I have a BUNCH of "Cross-stitch Bouquet" blocks that Grandma Cline pieced, a few of them are attached in rows of 2 or 3 or 4, but several are single blocks. I'm trying to figure out what to do with them, to arrange them and make a quilt of some kind. These blocks are made of squares of fabric only 1-and-1/4 inch, with a seam allowance of only 1/8 inch. So the finished size of each fabric piece is 1 inch. Talk about time-consuming! Not sure I'd like to tackle such a pattern, but I'll enjoy putting blocks together and quilting them.
Cross-stich Bouquet, back view:
Closeup of the back, where you can see Grandma's stitches and the narrow seams:
The article photo of Grandma Cline shows a Cross-Stitch Bouquet quilt to the far right (Grandma's far left) with this description:
"... to the far right is a quilt made of 28 blocks, each of which has 144 one-inch squares to the block. she has made nine quilts of this last pattern."
"Monkey Wrench" blocks by Grandma Cline:
Closeup:
"Sunbonnet Sue" blocks by Grandma Cline:
Now, here's a picture I'll share of my Grandpa and Grandma Wilson. Grandma Wilson also did her share of quilting.
Now we're going to see the VERY FIRST QUILTING I ever did. Mom had kept these various quilt blocks in her big cedar chest. Somehow, she let me fool around with one, and I decided to see if I could actually do some "quilting." I don't know how old I was, but probably around 10 or 11 or so. Here's the block, a "Jacob's Ladder" pattern, made by Grandma Wilson. I must say I love these colors.
Closeup:
I was really keeping this to the bare basics - I just found a piece of thick, plain material for the "backing," put it in an embroidery hoop, and started in.
The back of the block, showing Grandma Wilson's piecing/stitches:
Heh, I remember I didn't keep with it for very long. I got a bit of the center "quilted," then just stuck the needle in and never got back to it. (Almost 40 years ago? LOL!!!) THE NEEDLE IS STILL THERE. I leave it there for posterity.
Looking at the back of this "project." I love looking through the backs of quilt things - the light coming through in a different way almost makes it look like stained glass.
Now for the "bonus" picture. These are some of Grandma Cline's things. On the left are two dolls she made and dressed, which is what she enjoyed doing in her later years. Also pictured is a "sewing tool caddy," made from a fabric covered board, with a pincushion, pocket, hooks, etc., and can be hung on the wall. I think I'm going to hang this on MY wall, and actually use it! On the far right is her needle-threader. This was a real essential, as in later years her eyesight was not good, due to cataracts. You stick the eye-end of the needle in the narrow cylinder on top, lay the thread in the notch by it, press the little button down, and a tiny strip of metal comes out and pokes the thread through the eye. The spindle is to hold a spool of thread. I always thought that was pretty neat!
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