Maintenance & Restoration

Legacy Posts · 08-15-2003, 06:28 PM

I am curious, how many of you are quilters, and do you quilt on the road? I do, and it works really good, surprisingly, that is if I do it when Bill is at meetings. So far what I have found works best, is doing Dear Jane blocks. They are small, and everything you need to do them is small. So I have become ADDICTED to them. Just started to do applique too, and THAT is addicting for me also. I have discovered, that when I cant quilt, I buy fabric, and when I can't camp, I hang out here and get my fix. I need my outlets.

Legacy Posts · 08-15-2003, 06:33 PM

I don't quilt, but admire anyone who can! Quilting is very popular here on the West Coast..we have a couple of big Quilt Fests (big one in Sisters, OR 3rd full week in July). I believe Nancy Wolf is a quilter?

I can't see well enough to thread a needle and the last time I used my sewing machine, I ran over my thumb with the pressure foot:shg

I'll stick to wrenching.

Legacy Posts · 08-15-2003, 06:35 PM

I'm not a quilter, but I will admit that this summer I've been working on lace curtains for my Casita.

I got really lucky when I went looking for the fabric. Can you believe it? The lace I found has dragonflies!!

At this point I'm working on (and have almost finished) crocheting an edging on the main panels, with edging on the swags (end pieces) to follow...

I'll be posting photos soon. :o

Legacy Posts · 08-15-2003, 07:46 PM

I piece quilts with a machine, so not real good for the road. I can't seem to get into the quilting. But I like working with leather, beading and such. that would work on the go. if I crochet, I do big bulky rugs. that little stuff takes time. I don't have the patients for that.

Legacy Posts · 08-15-2003, 07:51 PM

I used to crochet, and do crosstitch. I was really hesitant to get into quilting (only about 3 years now) since I have an obsessive personality, and I get REALLY into things. My sister is the same way. And I am a tool freak. It started with carpentry tools, as I do that too, but any good tool makes me drool. Especially ones that make the job easier. Another gal from the yahoo Scamp group that I met (Michele), used to quilt and is now into soaps, something ELSE that I would like to do. Also, weld, and do ironwork, and god knows what else. How about silversmithing! We have guests here for the summer, and he is a world class jewelry maker. Too many things to learn, not enough lifetime.

Legacy Posts · 08-15-2003, 10:56 PM

Hi Deb, I quilt. I haven't quilted all summer cause I had three kids graduate this year and the quilts for them about did me in. Plus, I started a new job so that's kept me busy, but I'll get back to it in the fall.

I hand quilt & applique in the trailer. I have a tiny sewing machine (Jenome Gem Gold) that only weighs 11 pounds. It would work in the trailer as long as there wasn't a lot of material to have to lay out. It would work for small piecing projects.

Nice to meet another quilter with an egg. What is a Dear Jane block?

Nancy

Legacy Posts · 08-15-2003, 11:37 PM

Here are my two most recent quilts. The first is an over-sized King and the second is a appliqued lap-quilt.

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3f3dc2ffecf60Adam and Meagans Quilt.jpg/>

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3f3dc31d9c411Abbys Quilt.jpg/>

Legacy Posts · 08-16-2003, 06:46 AM

Great looking quilts!

I have quilted (small things like lap quilts, pillows), sewn, crocheted, knitted, painted (have desire, not talent), faux stuff (like stones, creative wall painting).

Fact is, I've probably done most of it. I always have at least one unfinished project around somewhere. :r

Then I got my trailer. Welp, that about takes all the extra time I have.

I truly admire hand quilters. My mother made a remarkable one. Took her several years, but the quality is unbelievable and there isn't a machine stich on there. Just beautiful, tiny uniform stiches. Amazing.

Legacy Posts · 08-18-2003, 04:09 PM

I love those quilts. I love the cat one. I am in my sewing room now, but this is the first time all summer. Now tho, I have the bug, I was able to egnore it all summer, with too many house projects to do. come winter tho, a friend of mine comes over every Tuesday, and we quilt. We just MAKE ourselves, even if there is something else to do, and the men just DEAL WITH IT.

"Dear Jane" is a book that a lady did, copying a 1800's quilt that is in a museum in PA. They are all 4 1/2" blocks (finished). It is such FUN. If you get the book, and start to do them, they are addicting, and the history is wonderful. There are DJ "clubs" all over the place. We have a civil war buff in our group, and she gives a history of the civil war and quilts in that era when we get together. And they help everyone in putting together the difficult blocks and ideas. There is a website-Dear Jane .com, and the book is at your local quilt store. I went to a retreat where a group of women were working on them and I thought they were CRAZY-4 1/2" blocks!! Some pieces are 3/4"! But they use almost no fabric, and like I said, everything you use is small, so it travels wonderfully. I am SO hooked. Electric Quilt also has a CD for them. I am thinkin gof getting it, but it is still pretty pricy. Well, I better stop now.

Suz - It takes alot to do hand stitching. I haven gotten to that point yet. I think I would like it, but there is just not enough time. It is good that you can admire your mothers quilt for what it is. I have a friend who used to quilt by hand, and some of hers were half finished, and she wanted me to finish them by machine stitching them! I said NO WAY. They would have been ruined, and ugly.

Legacy Posts · 08-18-2003, 09:05 PM

Oh my,

I love quilting, among other things, such as camping in the Casita.

I am approacing the finish of a king size quilt, machine quilting, which I started over a year ago. Hope to finish by this winter, with work and all.

I have also promised to crochet a baby blanket for my daughter's new niece. I have the yarn. Need to start the blanket. I did one for another daughter's friend at Christmas. She loved it. No grandkids yet though. I thought you were supposed to crochet for your grandkids, not friends of your kids. Oh well.

What are Dear Jane blocks?

Your quilts are beautiful Nancy! I am jealous.

Ann

Legacy Posts · 08-19-2003, 10:39 AM

I got the pattern free for the cat quilt I made for my daughter. It was on the McCall's quilting site.

http://www.mccallsquilting.com/golden/mg01...ern//index.html

Nancy

Legacy Posts · 08-20-2003, 05:35 PM

But for the past 5 years most of my "craft" time has been taken up with beading. I used to do my hand quilting in the car, though I'm not steady enough (or maybe our cars were too bumpy) to do applique and piecing.

Taoward used to say our trips went from quilt shop to quilt shop. I had that guide book that listed most of the quilt shops in the US. Of course, now we go from bead store to bead store. Thank heaven craft shops all have ladies' rooms!

Last week we stopped at the Old Village Grill in Arroyo Grande for burgers and I visited the Quilt shop catty-corner across the street. Almost bought a book of patterns, too!

I've been thinking of doing a small one for my trailer...but I suppose I'm still a quliter. The sight of colorful fabrics still brings out my wallet!

Legacy Posts · 08-20-2003, 10:29 PM

Yep, Bonnie, you're still a quilter. ;)

Hey, Deb, I think I'm going to start a Dear Jane Quilt. You got me interested in them and I noticed that my local quilt store is starting a weekly Dear Jane group. Think I'll join up. You're right it would be a perfect project for camping.

Nancy

Legacy Posts · 08-21-2003, 09:50 AM

I think you will like Dear Jane. When I was first introduced to it, I thought they were out of their minds. Then the ladies that I was sitting next to at the retreat (at the end of the weekend) sold me some extra background fabric that they had, and after my first one, I was hooked. Sick. One lady in our group is HAND PIECING everything, and doing it out of 30's fabrics. It will be great. I am trying to get my friends involved, because I have enought fabric now to do about 3. Most of patterns are not everyday ones, most are unique and different. Wait till you try it camping. I have a small ironing board, about 16" square that I made, a small travel iron (from ebay, an old GE one, which works GREAT) small cutting board, small rotary cutter, and a gallon size plastic bag that I put fabric in. It all fits into a small bag, and I get my fix when I am on the road. Infact, I am going to have a camping weekend in Sept. to do nothing but hike, relax and quilt. The hubby will be out of town.

Bonnie, I have that book. We refer to it as the "quilters bible", and hit many of the quilt stores when we are on the road. I have found alot of cool stores in that thing. The best thing, is that my husband likes to do it too, and many times will pick out more fabric then I do! I will always be a quilter, but I am really a textile junkie.I have a good collection of everything. But the fabrics are SO nice now. Can't get enough.

Legacy Posts · 08-21-2003, 10:09 AM

Hi all:
I was so excited to see the subject quilting in the general chat room. I, too, am a quilter and have been thinking about how to incorporate both hobbies - Casita + quilting. I like some of the suggestions that were just posted and think that I might also bring my Featherweight aboard. Nothing precludes using the outside picnic table, under the awning to make it into an OUTDOOR activity.
Just camped in Maine/NH and stopped by the Keepsake Quilt store (www.keepsakequilting.com) in Centre Harbor, NH. Truly a site to behold!! A bit formidable in size and scope....more fabric, supplies, etc. than I could digest...(never thought I would say that)...but a must for anyone traveling to the Lake Winnepesaukee region of NH. I am contemplating a quilt for the Casita...trying to narrow it down to color choices first. I remember reading that one of the "Casitanettes" :lol had quilted a fitted cover for her double bed, matching valences, etc. Another one had picked up various fabrics on their camping adventures and made a quilt with 4 inch squares, each representing a different state/interest/area. (might be one and the same person).
I hope we can keep this group together...and maybe even meet at a CG that has a large meeting room with several tables where we can a quilting bee or a class ....

Legacy Posts · 08-21-2003, 10:32 AM

i am jealous to hear you went to Keepsake!! Some day...
I did something simple for our camper, since I have dogs and know it would get trashed soon enough. I did a Yellow Brick Road, and then machine quilted it with camping things in the border, a camp fire, the scamp, canoe, hiking boots, paddles, and a tent. I really like it, but I like the idea of having each block be a state or adventure, but then how do you add on!? Too many good things to come.

A retreat at a campground- it is always in the back of my mind. The issue is always if they have enough power in the meeting room. I bet I could get my husband to do the cooking too! He is good at that. that woudl be too fun. And cheap, compared to most of the other retreats in hotels and such.

Legacy Posts · 08-21-2003, 11:25 AM

Deb:
There are some wonderful campgrounds in Pennsylvania - Lancaster County...We stayed at one last April and they have a large meeting room. We could incorporate visiting some quilt shops/quilt museums. Yes, it would be much less expensive than $450+ retreats.
Lucie

Legacy Posts · 08-21-2003, 10:26 PM

I found the Dear Jane quilt site. I think I will look for a book this weekend!

I put Dear Jane quilts in the search engine. You are right there sure are a lot of sites dedicated to these squares.

The quilt is beautiful. Does anyone have pictures of their finished squares or quilts?

Legacy Posts · 08-21-2003, 10:39 PM

Okay... I'm hooked. I bought the Dear Jane software by the Electric Quilt Company today. Going to start hunting for my material tomorrow. I plan on finding LOTS of blues to put in there. Here is the quilt I'm going to make. I plan on giving it to my mom when I'm finished.

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3f459e5e33549quilt58.jpg/>

Nancy