Current Project: Robert's Baltimore Album Quilt

About 5 years ago, I went to a quilt shop in one of the Amana Colonies in Iowa. I know it's dangerous to go in these kinds of places, because I always see something I want. This was no exception. I spied a fabric kit with a beautiful Baltimore Album print and "had to" buy it.

I put it away after I got home because I already had a quilt in progress and I do not like UFOs (Unfinished Objects) like so many quilters seem to have.
Last year I finished my mini-sampler quilt and was ready to tackle this one. The kit consisted of a dark green print for the sashing, a lighter green for the sashing connecting blocks, 2 large panels with the printed album blocks, and the lovely border print and complete directions for making the pictured quilt. Because there were a lot more blocks than needed for a 81" x 81" quilt, I decided that maybe I should make a king-size quilt so I could use more of them. But then I would need more of the border print. Alas, this fabric is not available anymore...solution? Deal with it later! The green fabrics can easily be replaced with something similar, if needed.
So, I've cut out all the blocks, batting and backing for each block, basted them together, and am in the process of hand quilting each block (lap quilting is my preferred way to make quilts). I've probably finished about 1/3 of them. It takes about 2 nights of watching TV to get one finished. But I don't sit around watching TV a lot, so it's more like 1 or 2 blocks a week.
Here are a few examples:

Miniature Baltimore Album Wall Hanging

Where does the time go? I just haven't had time to work on this blog, but now that life is about to settle down (I hope) I want to start posting what I'm doing.

To get back on track I thought it would be a good idea to put links to pictures of some of my quilts.


This is a pattern that was published in one of the the McCalls Quilt magazine many years ago. I had always liked the Baltimore album designs and fell in love with miniature applique so this was a perfect project. I made a few changes for blocks I didn't like in the original pattern:


Click here to see close-ups

I also have the pattern for a companion quilt to this one, but haven't decided if I want to make it.

This poem describes me to a T

Ode to My Wife, the Quilter
author unknown

She learned to quilt on Monday.
Her stitches were very fine.
She forgot to thaw out dinner,
So we went out to dine.

She quilted miniatures Tuesday.
She says they are a must.
They really were quite lovely,
But she forgot to dust.

On Wednesday, it was a sampler.
She says the stipplin's fun.
What highlights! Oh what shadows!
But the laundry wasn't done.

Her charm quilt was on Thursday.
Green patches, blue and red.
I guess she really was engrossed:
She never made the bed.

It was wall hangings on Friday,
In colors she adores.
But she never seemed to notice
The crumbs on all the floors.

I found a maid on Saturday!
My week is now complete.
My wife can quilt the hours away:
The house will still be neat.

Well, it's already Sunday.
I think I'm about to wilt.
I cursed, I raved, I ranted--
The maid has learned to quilt!

Video: Quilt

Found a very nice animation called "Quilt"

My First Quilt

When I was in the 8th grade, my mom arranged for a neighbor to teach me how to sew.  My mom was so wise not to try teaching me at that age.  I remember making a blouse and a pair of shorts and I was hooked on being able to make my own clothes from whatever fabrics I wanted instead of having to pick from what the department store had in stock.

So I sewed my way through high school and college.  My parents gave me a Singer sewing machine for college graduation.  Singer had such a good reputation in those days, but something changed in 1969 and the machine I got sewed OK but the top thread was constantly snarling under the fabric.  I finally got tired of it, sold it and vowed never to buy a Singer sewing machine again.  From what I've read by others online, I gather the machines have not improved.

My second machine was a Sears model and I used it for 33 years, sewing not only for myself, but also clothes for my husband and 2 boys.  That machine finally got to a point where it was just worn out and I replaced it a few years ago with a Janome Memory Craft 11000 Special Edition.

One day I saw an ad for a pattern to make an ABC quilt for a child where you used fabric paint to paint the blocks and then quilted it.  Now I had never made a quilt, but I had a child who would love such a quilt and sent off for the pattern.  I used a bed sheet and painted all the blocks on it.  Then, I used another sheet for the backing and put a double layer of batting in between (a quilt should be warm, right?)  I used my sewing machine to stitch (quilt) around the designs  Then, because I had seen quilts with borders (sashing) in between block, I sewed strips of decorative ribbon to divide the blocks. Finally I sewed satin blanket binding around the edges and I had just made my first quilt?

In 1978, I entered it in the Guilford County Agricultural Fair in High Point, NC.  You won't believe it but it got a ribbon for 2nd place in the "Best Designed Quilt" category and I received a prize of $2.50!  This quilt was so bad that later, when I had joined a quilt guild and had to tell about my first quilt, I did NOT show this quilt!  Instead, I told about my second quilt, which I still have today.  But that's another story.