Saturday, February 23, 2013

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:

Friday, February 22, 2013

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.