Crazy Quilt Pillow Features Peacock

Pillows can be purely decorative but in making my latest Crazy Quilt pillow I wanted it to be functional as well. To that end, I did not add a lot of surface embroidery, beading, or embellishments. My goal was to include some colors I would normally not go out of my way to use such as a lime green fabric that has pink and orange butterflies, and a bright pink fabric with various size dots, as well as another bright neon green fabric with tiny triangles, and a very modern-looking fabric with bright circles.

Crazy Quilt Pillow by Patricia Cummings

Designer fabric with water lilies and lily pads graces the back of the pillow

I chose all-cotton fabrics for the design, a designer print of lily pads and water lilies for the back and an appliqué of a peacock that is sewn onto a piece of hand-painted fabric. In keeping with an Oriental theme, I includes a landscape/waterscape fabric with Oriental figures and a black background.

The bottom line is that I had fun putting this pillow together. It is sturdy and contains an 18" pillow form that is sewn in. In a household without pets or small children, my pillows rarely need washing. Some folks like to make pillows that have an open backing but I have become accustomed to sewing the lower edge shut and so that is what I tend to do. The exception was a travel pillow that was made as a result of taking a class on Scrap Quilting with Pepper Cory on craftsy.com. That particular pillow is one that may potentially require washing sometime in the future.

The drawback of using a pillow form is to not be able to distribute batting to the far reaches of the corners. In the case of the pillow I just made, the result is corners that look a little bit wonky. That is alright with me. This is a strictly utilitarian object and one that I will use in my favorite rocking chair.

With other projects underway that require a lot of doing such as the queen size wholecloth quilt that I am still hand quilting, it is refreshing to have small projects that have a quicker turn-around time. I guess that is one reason I wanted to make this pillow. Another reason was to have a place to "show off" the peacock appliqué that has been hanging around my sewing box for at least five years! I like to collect findings, lace, etc. that will come in handy for future projects. I hope you have enjoyed seeing my latest creative attempt!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Inspired by a design that appears in a book, I constructed this four-hearts Victorian pillow cover with silk and cotton fabrics and cotton velveteen, some years ago. The feather stitch in variegated purple pearl cotton surrounds the circle of hearts. A metal "finding," a shamrock, is placed in the center to remind us that St. Patrick's Day in March will quickly follow St. Valentine's Day in February. Among the stitches used to create the pillow are: chain stitch, buttonhole stitch, couching, and herringbone stitch. As always, the fun was in choosing the fabrics and the embellishments.

Happy Valentine's Day!

A Quilt Block Tribute

About 9 years ago I made a quilt block to which I added one of the verses from "Versos Sencillos" by a 19th century Cuban poet. I love the words which translated are: "I cultivate a white rose/ in July as in January/ for the sincere friend/ who gives me his honest hand."

At the time, I had been given a packet of fat quarters by Marcus Brothers due to a quilting tip I had provided for their website. I mainly used that fabric in the construction of the main part of the block. So far, I have not fashioned the block into a pillow or a quilt. Like so many other "blocks" that live at my house, it is still just a block.

Crazy Quilt block by Patricia L. Cummings

Just yesterday, I added a file to my website about the poet:  José Marti. Some of his verses are included in the song, "Guantanamera." As a Spanish major in the 1960s/early 1970s, I was exposed to the work of many Spanish poets and writers. Of all of them, the verse I like the best is included on this quilt block.

You'll find more about the poet under the "History" section of my website (Scroll to the bottom): http://www.quiltersmuse.com

Teach Skills to Children!

I shall tell you a story. When I was a kid, I was the youngest child. My brothers and sister
were quite a bit older than me, and I was probably a pest as a pre-schooler. To keep me busy, when I was five years old, mother took an old piece of muslin (probably from a former pillowcase) and drew or traced the outline of a small bear onto it. She attempted to teach me outline stitch embroidery, using red embroidery floss. This first attempt did not come out perfectly, of course, but I was hooked on embroidery!

Subsequently, every time we went to the local F.W. Woolworth's store, I would stand and longingly peruse their selection of needlework kits, bureau scarves and doilies. I would tease mom to buy embroidery floss and some little project for me to make.

Oh, I did not mention that right after I finished the Redwork bear, mother drew a raccoon on the edge of a pillowcase so that I could render that in Redwork as well. That project came out so
well, I gave it to my 14 year old brother as a gift. He was the sentimental type and seemed to appreciate this small tribute of affection from his little sister.

As a grown-up, I despaired of ever seeing the little bear again, my first venture into the world of needlework, a hobby I would carry with me all of my life. However, when we had to completely disassemble the contents of mother's house in order to sell it, lo and behold, I found the bear in a little-used upstairs closet, at the bottom of a paper bag. A found treasure of the past, the bear is a visual remembrance of just how far I have come with needlework skills in the last (almost 60 years).

If you have children, remember that any time spent with them, teaching them any skill you have is well worth it. They may surprise you when they are grown with just how important those lessons were to them. Needlework, sewing, and quilting skills are always good to pass on to the next generation!

Happy Birthday Hanky

Every day is someone's birthday, a day that is often celebrated by cake, a special dinner, wine, or gifts. As a curious aside, I once knew a man who did not know the exact day or even the year he was born. His parents, rural dwellers, never kept track of such things and were too busy tending the chickens and the garden to celebrate anyone's birthday. It must have seem like a frivolous pursuit to them. For most of us, at least in my circle of friends and acquaintances, birthdays are a milestone, another year completed before retirement or some other lifelong goal.

In my collection of hankies, there is one beautiful beribboned one with roses (for love) and daisies (for remembrance) that is a "Happy Birthday" hanky. I love textiles that feature words! This one says "It is time I send/ good wishes/ Every one warm/ and true/ For a grand and glorious/ Birthday/ Full of happiness for you!"

May you have many more birthdays to celebrate!

Whig's Defeat Quilt Block

In the last blog post, I showed you a photo of a "Complex Whig Rose" block. Henry Clay (1777-1852) founded the Whig Party and after he was defeated in his bid for the presidency on the Whig ticket in 1844, a quilt block began to be made to commemorate the occurrence. He lost to Democrat James Polk (1795-1849). Clay was against the annexation of Texas which may have cost him a win. After that loss, the Whig Party was in its waning moments.

"Whig's Defeat" is a complex quilt block that is large and a little bit tricky to make. It is pieced and appliquéd. I chose to make this reproduction quilt block in patriotic colors of red, blue and navy blue on a white background. The rise and fall of the Whig Party has left us with two spectacular quilt blocks, both of them requiring a skilled needle worker to make them. Don't you just love the idea of "voting with a needle"? It was a quiet way to express political views.

Quilt Block Celebrates Whig Party

In the realm of political quilt blocks, one of the most beautiful is an appliqué block called "Whig Rose." The Whig Party was founded in 1833. By 1856 it had merged into the Republican Party. The "Complex Whig Rose" design shown here was appliquéd by Patricia Cummings, based on a pattern in a book by Jeana Kimball. In the days before women had the right to vote in a political election, they used their needles to express political preferences. It was not until the federal election of November 1920 that women were able to cast their ballots.

"Complex Whig Rose"

The most notable political figures that were members of the Whig Party are Daniel Webster and Henry Clay. The two presidential candidates who ran on the Whig ticket and won are William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor. Read more about William Henry Harrison and quilt blocks made in his honor on my website:  http://www.quiltersmuse.com

The term "Whig" is derived from the name of a political group formed during the Revolutionary War. The name itself, according to a wikipedia entry, means "opposing tyranny." To read more about the Whigs and their political ideas, please visit:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whig_Party_%28United_States%29

Happy New Year!

As I write this blog on New Year's Eve, I am reminiscing about my family of origin and its holiday traditions. One of those centered around the "New Year's Baby" who brought a pile of bright shiny new pennies and left them on the fireplace for the children to find on New Year's Day. The pennies would always have the new "year" inscribed on them. My Dad worked in a Credit Union and probably that accounts for his early accessibility to the latest issue of coins. The pennies were meant to bring good luck in the New Year!

My mother was a cake baker. Her favorite cake to make was a recipe called "Happy Day Cake" - just a plain white cake that could be decorated in any manner one saw fit depending on which holiday we were celebrating. She liked to purchase little decorations of various kinds to place on top of the frosted cake. No holiday would be complete without a cake baked by Mom.

New Year's Day did not mean the end of the holidays for us. We all knew that the Epiphany or "Little Christmas" was still to come on January 6, a day also known as the Feast of the Three Kings. It was not until recently that I realized the symbolism involved in the gifts to the Christ Child brought by the Three Kings:  frankincense, gold, and myrrh. Incense was used by the high priests; gold was a symbol that Christ was born a "king"; and myrrh is a fragrant gum resin used to prepare certain perfumes used in funerary ceremonies. In this case, it was meant to symbolize that Christ was born to die in order to fulfill a divine plan.

I hope that wherever you are and however you welcome in the New Year, you are safe, happy, and looking forward to positive experiences in 2016! We all have so much for which to be thankful, including the gift of life itself. Enjoy the celebrations!

Happy Trails to you in 2016!

Patricia Cummings

On Quilting: An Essay

As far as I know, none of my ancestors were quilters. After spending many years engaged in other needlecrafts, mainly embroidery, I came to quilting around 1985 when a quilt shop opened in my city. It was love at first stitch! Now, 30 years later, I cannot imagine what my life would have been like had I not become an avid and active quilter. There would have been no trips to quilt shows, no sewing late into the night, no perusing quilt magazines to see the latest tools and quilts, nor would there have been any quilting companions. In no time at all, I gave up my "day job" to become a full-time quiltmaker, learning all the "tricks of the trade" and working steadily for 9 years to become certified as a "master craftsman in quiltmaking" through the E.G.A. program.

Two concurrent activities occurred. I began collecting every book I could find on the subject of quilts, not just pattern books, but books about state documentation projects and books about quilt history. Lo and behold, I bought an antique quilt top as a "study" piece. After reproducing it, I offered an article about it to a magazine and the editor loved it (and published my finished quilt along with directions for making it). I came to love antique quilts and began writing about them. For 15 years (until 2014), I had my own column in a magazine and wrote for other magazines as well, meanwhile writing a number of books.

Antique quilts are charming! They can be tattered, having been well-loved and well-used, but they retain a certain charm. Like children, we do not love them because they are perfect; only because they "are." In fact, imperfection is one of the expected and accepted qualities of anything aged. We accept the wrinkled face of our grandmother because we known that she has earned every line. We appreciate the nicks and scratches of old furniture, proof that a piece has had a former "life."

When we look at an old quilt, we sometimes want to imagine how it looked before it became faded or torn, before a mouse chewed a hole in it, or before the binding became so war-worn. Yet, we can look at that same quilt and simply marvel at the wonderful and tiny hand-quilted stitches or the fine appliqué, or exquisite Redwork embroidered motifs.

A favorite vintage quilt has a rather frayed binding 

Bed quilts, due to their utilitarian nature, are often not well-cared for. That trend seems to be changing due to the current emphasis by institutions such as the International Quilt Study Center to share quilt care information with the public, and books (such as my book, Straight Talk About Quilt Care). Ever since the 1960s when the first quilt exhibition happened where quilts were displayed vertically, and the subsequent 1971 pivotal exhibit of Amish quilts at the Whitney Museum in New York, quilts have been elevated to a new dimension of fabric art.

I am happy to be a quilter at this point in time when quilts are seen as the art objects they truly represent. Any time color and design come together, art is created, a fact somewhat taken for granted over the centuries, it seems, where quilts are concerned. Today, we live in a world of abundant color and design as new quilts are being made, sometimes inspired by quilts of the past and in other instances, brand new designs. It is a blessing to feel part of a greater community, the "quilt community." And, the Internet is greatly responsible for helping like-minded folks share their love of the art of quilting, as well as antique quilts. Quilting changed my life. I cannot imagine not being a quilter.

Happy Quilting!

Christmas Postcard - World War I

A cottage industry emerged in France during World War I. Skilled needleworkers used silk threads and silk ribbon to create amazing pillow covers but also postcards that military personnel could purchase and send home to a loved one. Some of the postcards were more colorful than others and many carried a heartfelt message.

"Joyeux Noel" World War I postcard shows holly and a beribboned basket

The postcard I am showing here today says "Joyeux Noel" ("Merry Christmas" in French). Many of these old items show some age stains, as does this one. When it was new, I am sure it was sent with much love and received with great gratitude. Note how the leaves are artistically "shaded." A lot of thought was put into this simple design!

Comfort in Piecing Traditional Designs

For my latest quilt, I chose a traditional quilt pattern known as "Puss in the Corner," a variation of "Nine Patch." The quilt is inspired by a class on craftsy.com that I participated in recently with Pepper Cory as the instructor. I had not taken a quilt class in years and thought the class about using scraps would be very fun. It was!

"Puss in the Corner" quilt by Patricia Cummings, finished on December 13, 2015

I chose yellow and orange fabrics as well as muslin-color polka dot fabrics and other fabrics, all of them with their own special visual texture. The machine quilting, done by Tracy Szanto of Dreamland Machine Quilting in Penacook, NH, also is closely-wrought, adding even more texture. The batting is Quilter's Dream poly batting. The photo somehow does not do the quilt justice because it does not show close-ups of the interesting fabrics that were chosen for the centers of each block.

The process of making this quilt was very fun. I loved choosing fabrics from my stash and pulling together unlikely candidates that otherwise would not seem suitable to "live" in the same quilt. The variety of fabrics include batiks, a hexagon print, some brightly-colored yellow fabric, and two pieces of "Victorian" looking fabric with faces. The quilt measures approximately 42" x 42". As with any quilt, the operative word is "done." Now I can dream about my next project!

Happy Quilting!

The Christmas Stocking

The Christmas Stocking

by Patricia L. Cummings

Concord, NH, ©copyright 2005

reprinted here on December 5, 2015

The Christmas Stocking tradition is believed to have originated in France in the 12th century. By one account, three impoverished sisters hung their stockings on a mantel on Christmas Eve. St. Nicholas is said to have thrown a bag of gold coins down the chimney, some of which landed in a stocking.

This legendary tale may be responsible for the gold foil wrapped coins that were a part of our family tradition. The “coins” were actually chocolates and a number of them were contained in a little mesh bag. We would each be given a peppermint candy cane, too. Of course, Santa would place these treats right next to a brand new toothbrush as a gentle reminder to brush after eating sweet treats.

When I was a child in the 1950s, Christmas would not have been Christmas had it not been for the row of stockings hung on the fireplace on Christmas Eve. Luckily, we always lived in a home with a real fireplace, so wondering about how Santa would find an alternative way into the house was not a concern.

Each of the four children in the household had a red stocking with a white “cuff” at the top. I vaguely remember our names being placed on the white area, but not how they had been added. We looked forward to all of the delightful little stocking gifts. During the month of December we all tried to be on our best behavior so that Santa would leave goodies and not lumps of coal.

On Christmas morning we would eagerly retrieve the contents of the stocking. In the toe we would inevitably find an orange, a real treat for us northerners. This piece of citrus delight became part of our Christmas breakfast. For years this seemed to be a unique tradition in our family. Therefore, it was with great surprise that I recently found a quote in A Family Christmas, (Reader’s Digest Condensed Books, 1984) about Christmas oranges. Attributed to Roseanne Russell, the statement says, “The orange has its place you know, To fill each Christmas stocking toe.”

There were always little toys, too. My favorite were the square puzzles that one could hold in one’s hand. They consisted of movable pieces which when positioned correctly, would be depict a giraffe or other jungle animal. My brothers would acquire a new bag of marbles, small metal cars, wooden yo-yo’s or a new bright red bouncy ball (with which to drive my parents crazy since the snow outside did not permit outdoor play of this kind).

The contents of the stocking were not extravagant by today’s standards. There were no cell phones or $100. dollar bills tucked into the stocking. Nevertheless, we all anticipated with joy all the little surprises that awaited us.

Originally, Christmas stockings were of the everyday kind. However, today, some stockings are miniature works of art. They can be quilted, decorated with Crewel Embroidery, appliquéd, embellished, and bejeweled. Each one is the work of someone’s imagination and each one is sure to delight the recipient.

What better gift for a quilting friend that a stocking chocked full with fat quarters of fabric held together with a colorful holiday bow? Small, useful gadgets or tools, or a quilt pattern could be included. What quilter would not like a pieced wooden key ring that looks like a quilt block? Or how about buttons, pieces of antique lace, or skeins of silk ribbon, or specialty fibers for the “crazy quilter” in your life?

A deck of playing cards with quilt images might also please a quilter. If you are “crafty,” you might like to create your own “art quilts” made by altering an existing deck of cards, as is a current trend. Gift shops sell tiny books on various subjects including quilting that would fit into a stocking nicely.

Other ideas for stocking stuffers are gift certificates for a favorite restaurant or bookstore. How about purchasing a large, gold-foiled orange-shaped chocolate with wedges that come in various flavors? Tiny boxes of chocolates are another choice and will fit into stockings, great for those who might like a “taste,” but not a lot of extra holiday calories.

A ring box or other small jewelry box can be tucked into the stocking, as can hair ornaments and bows, make-up, or tickets to a concert. In fact, when you think of it, there are many items, some of which you can acquire all year long for the purpose of giving stocking gifts. Of course, the stocking will be and could be, a gift unto itself!

Christmas stocking designed by Patricia Cummings

The poinsettia is a much loved and highly sought flowering plant during the holiday season. To construct the flower you see here in this Christmas stocking photo, I used actual poinsettia leaves as a model. The flower itself is layered and is constructed with the help of a numbered sequence. Note that some leaves will slide under the edge of others, in which instance there has been a seam allowance added. A black netting overlay, and machine stitching in a technique called “Shadow Appliqué” are utilized. With the fusible fleece serving as a liner, this stocking worked up fast. 

Tradition is so much a part of Christmas! I am happy that Christmas stockings were part of a predictable event in my childhood during Christmas tide. Another favorite tradition continues in my household and that is mother’s “Stollen,” a delicious raised bread which contains candied fruit and is frosted with icing, and topped with sliced cherries. 

In my family of origin, we sang Christmas carols, attended Christmas services, and

gave each other gifts on this feast day. For at least this one day of the year, all seemed right with the world. 

Wishing you a very festive, happy and safe holiday season!

Celtic Knotwork Quilt

Quite a few years ago I made a Celtic Knotwork wall quilt for Christmas which utilizes gold metallic thread around each of the bias strips used to create the design. The embroidery is done with detached chain stitch.

Celtic Knotwork quilt made by Patricia Cummings

It was difficult working with the gold floss as it is stiff and breaks easily. I remember using only 11" pieces of thread at a time to complete the process. I echo-quilted the design with quilting stitches and added a vintage button in the middle of the knotwork. I remember this as having been a labor-intensive project but I liked the effect when it was finished.

Hope you are enjoying the holiday season!

Happy Quilting!

'Tis the Season

One can never be too careful in public but that goes double for the holiday season. Crime only wants an opportunity. I cringe when I am in the grocery store and a woman leaves a large purse unattended and open while she loads groceries onto the conveyor belt or chooses her purchases. If you carry a handbag, it is important to know just where it is at any given time. Don't carry a lot of cash, and only carry the credit card(s) you plan to use. It is also a great idea to photocopy every credit card you own, front and back, as well as your driver's license and keep that information in a safe place at home or in a safe deposit box. Then, if your cards are stolen, they will be easier to report.

Woven, quilted, cross-body bag helps to keep track of its contents

One way I keep track of my purse is to either wear a leather pouch that buckles around my waist or else to wear a cross-body bag that has a long strap that goes over the shoulder and across the body. I keep one hand on the edge of the purse and it has a strong magnetic fastener that takes a little bit of oomph to open.

Usually, criminals look for an easy target:  someone who is unaware or distracted. In fact, they sometimes work in teams. Be aware of who is around you or getting too close for personal comfort. The goods will always be there. Move out of the area quickly if you become suspicious of any activity.

There is a good reason why Internet sales are up and retail sales are down. People enjoy shopping from their homes and are often able to comparison shop easily, ordering exactly what they want at prices they can afford. When shopping in retail stores, it always helps to have a list and know exactly what products are sought. Clerks and shelf-stockers can often direct you readily to the spot needed.

May you enjoy the holiday season without incident and with joy in your heart for each gift you select. A good time to shop is early in the day when the stores first open and there are less customers. I hope these tips are helpful. Enjoy the month of December!

A Day of Thanks

Tomorrow, the 4th Thursday of November, is a day that Americans count their blessings and give thanks. We have so much to be grateful for!

I will be thinking about Sarah Josepha Buell Hale, the "Mother of the American Thanksgiving," who conducted a letter writing campaign for decades, in the 19th century, until President Lincoln finally proclaimed the national holiday that we know today.

Sarah Josepha Hale monument in Newport, NH. photo by James Cummings

I wish for you love, happiness and peace. I wish you a life of abundance and freedom from want. I wish you plenty of resources to meet debts and to live a fulfilling life. I wish you time to enjoy all that life has to offer. I wish that you will share with others, whenever possible, and will feel "blessed" in doing so. For quilters, I wish you plenty of supplies and gadgets and fabric to your heart's content and the space to enjoy making quilts of all kinds, colors, and meaning.

We are so lucky to be living in America, "land of the free and home of the brave." On this occasion, I am thankful for those who serve in the military and in other professional capacities to keep us safe. These brave men and women often put their own lives at risk to protect us from harm. Whatever name you call the Author of the Universe, whether that is G-d, Jehovah, God, Allah or another name, on Thanksgiving all Americans come together for a universal day of thanks to a Supreme Being, for each other and for all of our blessings.

For more information about Sarah Josepha Hale, please visit our website:  http://www.quiltersmuse.com

Quilter's Muse Publications Site Expanding

Whether one may want to know more about Japanese design, the former Willimantic Mills, or Hmong textiles, all of that and more can be found in articles on my website. Every day lately, I have been adding more files to Quilter's Muse Publications, adding back and expanding on information that was previously offered before the site was compromised in 2011. We plan to offer additional informative articles, patterns, and special features but the site is already growing and is quite huge again!

"Gulliver and the Lilliputians" Victorian trade card by J.& P. Coats Best Spool Cotton
Read more about this card at http://www.quiltersmuse.com in the Willimantic file

The Invention of Santa Claus

American children assume that Santa Claus is timeless and was always present in his current form, bringing gifts to those youngsters who are "good" on Christmas Eve. They do not realize that Santa Claus and all of the details about his life evolved in the 19th century during the Victorian era, the same time period that saw trees being brought into the house and decorated with candles for the first time due to Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert.

"Santa Claus and Birdhouse" quilt made by Patricia Cummings in 1995
from a pattern by Jan Kornfeind

Cartoonist Thomas Nast is credited with providing a popular depiction of Santa in Harper's Weekly on January 3, 1863, during the Civil War. He was the first to show Santa in a red outfit, not the beige one previously popular. The idea that Santa lives at the North Pole can be directly attributed to a poem by George P. Webster titled "Santa Claus and His Works." A mid-19th century poem by Katharine Lee Bates adds a Mrs. Claus in her work "Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride."
("Goody" comes from "Good Wife," a common early term).

The idea of St. Nicholas bringing toys in his sleigh can be linked to a poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas," better known as "The Night Before Christmas," published on December 23, 1823 in the Sentinel newspaper in Troy, NY.

The history of St. Nick, Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, or Sinterklass is deeply entrenched in European traditions. One can read more at:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus

Women "Voted" with Their Needles

Not until the November election of 1920 were American women allowed to vote in a federal election. The story of the Suffragettes is well-known. They gave their time and efforts so that all women could experience the same freedom as men by casting their ballots, thereby letting their voices be heard. During the previous centuries, women often relied on their needles to silently express their political preferences. I decided to re-enact that process.

"It Takes a Village" quilt made by Patricia L. Cummings, August 2015
photo by James Cummings

Like those women, I am casting my vote silently by creating a quilt that shows my candidate of preference for the 2016 presidential election. The large field of Republican candidates is slowly being whittled down. The Democratic side now offers but three candidates, one of them an avowed Socialist and one a "lesser known" politician. It is exciting to watch debates from both sides of the fence. The one candidate that I can believe in to move this country forward is the woman portrayed on my quilt:  Hillary Clinton. She has the foreign affairs experience needed and also the wisdom of an older woman, a grandmother!

The quilt is machine-pieced, hand-quilted, and features an artist's rendering (by an anonymous source) provided by the last Hillary Clinton campaign.

War is Personal

War affects all of us, many of us in a personal way. Friends or family have served. Today is Veteran's Day, a day we set aside to honor all living U.S. veterans. Many veterans have seen combat and have suffered the loss of limbs or other horrific injuries, not to mention the loss of their own comrades. We wish them healing in mind and body and we thank them for their great service to our country.

Martin A. Fischer and Betty Fischer Grace, 1940s. Family photo

One of the earliest memories I have is that of meeting an uncle, Martin A. Fischer, who served in World War II in the European Theater and was shot with shrapnel at the Battle of the Bulge. He carried his battle scars with him through life. Not one to tell of the horrors of war, he preferred to entertain his 11 children, and nieces, nephews and grandchildren with stories of all the pretty girls he met in Germany. I'm sure he could have provided a more startling, realistic account of day to day combat situations. Instead, he took those secrets to the grave.

He is no longer here to thank for his service. I hope I sufficiently thanked him during his lifetime. His patriotism and love of country was ongoing, having answered the call of Uncle Sam at the tender age of 17 years old. May he and all of our veterans who can no longer celebrate the day with us today, rest in peace.

"Dahomey Revisited": An African-Inspired Quilt

 A Tribute to Harriet Powers

  by Patricia L. Cummings

African-inspired quilt by Patricia L. Cummings features Benin/Dahomey area images

The quilt shown above was put together in a relatively short time, having been started on January 30, 2004 and finished on February 2, 2004. The backing is a piece of fabric from Senegal, and the layers are secured together with ties of black embroidery floss. The edges are brought from back to front, and sewn down.

The background fabric is black wool, washed it in cold water, and dried it in a hot dryer in order to "felt" it. The pieces of colored wool were purchased as a packet of felted wool which came in handy for creating the design motifs.

The outline shapes of the animals are available in a book: Quilting the World Over by Willow Ann Soltow, (Chilton Book Company, 1991). If you enjoy international textiles, this book is a must-have for your library and worth trying to find a copy even though it is now out of print. The author has added a lot of good history information about the Dahomey area. Additional information about Dahomey can be found online here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahomey

I have used the recommended traditional colors of red, blue, green, and magenta, but have added other colors as well. I have chosen how to stitch each motif as I worked, so each design is sewn on, in whatever way suited me at the moment. Mostly, they are applied with running stitch, or buttonhole stitch appliqué.

I added the cross, in remembrance of Harriet Powers' love of the Bible, and in honor of all of our Black sisters and brothers who have had some cross to bear in their own lives. It is with joy that personal burdens are overcome so that one can  become free from the chains of the past. 

In re-creating some of the traditional Dahomey designs, as set forth by Soltow, I realize that I do not fully comprehend the hidden meanings the images may hold. I have "borrowed" these motifs from another culture, and in that transition, they have become "Americanized," if you will. The images on the quilt originate in the Benin/Dahomey area.

In Always There: The African-American Presence in American Quilts by Cuesta Benberry (The Kentucky Quilt Project, Inc., 1992), the author states that these kind of motifs are "symbolic in nature"... and "represented battles and heraldic devices, illustrated proverbs and transmitted subtle message."

The quilt seen here is a quilt made to honor the work of the late Harriet Powers (1837-1910), a former slave. Much has been written about her. The two known Bible quilts that she made now reside in the Smithsonian Institution and in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. She may have made a third quilt, "The Lord's Supper," which may or may not exist today in a collection. She described that quilt in a letter which she wrote according to the following wikipedia file:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Powers

                                        

More about Hexagons

Working with hexagons is a simple and fun process. All that is needed are scraps of fabrics and pre-cut paper templates cut in the shape of a hexagon. Today, we are very lucky to have a company that makes white paper hexagons so that folks do not have to cut out the shapes, one at a time, which is very time-consuming. The company makes these hexagons in various sizes, and although I am not affiliated with them, I like their product so much, so I will tell you the company name:  "Paper Pieces." They sell their products online and in quilt shops.

Portion of a 1930s quilts shows "Nile Green" color "paths" for the Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt
photo by James Cummings

Paper Baste or Glue Baste?

I like the plastic templates sold by Nancy's Notions. They include the 1/4 inch seam allowance needed around the hexagon shape. Paper pieces can be cut out individually or pre-cut papers can be used. The fabric is placed right sides down and edges are turned under, one at a time, and glue basted with a water soluble glue stick. Alternately, some folks like to baste with a needle and thread. After joining the hexagon units and assembling the finished project, remove the papers. If glue was used, spritz the glued areas with water using a spray bottle. Then, carefully remove the softened papers with tweezers.

Where To Begin 

Of course, we start with first preparing the 7 hexagons, one for the center, and six hexagons to add to the center, working clockwise, or counter-clockwise, if you are left-handed.

Sew by Whipstitching

Use a long, thin needle and silk thread or a fine cotton sewing thread to piece the units together. To begin, put two prepared hexagons, right sides together, and whipstitch one edge. Knot twice and cut thread.

Place another hexagon, right sides together, on top of the center hexagon and again whipstitch along one edge and then down the middle of the two added hexagons. Tie off. Continue working in this manner until a “rosette” is formed. The next “row” will have 12 hexagons and can be a solid color to form “paths” between rosette units. The next "row" will be incrementally larger. 

Book Inspires Projects

Janet Elwin of Maine was one of the first to write about hexagons in the late 20th century. They inspired her to make all sorts of projects. This book, Hexagon Magic (EPM Publications, MacLean, VA, 1986) was required reading for the E.G.A. Master Craftsman in Quilting Program.

Information from Sally Ward in the UK

"In the book, North Country Quilts, Legend and Living Tradition (Durham, England: The Bowes Museum and the Friends of The Bowes Museum, 2000) page 12, Dorothy Osler shows a pieced and appliquéd, framed centre, medallion coverlet, in which one of the frames is a Grandmother's Flower Garden setting of pieced hexagons, made by Martha Jackson, circa 1790-1795."

"The earliest hex quilt shown in Through The Needle's Eye: Quilts of the York Castle Museum Collection, is placed at 1800-1820, although the hexes are in rows, not GFG style, but there are several more in that book that are GFGs, from 1820-1900, and then a pair of GFG cushions dated 1950-60."

Thanks to Sally for sharing these resources.

I have always thought that the term, "Grandmother's Flower Garden" was more of a 20th century description of the 1930s/1940s pastel prints and alternate Nile green "paths" through the “garden.” I can see now that more study is required. Previously, hexagon configurations were called "Mosaic," “Honeycomb,” and other names. We also have the phenomena of elongated hexagons, called "Coffin hexagons," in the UK.

Today, hexagons are enjoying a renaissance. Online resources include a number of Facebook group pages dedicated to making hexagon projects of all sorts. For examples of old hexagon quilts, check the Quilt Index and the Illinois State Museum pages.

Fun with Hexagons!

Hexagons are six-sided geometric shapes that can be sewn together to make patterns such as Grandmother's Flower Garden (popular quilts of the 1930s/1940s). Recently, I bought some fabrics with forest animals. Using a special template tool sold by Nancy's Notions, I was able to easily isolate designs, mark them, and cut them out to apply over (smaller) pre-cut hexagon papers sold by Paper Pieces.

Hexagons in progress in my studio

So far, I have constructed a number of units and am currently "playing," in making more. I have no idea how they will be used, ultimately. Right now, I am just enjoying piecing hexagons together that I have constructed. I am thinking that finished rosette units could be appliquéd to a table runner that is then lined. Or, I could add "paths" between them and create a mini quilt. Those paths would be a cream color or off-white, I believe, not Nile green such as were used mid-20th century.

I have made other projects before using hexagons. "Hexies" are fun! My most ambitious project to date has been the miniature quilt with 1,039 different hexagon pieces, all different except two of them, as was true of the original 1880s quilt I was attempting to reproduce in spirit! It was a "charm" quilt of sorts, or maybe just intended to be a charm quilt but the quilter goofed and added two fabrics that were exactly alike. The challenge lay in collecting that many different pieces of cloth!

We shall see what the current hexies will look like when used to create a finished piece of some kind. Meanwhile, I am just having fun working with 1930s reproduction fabrics and some 1930s authentic fabrics, used as alternate pieces of cloth to the "Forest Frolics" fabrics designed by Heidi Boyd for Red Rooster Fabrics.

All Soul's Day - November 1

The day seemed a little bit chillier around the edges today even though the thermometer outside reads more than 60 degrees. The weather in New England is changing for sure and on this particular day I am thinking about all who have gone before. Of course, in that category is family, closely followed by friends. The older one becomes, the more often friends pass away, and on this day, "All Soul's Day," I recall them all.

Being a writer, I have been fortunate in the past to have been in contact with folks who have now passed on. Chance brought us together and they were valuable meetings at that. Often, men and women are walking encyclopedias especially those who have lived through hard times and wars and remember the details. I was lucky enough to meet a World War II veteran who was curating an exhibit of Sweetheart and Mother Pillows from the years of the C.C.C. that became not only part of an article I wrote, but part of a chapter in my book, Sweetheart & Mother Pillows: 1917-1945. He is now deceased. I am happy that he wrote his own booklet for his grandchildren about what he did during the war.

Each of us has only an allotted amount of time to live on this earth. It is wonderful when we can share our life experiences with others. It is said that whenever a man dies, he takes a book with him. Some of us who are lucky enough to be writers are able to share at least a small portion of our life story, even if it is just a blurb in the biography section of a book.

I am happy to have written many books from Redwork Embroidery to Quilt Care, from the life of my own father, to the life of an extraordinary quilt historian, Ellen E. Webster. It is a comfort to know that at least some of my books and magazine writings will survive in various library collections and in the homes of individuals, most of whom I shall never meet in person. From time to time, I am still contacted by readers of The Quilter, even though the magazine has been bankrupt and out of print since August 2014.

We never know how (or even if) we will be remembered. That is not for us to understand in our own lifetimes. We can only do our best to contribute to society while we can.

For today, we honor those who have passed before us, recalling good times and trying times, all a part of life. For those gone before, the struggles are over. We are left to make the most of each day that is given us, not taking even one minute for granted. I hope you will take a moment today to think of all the special people in your life and to honor the memory of those no longer here.

November 1 has become the beginning of holiday madness with sales galore, stores competing for your dollars. Take a moment to consider that people themselves are always more important than material goods. Let the holiday season begin, a time of good will toward men and thankfulness for our many blessings.

Happy All Soul's Day!

Scarecrow Quilt

Happy Halloween! The image shown here is that of a wall quilt that I made a few years ago. I did not get around to making any more special Halloween decorations for this year but I have been busy with both long term and short term projects of other kinds!

Wall quilt made by Patricia L. Cummings from a Piecemaker's pattern

The quilt is based on a Piecemaker's pattern. I have not seen any patterns by that company for awhile but I have made a number of their designs and really enjoyed them. The happy scarecrow with a crooked smile and patched clothes, standing in a pumpkin patch, always brings a smile to my lips. Enjoy the holiday!

Halloween Sampler

The "All Hallow's Eve" Sampler is one that I embroidered several years ago. Like any Sampler worth its weight, it features the capital letters of the alphabet and much more including a witch on a broom flying across the moon, black cats, pumpkins, ghost, skeletons, a graveyard, and decorative buttons. I finished it into a bell pull that is hem-stitched at the bottom and fringed. This was from commercial directions but I modified the design to suit myself. The words say "brewed by pat cummings."

I did not make anything new for Halloween this year as I have been busy with a hexagon project, cutting out and preparing hundreds of little 1" hexagons. More about those...later.

Happy Halloween!

Patricia Cummings

New Book Explores Indigo History

Indigo Quilts: 30 Quilts from the Poos Collection by Kay and Lori Lee Triplett, two sisters who are quilt scholars, is like a breath of fresh air. The book, published by C&T Publishing in 2015, features 120 pages, 25 antique quilts from the private (Poos) collection, (along with provenance about each of them), and five projects that include pattern pull-out sheets. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, the origins of the use of indigo as a dye agent are explored and connections are made with Africa. In the introduction, the authors state the following:

"Many researchers have focused on India's role in indigo cultivation, use, and trade. However, this book proposes that the people of Africa provided important, centuries-old knowledge of the dye when they were brought to the American colonies as slaves and came as free Africans in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries."

The authors received the Lucy Hilty Research Grant and the Meredith Scholar Award from the American Quilt Study Group to fund their research. They concede that much more work needs to be done to piece together the "African influence" puzzle but their book is certainly a good place to start!
A treasure-trove of information, well-illustrated with quality photos, the book provides end notes that could lead to further research. There could be a lot more to discover about the African influence on textiles in America as more connections are made. This is a book that is truly enjoyable and informative!

Art Imitating Art

In Wilmington, Vermont last Saturday we saw a wonderful piece of folk art that imitates an appliquéd quilt. It looked so much like a quilt, it was only until we approached it more closely did we know for sure that it was a painting.

Folk art "quilt" seen in Wilmington, Vermont

This is a fine example of art from one genre (painting) imitating another genre (quilting). If you think about it, you will probably recall other examples.

The item is for sale by Wilmington Antiques. Not having the house room needed, this antique did not come home with us. I like the fact that people are included on its surface. We certainly enjoyed seeing this work on display at the Deerfield Valley Quilt and Craft Show at Memorial Hall last weekend.

Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster (1867-1950)

Difficult as it is to believe, it has been 7 years since I finished researching and writing a book about Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster. What brings her to mind today? Well, I just ran across a paragraph that another researcher wrote that is totally incorrect. It is difficult to imagine that a young girl between 3 years old and 13 would be making a charm quilt, and yet that is what is inferred by the statement that Ellen E. Hardy and her sisters Nettie, Mary and Lucy were "making quilts during the time the charm pattern became popular in the 1870s," a quote from a WPA book titled Hands That Built New Hampshire written by various authors in 1940. Ellen was born in 1867.

An article by Pat L. Nichols found in Uncoverings 1996, a publication of the American Quilt Study Group, misattributes the institution to which the quilt charts made by Ellen E. Webster were given upon her death. They are held in the collection of the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, New Hampshire (no connection to Manchester, NH as stated in the journal article). Ellen is buried in Franklin, New Hampshire, not Concord, as Nichols stated. I know. I visited her grave site when I was researching the book Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster 1867-1950: Her Amazing Quilt "Charts," Her Writings, and Her Life (2008, Quilter's Muse Publications). There are several other minor errors such as the spelling of Ellen's nephew's last name.

This is not the first time that faulty information about Ellen E. Webster has crept into print and into the media. After the publication of a journal article in Historical New Hampshire, written by a former NHHS curator, a local TV station showed footage of Ellen (called "Emily") as a wispy, ghost-like figure in the background because no information was known about her and certainly no one realized that there are photo images of Ellen E. Webster (misnamed as Emily Webster). She continued to be misnamed in several academic journals.

Part of the confusion was that of the curator who "looked" at Ellen E. Webster's quilt charts and saw the name "Emily Webster." There was, indeed, a woman, in fact a friend of Ellen, whose name was Emily Webster. She and her sister, Ellen A. Webster, a maiden school teacher, were both friends of Ellen E. Webster.

Ellen E. Webster, the subject of my book, was an extraordinary woman! She was a writer, a lecturer, a professor of Biblical studies, a scientist, a musician, a quilt lover and quilt historian, etc. I do not have enough kind words to describe the life of this woman, who was both charming and beautiful from a very early age!

It somehow does a disservice to Ellen E. Webster when facts about her appear in print that are simply not true. Her quilt charts and her dedication to quilt study were in league with other quilt historian contemporaries of the time, also mentioned in my book and profiled. The trouble lies in the fact that whenever wrong information makes its way into print, it tends to be taken as "Gospel" and is then repeated by subsequent writers who have done no primary research of their own and certainly no fact-checking.

The story of Ellen's life is just so lovely! My book has 355 pages and 340 photos, including images of all of her quilt charts and many photos provided by her family. The e-book is still available. Please send me an e-mail at quiltersmuse@gmail.com for ordering details, if you are interested in obtaining a copy for yourself. I can guarantee that it is a captivating book! (It can be played on any computer without any special device). The total price is $24.95 plus $3.00 shipping. You'll be so glad you did!

Patricia Cummings
Quilter's Muse Publications

Baltimore Album Quilts: Always Striking

Baltimore Album style quilts, originally made from the 1840s to the early 1860s, are always special to see. Today, they continue to inspire quilters to reproduce them or else to create new block designs that are similar in nature. Quilters, like their sisters of yesteryear, are tempted to write their names and messages on the quilts. In the past, Baltimore Album quilts were made mainly as gifts for departing Methodist ministers. This effort would keep the ladies very busy as the "tour of duty" was a relatively short one, usually two years.

Baltimore Album quilt by Carolyn Babcock which has both traditional and newly-designed blocks and is inked

The ink used for writing on old quilt often contained iron gall. The iron would literally eat through the fabric, leaving holes. In today's world, we do not have to worry about that problem as there are pens that have been found to be useful for the task. These are called Micron Pigma Pens and they are sold in various size nibs. Art supply stores are more likely than quilt shops to have the full selection of pens available from the smallest nib .005 to the usual .01, and the larger ones in sizes .03, .05, and .08. They come in a selection of colors ranging from red to green, blue, black, and brown.

With proper use, the ink will not readily fade but fading IS a big issue when fabric is not pre-washed to remove the sizing. I found that out the hard way. When I searched for information on a quilt label recently, I found that the words had all but disappeared even though I had heat set the ink by pressing for 20-30 seconds on each side of the fabric before appliquéing the label to the quilt.

A light box comes in very handy for tracing letters onto the fabric. One can create the label in a document, changing the font to one that is attractive and easy to trace. I like Lucida Calligraphy the best as it is close to the Italian Calligraphy I usually do free-hand.

My heart always beats a little faster whenever I see a Baltimore Album quilt, old or new. They are certainly works of art that require fine appliqué skills and special techniques such as layering. Many thanks to Carolyn Babcock for demonstrating the art of inking at the Common Threads Quilt Show in Morristown, Vermont (October 2015). We enjoyed seeing all of her quilts in the show and marveled at the fact that she works completely by hand.

Happy Quilting!

Great Men

"Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime.
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time."

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Of all the men I have known in my life, my father stands out among them as a true leader and as a fine example of what a man can be. Loving, nurturing, smart as all get out, a contributor to society and to his church, his legacy lives on in the credit unions he founded and in the work he did for the greater good. More importantly, for me, he was a "family man," someone I could count on for sound advice and who was always supportive of every dream I had whether that was having horses or going to college, something he never had the chance to complete.

Today, I am wistfully reviewing his letters to me when I lived in Pamplona, Spain. I appreciate his humor, most of all! He writes on 10-13-72:  "Once in a while something comes along that is not really disturbing except only in a mild sort of way. For example, like drinking a cup of brewed coffee down to the last drop but then finding some coffee grounds upsetting the taste buds in the mouth or example #2 like putting on the last pair of clean socks - only one has a hole where it fits down over your big toe. You see, nothing very vexing but in the category of wondering what the letters E.E.U.U. that you add to your mail stand for. [E.E.U.U. is the Spanish abbreviation for Los Estados Unidos (the United States of America).]

He then congratulates me on my "A" achievement and adds, "The other kids are just dum-dums. Feel lofty!"

All of his letters were funny and in one subsequent letter, he speculates on E.E.U.U. again, thinking that it may stand for "Empire of Elated and Unrestrained Umpires" or maybe "Elegant Example of Underarm Undercoating?" I looked forward to his letters as they brought a bit of "home" to me in that faraway place where I found myself at a relatively young age as a university student.

I was gone for less than a year but when I came home, I quickly learned that Dad was actively dying of cancer. I only knew him for 23 years and when he died, in his early sixties, he was younger than the age I find myself at right now. In his relatively short life, he left a trail of love poetry dedicated to my mother, he was a constant learner who believed he could travel the world right from his armchair via the medium of books, and he led by example, always treating others as he would like to be treated himself and always going out of his way to help in any way he could.

From Dad I learned to appreciate music and he encouraged me in my attempts to play guitar. He was proficient on saxophone, clarinet, and piccolo and in his later years he learned to play flute. He was always learning and always trying to become something more, intellectually. He led a well-rounded life, planting a nursery of Christmas trees and ornamental shrubs for landscaping while holding down a 9-5 office job in the city. My memories of Dad are immense but most of all, I see him as an enabler in my life, always ready to support me.

Dad did not live long enough to know my son or to see the day when that grandson would become a professor of English and have two children of his own. Dad missed out on a whole lot due to his early departure. I treasure all that he left behind. Some of his artifacts and photos are now located at America's Credit Union Museum in Manchester, NH. The main credit union he founded and worked with from 1945-1973 now serves all of New Hampshire and is a major player in the industry, processing millions of dollars each year. Yes, he accomplished much. To me, he was "Dad," a title he seemed to wear best of all.

Patricia L. Grace Cummings

Quilting: Learn by Doing!

Australian fabrics of wildflowers, some printed fabric with Aussie themes, and special wooden and ceramic buttons all came together to create a quilted wall hanging just finished called "100% Aussie." The name reflects the same printed words on a piece of fabric that was added to a block that features a koala bear in Redwork. The outline stitch koala design was a gift from an Australian friend who participated in a Redwork list I once administered on yahoo. I enjoyed embroidering the koala, a favorite animal since childhood. The (fat quarter) fabrics and embellishments were gifts from two Australian sisters who visited me in May 2002.

"100% Aussie" measures 25 1/4" x 27 1/4" and is an original design 

This quilt offers many images. The first block shows the Sydney Opera House. The second features a singular Redwork koala bear. The third block has a scene demonstrating sheep shearing. The fourth block displays dolphins jumping and two whimsical koala bear ceramic buttons. The center area has two separate blocks. The upper part has an appliquéd map of Australia and a wooden shape of the continent in the form of a button above which is an appliqué with the words "G' Day!" and directly below that area is an oval appliqué of "flannel flowers."

In the sixth block another koala bear is placed, along with a kookaburra bird, a native of Australia. Also featured are two buttons that have aboriginal art showing a hunter on one of them and a kangaroo on the other. Block 7 shows a "swagman" resting. The name "swagman" is derived from the "swag" consisting of bedding that men would carry through the countryside when they were looking for work during the depression of the 1920s and 1930s. Block 8 has a kangaroo appliqué, a kangaroo wooden button, and features a second applique of a rosella, another native bird. All three elements are appliquéd to a fabric with "Kangaroo Paws," a native plant. Block 8 features an appliqué of sheep being herded.

When I made this quilt, I had no idea as to the names of the birds, the names of the wildflowers, or the history of the "swagman." That information was shared by an Australian friend on Facebook. It is always delightful to learn new details, especially about something one has made. This quilt was a challenge because I had limited fabric and wanted to create a cohesive quilt. The designing took longer than the actual stitching although that took a lot of time as it was done mostly by hand. My motto is "learn by doing." I always learn something new with every project I do!

Happy Quilting!

Patricia Cummings

"Fireside Visitor" Quilt

Awhile ago I was browsing in an antiques shop in Vermont and I saw a quilt that had been set in a basket under a heavy iron object. It was necessary to remove the object and extract the quilt in order to see it better. I love scrap quilts and this quilt was very appealing! Taking it home, I looked up the pattern name and found that the quilt block is called "Fireside Visitor," a charming title that seems appropriate for this "warm" quilt.

"Fireside Visitor" c. 1920. Photo by James Cummings,
Quilter's Muse Publications

The quilt is based on a rather simple block construction but the way the quilter manipulated her scraps, the result looks very complex. The pattern was published in 1906 and the designer credited is Clara A. Stone, a fictitious name for someone who apparently wanted to remain anonymous for whatever reason. I love the design and I love this quilt!

Patricia L. Cummings

"Almost Winter" Wall Quilt

"Almost Winter" is the name of a small wall quilt I just designed and am working on. I have machine-quilted it but will add more quilting by hand between some of the strips. The theme I chose is Nature and even though it is a strip quilt made in the traditional pattern of "Chinese Coins," I picked fabrics from my fabric stash that would reflect the colors of Autumn:  yellow, orange, rust, and brown.

"Almost Winter," an original wall quilt designed by Patricia Cummings

For interest's sake, I varied the size of the strips. Some are cut as small as 1 1/4" and the largest are cut at 2 1/4". I found it easiest to cut the strips width-wise at 6" since that is the width of my rotary ruler. After sewing the strips together, vertically, I trimmed them to 5 3/4". It is nearly impossible to sew a set of strips together and have them come out exactly the same size! The sashings and borders were cut at 2 1/4" and so were the binding strips (which were folded in half before applying them). The total finished size of the quilt is 20" long x 23 1/4" wide.

I've yet to add the sleeve on the back and the label but those will wait until I add some more quilting by hand between some of the strips for stability. I decided to add some striped fabrics and one with polka dots. One fabric was not printed on the straight of the grain and I added it, just the way it was sold as a fabric strip from a jelly roll packet.

The fun of the quilt was playing with colors and auditioning how they would interact with each other. Luckily, I found the perfect backing fabric in my stash. It has figures that look like snowflakes and is a yellow-orange in color. Now to make the label, always the finishing touch to any quilt I make. Hope you have enjoyed seeing my latest quilt.

A book review I posted this week is "Pagtinabangay: The Quilts and Quiltmakers of Caohagan Island" found on my website under the category of "Quilts."

Happy Quilting!

Patricia Cummings
www.quiltersmuse.com

New Book Review: Pagtinabangay

Sometimes a book comes along that is so special one can hardly put it down. Such is the case with the book Pagtinabangay:  Quilts and Quiltmakers of Caohagan Island by Dana E. Jones. This morning, after finishing the book last night, I rose early and wrote a book review, complete with a link as to where one can order it, and published that information to my website: http://www.quiltersmuse.com/Pagtinabangay-book-review.html

I hope you will enjoy reading more about the quilters. There is much to tell and the 190 page book covers the topic very well!

Patricia L. Cummings
Quilter's Muse Publications

In Quilting There's Always Plan B

Sometimes things turn out the way they are supposed to. Case in point:  I bought some yardage of a fabric by Brenda Manges Papadakis of "Dear Jane" fame. The printed cloth, inspired by quilt blocks of the famous quilt in the collection of the Bennington Museum in Vermont, was to serve as "cheater cloth" or "imitation patchwork." In other words, the quilter did not have to spend her life piecing tiny blocks. From a distance, the quilt would appear pieced although it is one piece of continuous wholecloth. I purchased border fabric at the same time. Both fabrics are updated, color-wise, to reflect pastel and other clear, upbeat colors favored by today's quilters; not the browns and dark colors present in the original quilt made in 1863 by Jane A. Stickle, a Vermont invalid who won a prize for her Civil War quilt "In Time of War" and certainly had time on her hands to make such an intricate masterpiece.

First, I trimmed up the main part of the quilt, making sure the edges were straight and true. Then, when I went to cut the borders, I had made the first cut when I realized that I was cutting in the wrong place. A Plan B was in order. I re-thought how I could cut the borders so that I could avoid having to make bias binding to go around each of the very small scallops that were to form the outside perimeter of the quilt. I continued working and sewed the borders on, my way.

"Imitation Patchwork" quilt assembled by Patricia Cummings;
machine-quilted by Tracy Szanto of Dreamland Machine Quilting, Penacook, NH

The quilt does not look like that of Jane Stickle. It is rectangular and does not have corners that jut out. Ultimately, I decided that I preferred my way of putting the quilt together. I decided to have the quilt machine-quilted with an Easy Loop stitch and I bound the quilt with the same fabric used for the backing, kind of a mottled cream-color fabric. In the end, I really like the quilt about which I'd had reservations. Perhaps it is "one-of-a-kind." I had to think outside the box to solve a problem and I like the result. Isn't quilting about having fun?

Happy Quilting!

Patricia Cummings