Album Quilt blocks coming along...

This week I've been working on the album blocks for a reproduction of the 1893 'Indian's Womens Missionary Society' Quilt in the Bloomington, MN Historical Society Museum.  Heritage Days is coming up quickly on Sept. 21 and I'd like to have the top finished for a hands-on display.   Obviously the original fabric prints aren't available, but I've tried to come close whenever possible.

Here's what I have so far....

blues

greens and brown

reds

The next step will involve more research on the computer.   In addition to their English name I'd like to add birth and death dates for each of the women and men, and their Dakota name if I can find it.  The original has names written in ink, but I will use the embroidery feature on my sewing machine.  I've had ink bleed into fabrics before, and want to make sure the writing is clear and legible.

So, hours at the computer next week after the holiday.  Then comes embroidery, trimming, sashing and assembling the top.  Think I can get it all done by the 20th?

Linking up to share the finished blocks with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Lazy Sunday top finished!

It's unique, that's for sure, but the top is finished!  Looks like Bonnie Hunter's  Lazy Sunday - up to a point.  And that point is the sawtooth border.

Yes, I had all the blue and white pieces cut for the second pieced border, and had even made up a dozen or so of the sections.  But when the Mystery was revealed I found I had all the blocks for the main field done, so I set aside the border pieces and started putting blocks together.

Then, oops!  I discovered the first border went on backwards.   I guess I just threw up my hands and said...'This is where I make it my own.'  I didn't want to rip off the sawtooth border.  And, truth be told, wasn't really looking forward to piecing the second border - so why prolong the process when plain borders would be just fine for me?

So it's a finished top.  Woo hoo!  It will go in the 'to be quilted' pile for this winter when I usually go on a quilting binge.  But for now, it's still summer in MN and I have other things to do when I have time to Quilt Awhile.

Reproduction in progress...

The Bloomington Historical Society has a wonderful 1893 Album Quilt in their collection which I wrote about last year.  They've asked me to put together an interactive quilting display for Heritage Days (Sept. 21st) and I need to get busy with my reproduction of the Album Quilt.

I've done a lot of research on the women whose names appear on the quilt.  It was fascinating!  But now I'm on to actually piecing a reproduction.  The original is so fragile! I hope to get the top done by Heritage Days.
Here are the blocks I finished today.  I will wait to trim the edges until I am assembling the blocks so they don't stretch.

And here is the original:

Sharing on Design Wall Monday.

A flurry of activity

I must certainly have the quilty bug this week.  Lots of projects in the works, and I keep hopping from one to another.

First is a Mystery Quilt from Little Bits of This & That .

Got caught up with that and went back to another of her mystery quilts and gave that a try too.

Then I got caught up on Nabby's Dowry from Pam Buda.

My two boxes of flannel fabrics were out, so I hunted down this Kathleen Tracy pattern called Sweet Pea Doll Quilt and it's ready to quilt.

Today I pulled out a UFO project of Maverick Stars that finish at 6 inches and they're finished and ready to stitch into rows.

And finally..... a project I can't show just yet, but the Chinese Coins are coming along and five strips are put together with sashings. Still more design work to be done on that quilt which will eventually be a wedding gift.  Dinner with the bride's parents tomorrow night to celebrate my DH's 50th birthday.

Lazy Sunday progress

Woo Hoo!  The main field of Lazy Sunday is done.  It won't win any prizes for perfect points or corners, but that's my own fault.  I got 'Lazy' and didn't square up all the smaller blocks exactly the same before joining them into larger blocks.  I should know better and do that even if it isn't in the instructions.  Well, I can say I'm going for a casual look I suppose.  (smile)

Next step is a narrow black border, then there are loads of green/white triangle blocks to trim up for the next pieced border.  What I can't figure out is why I have so many light/dark blue four-patch blocks leftover. There are 27 of them!  I thought I was counting out pretty carefully and not making any extras at all.

Linking up with Sarah, so stop in and see the lovely finishes for this week.

This week's design wall

This week I'm determined to get more done on Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street Lazy Sunday Mystery top.  So far there are three rows put together.  Let's see how much farther I can get this week!

Tonight is the National Night Out (against crime) celebration sponsored by local law enforcement.  Basically, a night set aside for neighbors to get together so we get to know one another, and hopefully leading to a safer community where people will look out for one another.  We're hosting an Ice Cream Social tonight on our front lawn.  There are thunderstorms predicted, and it would surely be nice if they will hold off until after we've had our event.  I hate to think of what would happen to my waist line if I were stuck with four cartons of ice cream in my freezer!

Linking up this week with: Patchwork Times

Lake Association Picnic Quilt 2013 finished!

Finished up the picnic quilt to donate to our Lake Association for their picnic this weekend.  And of course in the process I tried and learned something new.

First the photo of the finished quilt...

The pattern is Via Air Mail by Anita Peluso and published in the July/August 2013 issue of Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting magazine.  Though I used fewer blocks to get the size I needed, and used blue instead of red for the border and back because that's what I had on hand, the quilt is quite like the original, right down to most of the quilting.  Pretty unusual for me to stick that closely to a pattern!

I have had trouble with my free motion quilting whenever I round a tight corner.  The bottom tension pulls too tight and though the front looks great, the back does not!  This time I tried out a suggestion of taping a business card over the feed dogs and leaving them up rather than lowering the feed dogs while free motion quilting.  Solved the problem completely!  I will surely do that again.

The fabrics are all cozy flannels from my stash.  Pulling them out has made me realize that I need to use up some more flannel.  I have two boxes overflowing.  I love this quilt so much I might see if I can make another similar one to keep, or be ahead of the game for next year's picnic.  But I am out of the cream.  Might have to substitute snowflakes!