TOBE blocks, a sew-in and a Finish!

I participated in a block exchange, with my Treadle On group.  All blocks had to be made on a people powered sewing machine (treadle or hand crank).

I made 3 sets of blocks for the exchange, using 3 different machines (2 hand cranks and a treadle).  These are the blocks that I made.

12 of each block was made

Yesterday, in the mail, I got my 'squishie' full of TOBE blocks (Treadle On Block Exchange).

set #1

set #2

set #3

I received blocks from 11 US states and the United Kingdom.  I received 36 blocks from 14 different people, made on 19 different sewing machines.  The machines dated from as old as 1882, to as new as 1959. 

I'm signed up for 2 more exchanges this year with this group. 

On Tuesday, we had another sew-in with Quilts of Valor at the middle school.  I had one of the same boys as the week before.  He was really getting into stitching on the hand crank.  He even tried my other machine, a Kenmore.  Here are all the blocks he got done in an hour.

Williams 6 blocks

 Williams blocks, along with all the other blocks that were made on Tuesday, will be stitched into a Quilts of Valor top.  We've been invited back in the fall.

I finished Erika's quilt.  It's been washed.  She will be receiving the quilt later today.

Erika's finished graduation quilt

I have beginning quilting class later this morning.  Out of my 4 students, one is finished.  Two are planning on basting their quilts today (hopefully), and the 4th is hoping to get all her blocks sewn into a top today.  At least 2 of the ladies are planning on making more quilts.  Woohoo! 

Quilt Guild meeting with Judy Martin

Last night my large quilt guild, Pride of the Prairie Quilt Guild, met.  Our speaker was Judy Martin, who has written over 16 quilt books, mainly on Log Cabin style quilts.

Judy was well organized in her presentation.  She started with hand outs, that listed each basic block (she had samples of each), and where to find the pattern, if there was one.  She also listed each quilt she showed, and also listed what blocks were used, and what book the pattern came out of. 

***If you want to know what book a quilt came out of, contact me, and I'll let you know.

Let the photos begin.....

Traditional Log Cabin, Judy Martin

 This next quilt was the cover for her first book.  The title is pieced into the quilt, since she, and the lady who was helping her, didn't know how to put the title on the page, in front of the quilt.  The quilt was made exactly 10 times larger than 8.5 x11 (cover size). 

Log Cabin Quilts (cover quilt), Judy Martin

Sisters Log Cabin, Judy Martin

Big Sky Log Cabin, Judy Martin

Stone Cottage (she says this is super easy to make) Judy Martin

Green River Log Cabin, Judy Martin

The next quilt took her 24 years to make.  It was supposed to be a baby quilt for her daughter, hand quilted. Her daughter just turned 24, and asked her to finish the quilt.  See, we all have UFO's sitting around.

Appalachian Log Cabin (daughter's baby quilt), Judy Martin

Riverbed, Judy Martin

Grandpa's Log Cabin, Judy Martin (funny colors for a grandpa)

Paducah Log Cabin, Judy Martin

Wilderness Log Cabin (stars in blocks), Judy Martin

Spring Valley Log Cabin, Judy Martin

The next quilt is stunning.  One of the ladies in our guild had made one and brought it for show-n-tell (sorry, didn't get pictures of show-n-tell quilts).

Pioneer Log Cabin, Judy Martin

The next few quilts look like curved piecing, but, they are not. 

Door County Log Cabin, Judy Martin

Playful Spirit, Judy Martin

Snake River Log Cabin (Asian fabrics), Judy Martin

Mariposa Log Cabin (looks like winding ways) Judy Martin

Aspen Log Cabin (simulates Orange Peel), Judy Martin

You know I loved the next quilt.  She said you could make it, using any 12" block you wanted for the center squares.

Main Street Log Cabin, Judy Martin

Honeymoon Log Cabin, Judy Martin

I have a close up picture of the log cabin block in the next quilt.  She made the log cabin using 'logs' of fabric.

Kentucky Log Cabin, Judy Martin

up close of Kentucky Log Cabin block, Judy Martin

Now for the last few quilts.

New England (stars), Judy Martin

Sequoia Stars (she says this goes together very quickly) Judy Martin

Loveland Log Cabin, Judy Martin

Mount Shasta Star, Judy Martin

Lakeshore Log Cabin, Judy Martin

Starlight Log Cabin (Lone Star), Judy Martin

Sun Valley Log Cabin (Starburst) Judy Martin

If your quilt guild is looking for speakers, I recommend Judy Martin.  She was educational, informative, and fun. 

Judy Martin

Judy also showed several block variations that she has made, including blocks that have not made it into her books so far.  I fell in love with one of the blocks (pinwheels and bright colors, what's not to love?), and she gave me permission to take a picture of the block.

Pinwheel Log Cabin (2007) by Judy Martin

And, what's a post on this blog without a vintage sewing machine?  Here is the little Necchi hand crank that Judy brought.  This one is her sisters, since, she got hers at age 2, and the poor machine couldn't survive a child that young.

Judy Martin's sisters Necchi childs hand crank sewing machine

Busy Week!

It was a busy week for me.  Monday was my little guild (Wego Quiltin') meeting.  Phyllis taught us how to make scissor keepers. 

medium and large scissor keepers

I made the larger, green scissor keeper (Phyllis had already stitched the scissor embroidery on the plastic), and, Phyllis had a medium sized scissor keeper for anyone who wanted one.  Sew pretty!  Thanks Phyllis!

On Tuesday, Quilts of Valor had our regular, monthly sew-in at Prairie Shop Quilts in Batavia.  A few of us left early so that we could work with some 6th graders, and teach them how to make a quilt top for veterans.  This link shows some great pictures of both events (sorry, I forgot to get my camera out). There is a picture of me, in the next to last row of pictures, on the left, working with 2 boys and 2 of my machines.  The bottom picture shows the completed quilt top the kids made.  We had 12 kids (3 girls, 9 boys). 

On Thursday, at my regular Thursday sew-in at Prairie Stitches Quilt Shoppe, I machine quilted Erika's graduation quilt.

Erika's quilt top, before quilting

I didn't get a picture of the quilting yet.  I still need to bury all the strings and make the binding. 

Earlier in the week, a lady from my other quilt guild contacted me.  She was given a New Home sewing machine in a cabinet, and, would I like it, and, if I didn't want it for myself, would I find it a new home?  Ok.  I figured if it was in a cabinet, it was an electric machine.  NOPE!  When I arrived, a lovely TREADLE was sitting in the garage, waiting for me.

New Home A treadle

Look at this lovely cabinet!

front of treadle cabinet

this part 'hides' when the treadle is open

lovely drawers (and tiny flaw in front of cabinet)

side of drawers

I think this treadle cabinet is in wonderful shape.  The patent date for the cabinet is 1890, so, the treadle is 'younger' than that, but, I don't know how much younger. 

On Saturday morning, I have my beginning quilting class.  I haven't shown you any pictures from that class yet.  Here are some taken the past few weeks.

Kelly and Kathy squaring up blocks

Kathy's blocks

Kelly's blocks

Lynn stitching blocks on my 301A

Lynn's blocks

Joann machine quilting

Joann's almost finished baby quilt (just needs the binding stitched down)

Joann has sewn before, but, the other ladies had not.  Kathy's mother bought her a machine for Christmas, after Kathy told her about the class.  Kelly and Lynn are using my machines.

After this week, it's a good thing I have extra machines.  5 of my machines got used this week, not including me stitching at home (different machine, then, too). 

Oh yea, I stopped at a thrift store (big surprise there) before picking up the New Home sewing machine.  I found a vintage, hand quilted Granny Square quilt.

Vintage Granny Square quilt

can you find the 'Oops' block???

check out the cornerstones and sashing

1960's & 70's fabrics, helps to date this quilt

backing of Granny Square quilt

I still haven't had time to clean up the Singer 401A I got last weekend.  I spent this morning cleaning the New Home treadle instead.  I still have to put a treadle belt on the machine, and see if it stitches. 

Only 2 sew-ins, another quilt guild meeting, and beginning quilting next week.  I'm tired already!

Happy Mother's Day!