Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Making the Hourglass Quilt

Beginning the process... and bringing out fabrics to choose between for the darks and lights

some of the darks

on to the lights... I use the same triangle template to mark both lights and darks. 

 every light has been matched to a dark
...pictorial sequence follows...



 I love using the treadle sewing machine... she is a 1936 Singer and uses a class 15 bobbin .



2 lights and 2 darks combine to make a 5" block. if you were doing one for yourself, you can make them any size you want, depending on the design of the quilt you wish to create.

always pressing the seams to the dark side... pressing the seams at each stage of the process makes it very pleasant to work with the blocks and keeps everything lying flat.

arranging the blocks so there is always a dark touching a light

seamed several lengths of wild bright cotton print for the back, pinned it into the frames, added a layer of batting and then the top was smoothed over and pinned in place

after the blocks were sewn together I felt a dark colour border  all around the outside would frame it in nicely... now it's in the frames and a couple rolls have been done.  it's so pretty, if I do say so myself... the colours just danced in the sunshine

 this quilt is being tied with embroidery floss at each corner ... I make 2 passes thru the fabric and then make a double knot and trim the thread to 3/4"

 my funky quilt stands.. they come apart for easy storage

 almost done tying 

measured and cut out 4" wide fabric strips for the binding... then sewn together, seams pressed and the entire length pressed in half lengthwise

 sewing the binding all around the edge of the quilt. 

 after this I trimmed the excess fabric away and folded the binding to the back and hand hemmed it 


Hourglass Quilt   all Finished... soft, cozy, cheery and bright....  and I love it!!


18 comments:

Rain said...

Gwen, I don't know what to say!!!!!!!!!!! I am so thoroughly impressed by your quilt!!! And you're using an old Singer...oh my...my grandfather used one and taught me how to sew on one like that! Sigh...thanks for the memory! You are such a pro....I couldn't help noticing your little pooch looking over your quilt, reminds me of my hound dog Jack! Great job you talented lady!!! :)

^.^ said...

So impressed and overwhelmed by your art work of any kind, friend Gwen … Thank you so much for sharing … You have some really nasty weather out there … Alberta has been spared so far compared to other years … Much love says this Alberta cat and her cat Theo … https://youtu.be/T1IgHVvX2-0

Guillaume said...

It looks really nice. Really, really, really nice. Love that quilt, wish I had one like this here to keep warm on cold winter nights.

Penny said...

Can't imagine making anything on an old treadle machine. Your quilt is beautiful and no wonder you are pleased with it. Terribly hot here today 44 degrees, my shingles don't exactly like me.

stacey said...

all i can say is wow......

Seth said...

That is a ton of work -- but what a spectacular result. I am gobsmacked!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thanks so much Rain, I could not keep myself from working on my old treadle machine.. she just makes me happy... maybe that's why this project went along quickly!! and you're right poochy was making his way over to make himself cozy.. little rascal!!

Cat, you're right, winter is here and it's the perfect time to get involved with something that takes all my interest. Hope I can get all my inside projects done before it's over... cheers to you and your Theo!! xo

Guillaume,Thank you!! now that I have a few directions here, maybe you would like to make one while the chilly air is upon you.. it's pretty easy!!


Hi Penny, actually the treadle goes pretty fast if I treadle fast.. quite surprising.. I love working on it. wish there was someone I could teach how to use it and pass on my love for them.. Hope you are feeling better very soon.. Take care and stay cool. xo

Hi Stacey, very kind of you to say, Thank you... Do you make quilts? or are you interested in learning?

Thank you Seth, so very fun! I bet some of your printed work would look beautiful in a quilt, beauty and function in one object..

Linda H said...

It is lovely Gwen. SO cozy looking. I love scrappy traditional quilts!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thanks Linda, I'm very tempted to start another scrap quilt.. but I also want to knit a sweater... decisions, decisions

WILDSIDE said...

Just saying "hi" (insert heart here!)

WILDSIDE said...

Back again for another peek, just saying "wow" this time, i see you using your kitchen island for this and the snow outside -- looks very cozy and snug.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Hi Wildside, best of the evening to you!! yes since we moved to a very small house, everything has to do double duty... and that's just fine.. keeps the costs down and the things I have get used. I never put a dishwasher or a microwave, or a coffee maker in this kitchen either. That lets me make better use of my under cupboards. besides I like washing my dishes up after each meal and put them away once. I really love an island. we put this on on wheels.. it started as an old 100 yr. old cupboard we salvaged from a reno shop. then added 4 wire pull out drawers instead of the cupboard shelves it had.. so much easier access to things inside. and also it is the perfect height for cutting out patterns when I'm sewing. Cheers to you xo

WILDSIDE said...

Oh, I love this bit of backstory of yours! (I'm looking for inspiration to improve my attitude for the things I need to do to stay put and fix things here! You are helping!). I too have no microwave or coffeemaker; purposely because I like it that way... Tho', sadly, am a coffee fiend; but there are other, better ways! The dishwasher hubby insisted upon -- always one of his house/life goals, but while our other one was out of commission for 1/2 a year, I got into the zen of doing dishes by hand again and it proved to be not a bad thing and actually beneficial in many ways... It is how I grew up doing things, the constantly doing, the slow way... With added plus of no dishwasher to break down and replace! Yet I love modern convenience. A little too much.

Sorry, yet again, too wordy! Quiet is what I tend to be; but still such a HUGE challenge for me to achieve! Funny that contradiction.

Gwen, A very good day to you there, I hope!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Wildside I forgot to add, we love our coffee too, and use a little Moka pot for espresso.. doesn't take up any more room than a mug.

WILDSIDE said...

Gwen, I'm not quite sure what a moka pot is -- I perhaps should look it up! As I wonder, did I have one before? But then our stove will not handle espresso pots; it just won't heat up quickly enough -- this I was very disappointed by -- but then hubby's tummy cannot handle espresso -- so what we do instead (a work around for both) is cold process coffee using time, but no electricity. These days I am doing it in a french press to strain the grounds later -- 24 hours coffee grounds sitting in room temperature water on the counter top -- so, cowboy coffee, but a tad fancy dancy?! (LOL) By now I've gotten used to it. And I like that it doesn't use electricity... So appease myself with that.

Hope you stay warm!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Wildside that sounds perfect me.. no electricity, yes. I cannot seem to find you online, have you taken yourself away to another page? please send along your new page, cheers, Gwen

WILDSIDE said...

Oh, I see (just tested those links out for myself)... The way it is set up now is that you have to look for the wee barely visible dot on my profile and click on that... And that will take you to the current blog. But again! Fair warning -- not much at all to see there.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Wildside... found the dot