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We at Quilter’s Thread are looking into the histories of many traditional quilt blocks, and we’re starting to share them with you. Periodically, we will post a block, it’s common names and some information about it in the QT Blog area of the app. You’ll find these in the QT Blog feed. This post is written by Keta Gilliland, who is a friend and advisor to Quilter’s Thread.

Yesterday winds were literally taking down trees outside my window. Then it snowed. A few hours later, the snow was gone, the wind had calmed and the day was peaceful. The weather reminds me of the Autumn Flurries quilt block.

In 1940, Nancy Page wrote in the Birmingham News: “The wind is blowing all four ways at once and sending these leaves or arrowheads or whatever you want to call them scurrying and flurrying.  That’s why I called this pattern by the name of ‘Autumn Flurries.’”  It is also known as Winged Arrows.

Autumn Flurries uses some great techniques such as flying geese units, and quarter square triangles.  There are a few ways this block can be put together, depending on whether you want a solid square in the middle, or if you use triangles to construct it.  The orange and brown colors definitely have a Fall feel, but the pastels are all Spring. I call my pastel version March Madness.

 

Speaking of March Madness, this block would be great in your favorite basketball team’s colors. My alma mater is Marquette University, so I call the blue and gold version Golden Eagles. I’ve been saving my college team fabric for 8 years and finally know what I will be using it for!

One block, so many options! And it’s not just color options…use this block for an entire quilt or as part of a sampler.  Let your mind be swept away with the possibilities of all you can do with the fabric in your stash, the scraps you have accumulated, or the beautiful new fabric line at your favorite local quilt shop.  Once you stop your ideas from scurrying all four ways in your mind, planning out a quilt using Autumn Flurries will be a breeze!

 

Christmas is coming,

My stash is getting fat,

I’m giving five quilts and ten placemats,

If I don’t receive a thank you, a hug or nod will do

If you don’t take care of my quilts, it’s the end of you!

‘Tis the season quilters live for- gift-giving time, i.e. quilt giving time. Giving a quilt is risky business. Some obvious ones:

• Your sister thinks a “homemade” gift is something you do to save money.
• Your uncle “loves” it so much he lets his dog sleep on it.
• Your son washes and dries it with his work out clothes.

My story?

A few years back, I gave a masterpiece to my sister. A table topper made from a whole cloth, hand-dyed fabric, machine quilted in such detail that the 18″ x 18″ topper took 60 hours to quilt (à la Diane Gaudynski.) At the same time, I gave her a small vase that matched her china (found on a close out rack.)

Seeing the topper….”Oh, that’s nice.” Seeing the vase…”Thank you. It matches my dishes. Where did you find it?…gush, gush gush.”

She didn’t get it.

The happy ending is that when my mother (a quilter) saw it, she explained things to my sister. The sad part is, my sister over-corrected. She had a table made with a glass compartment to house the topper. It is beautifully displayed and never gets used at all.

Telling this story to a very experienced quilt-giver, I learned  and that she gives three things with every quilt she gives:

1. Laundering instructions and a color-catcher
2. An “appraisal for insurance purposes”
3. Lots of love.

I’ve adopted this practice. (You can find laundering instructions for quilts in the Tips, Reference & Tools Library in Community.) For my “appraisal” add up the actual cost of all my materials- including thread, and I add what it would cost to send the object out for quilting and binding. If the quilt is going to a non-quilter and cost is more that $300 or $400, I generally include the “appraisal” with the gift. Finally, I wrap as much love in as I can and don’t look back. As much as it hurts to see Fido cleaning his nails on my quilt, it feels better keeping the strings to myself.

Live well. Quilt well.

 

 

 

 

 

Many say differently, but I say, “There is no cheating in quilting.”

Google “Cheater Quilt,” you’ll get 169,000 results.

Now try Googling “Cheater Quilts,” you’ll get 294,00 results.

If you want to, search on “Cheater Quilt Patterns,” you’ll get 572,000 results.

What is a “cheater quilt?” They tell me it is fabric designed to look like patchwork or applique that allows a quilter to skip most of the piecing, getting to the borders, quilting and binding faster.

Some people even call the self-binding technique “cheater binding.” (You know, where you trim the backing bigger than the quilt, fold it to the front and stitch it down.)

But, not me. I’m boycotting any form of the word “cheat” when it comes to quilting. After years of quilting I’ve learned that there is no such thing as “cheating” at quilting. Quilting is manufacturing. Just as industry has improved production techniques, tools and materials, Quilting techniques, tools and materials evolve over time.

To me, this is not “cheating,” this is “improving” and it makes more time for me to quilt more things.

 

Live well. Quilt Well.

Quilter’s Thread Mobile App has a new monthly engagement pattern prize for the month that you’ll want to get your hands on. This pattern is called the Amish Four-Patch. It is a traditional Amish pattern that is also done in an Amish color scheme. The pattern is originally written for baby quilts and lap quilts, and includes a tutorial on Amish color schemes which discusses how to use the Amish color choices to put visual pop in your quilt using more modern fabrics. It is quick to piece using a double four-patch technique set on point. This is a fun quilt to make. Be sure you earn the points needed to get this free pattern at the end of the month of August.

Please share with us any versions of the Amish Four-Patch quilt pattern that you make on our Quilter’s Thread Mobile App. Also remember to stay active on Quilter’s Thread Mobile App in order to earn points to win a free pattern at the end of the August. Comments, uploading photos, and responding to surveys generate 1 point each. Liking 3 things on the app generates 1 point. Earn 10 points gets you a free pattern and 40 points gets you a free pattern or a Quilter’s Thread cloth shopping bag. Earn 75 points gets you a free pattern, shopping bag, and a $20 gift card.

Also make sure to stop by our booth at the Wisconsin Quilt Expo. The Quilt Expo event goes from September 8th to the 10th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibitions Hall in Madison, WI. For more information on the Wisconsin Quilt Expo click here.

Live Well. Quilt Well.

When your favorite quilt gets ruined or torn it can be a hard thing to get over. Whether it is a quilt that has been passed down by a family member or whether it was your first ever quilt made and is now starting to fall apart. Quilts no matter how hard we try to preserve them can and often do slowly start to fall apart or get damaged after years go by. However, it doesn’t mean you have to throw that beautiful quilt out. If you find that your quilt is falling apart here are some helpful tips and tricks to help you repair your quilt instead of ditching it!

Use An Applique Patch

If you have a part in your quilt that is the main area that is damaged and is impossible to fix try to fill that area with an applique patch to cover up the damaged area. Start by assessing the area that is damaged and then measure to make sure your patch will effectively cover up the whole area and will blend well with the rest of the quilt. Take your quilt with you to your local quilt shop and ask them for advice. Also have them help you find similar fabric type and colors for the patch that will match well with the quilt.

Resizing the Quilt

If you find that the quilt edges and or border are starting to fall apart, try making your quilt into a smaller version of itself in order to save the rest of the quilt. This is a last resort if there is no other way to save the whole quilt. You can turn your large version quilt into a table runner or a baby size quilt. By resizing your quilt you can save most of the design without having to throw the whole thing away.

Recreate the old quilt

If the whole quilt is completely ruined sometimes the best option then is to make the same quilt pattern from scratch. By doing this it is giving you the quilt pattern that you love but a completely fresh, brand new quilt that will last longer while still giving you the design that you love so much.

Share with us tips and tricks on how you have repaired a quilt on Quilter’s Thread Mobile App and make sure to stop by our booth at the Wisconsin Quilt Expo. The Quilt Expo event goes from September 8th to the 10th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibitions Hall in Madison, WI. For more information on the Wisconsin Quilt Expo click here.

Live Well. Quilt Well.