# Fellow sewing Dopers, part 2 (show your work!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 19, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812 "2007-02-19T15:04:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812/1 "2007-02-19T15:04:39Z")
As a sequel to [Anaamika’s thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=406218), I’ve finally got one thing to show! [Here](http://s87.photobucket.com/albums/k140/gigisdmb/?action=view¤t=IMG_04561.jpg) is the quilt I am making for a friend’s daughter who is around four. Hence the bright rick-rack on the one end! It’s even more acidy/psychedelic than the picture shows. It is based on the traditional Kansas Dugout, under “Kansas” [here](http://www.dlstewart.com/clipart5.htm). If you are thinking of using traditional blocks to create your own design, I can recommend [Carrie Hall Blocks](http://www.amazon.com/Carrie-Hall-Blocks-Historical-University/dp/1574327011/sr=8-1/qid=1171895682/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-3010047-2249521?ie=UTF8&s=books) and [this encyclopedia](http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Pieced-Patterns-Barbara-Brackman/dp/0891458158/sr=1-3/qid=1171897083/ref=sr_1_3/104-3010047-2249521?ie=UTF8&s=books). They don’t give a lot of direction beyond the basic measurements and geometry, though, so it’s up to you to fit it all together! I also have to share my first quilt-related dream. I was binding a quilt and there was a little length of it near a corner that didn’t have binding. I had a bagel nearby that was somehow split along the inside with some of the dough carved out, and I realized it would exactly fit the length I needed to bind. I fit it over the edge and started to stitch it on, when I realized that the bagel binding would probably wear out before the rest of the quilt, and then what would they be left with? Unbound quilt. So I decided to remove the bagel section after all. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812/2 "2007-02-19T18:14:03Z")
Pretty! Such bright colors. You have a good eye. The striped fabric sets the colors off nicely. The easiest quilt I’ve ever done is from American Patchwork & Quilting. It’s called Australian Bush Quilt. The fabrics in the magazine were browns and reds and golds, which I didn’t have, so mine ended up like [this](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/AuntiePam/my_quilt.jpg). The black and gold triangle border doesn’t show in the photo. It’s just 3x8" rectangles, with an inner border to give it some interest. The one I’m quilting now is called Diamonds, although I don’t know why. It’s from a BH&G book. It’s one block made up of 16 half-square triangles. The block is pieced so that the seams go in one direction. Then when you put it all together, you alternate the blocks so that the seams go one way and then the other way. The [end result](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/AuntiePam/diamondquiilt.jpg) gives a top with large squares. The quilting is partly in the ditch and partly to emphasize the squares. I like it. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812/3 "2007-02-19T20:50:47Z")
Ooo, I like both of those. The red square in the first one sets it all off. And I like the way the shades of color work in the second one to give it movement. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812/4 "2007-02-20T15:13:56Z")
one bump ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812/5 "2007-02-20T17:30:15Z")
I’ve made a few of the one with the red square – one with jewel tones, one with homespuns, and another with floral pinks, greens, and tans. It’s so freakin’ easy. The only part that requires any thought is deciding on the inner border color (like the red) so it will set off the other colors. It would work with a medallion center as well, and I’ve been looking for panels in a size that would fit. I can’t remember which photos I posted in the other thread. [This one](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/AuntiePam/ChunkyChurndash.jpg) isn’t quilted yet. It’s called Chunky Churn Dash. It’s from the Quilter’s Cache website. [This](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/AuntiePam/mickonquilt.jpg) isn’t a very good photo, but I’ll post it anyway. I’d been buying floral print fat quarters but didn’t know what to do with them. Found this design at Quilter’s Cache too. The end result looks like the construction used sashing and sashing squares, but it’s really a 9-patch with 4 large floral squares, 4 narrow green strips, and 1 small yellow square in the center. So where is everybody with their photos? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812/6 "2007-02-20T17:38:23Z")
[QUOTE=AuntiePam] The end result looks like the construction used sashing and sashing squares, but it’s really a 9-patch with 4 large floral squares, 4 narrow green strips, and 1 small yellow square in the center. [/QUOTE] I first saw it as a nine-patch and then as sashed four-patches…I like designs that wink at you like that and get seen two (or more) ways. My mom is planning on an Escher-inspired quilt of fish turning into birds; I’ll have to post that when it’s done someday. ---
**Author:** ![Fearless\_Leader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Fearless\_Leader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fearless_Leader)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812/7 "2007-02-20T19:18:18Z")
What beautiful work! Here is a counted cross-stitch I’ve been working on and off for the past five or so months. [![](https://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c312/Malletgirl316/Christmaspics084.jpg) ](https://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c312/Malletgirl316/Christmaspics084.jpg) I just have a little bit of outlining and detailing left. I’m thinking I might frame it and give it to my mom for Mother’s Day. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812/8 "2007-02-20T19:23:33Z")
I like the winky designs too, and “mystery” blocks. [Here](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/AuntiePam/petuniaquilt.jpg) a quilt that should be called “I have to sew **something** but I don’t have any ideas”. I had a yard of a large floral fabric that had been sitting around for a couple of years. I made some basic 9-patch blocks in colors that coordinated with the floral. [Here](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/AuntiePam/CivilWarPatchquilt.jpg) is a quilt from American Patchwork & Quilting. They called it Civil War Patch, but I didn’t have any Civil War fabrics so I used 30’s and 40’s repros. It’s the first time I’ve done the “on point” set and I like how it turned out. I wanted to use that special 30’s green for the sashing but I couldn’t find any. I love the repro fabrics. They remind me of my grandma’s aprons. I’m pretty sure she used actual feed sacks. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812/9 "2007-02-20T19:25:25Z")
[QUOTE=Fearless Leader] What beautiful work! Here is a counted cross-stitch I’ve been working on and off for the past five or so months. [http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c312/Malletgirl316/Christmaspics084.jpg](http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c312/Malletgirl316/Christmaspics084.jpg) [/QUOTE] Oh my! That’s gorgeous. Is it difficult? Is it done on a hoop? Those tiny stitches – I’d go blind. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fellow-sewing-dopers-part-2-show-your-work/392812/10 "2007-02-20T21:40:52Z")
[QUOTE=Fearless Leader] What beautiful work! Here is a counted cross-stitch I’ve been working on and off for the past five or so months. [http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c312/Malletgirl316/Christmaspics084.jpg](http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c312/Malletgirl316/Christmaspics084.jpg) I just have a little bit of outlining and detailing left. I’m thinking I might frame it and give it to my mom for Mother’s Day. [/QUOTE] Holy crap…I know the feeling. I made a big lighthouse one (waves, sky,…) for my parents’ anniversary, I think 40th. It’s so pretty when it’s done; it’s worth getting it framed professionally for all that work you did!