throw more scraps on the pile. But, I'm losing the battle.  So, I decided not to fret about it any more.   When I die, the kids can deal with the pile.  In the meantime, here are a some things to do with scraps.

Bonnie Hunter  She has a "method" for cutting and using scraps.  (I discovered one the quilts above, on the right, is a Bonnie Hunter pattern.  I didn't know it when I made it...I'd seen a picture on Pinterest.)  Check out her blog.  She does trunk shows (check out her schedule) and she writes books.  Very creative lady.

Pinterest.  Search for "scrap quilting."  All kinds of fun ideas.

If you are on Facebook, check out Thrifty Quilters.  Lots of scrapy ideas.

String blocks is another fun way to use up scraps that are already strips...such as binding leftovers.

Last night I was in the mood to JUST SEW, I made these from the scraps I've been saving to stuff a dog's bed...

 Always listen to your Aunties, I guess mine was right...save those scraps.