Pages

Monday, July 8, 2024

Design Wall Monday - July 8, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

My enthusiasm for quilting was high this week.  I finished sewing together all the hourglass blocks for the final border of the quilt that has been on the design wall for weeks.  The quilt top measures 80” x 80”, with blocks that are 2” finished size.  Here it is, and I will use the dark navy from the quilt as a binding, to repeat the color again at the edge:


Next, I pulled out a UFO box and looked at what was in it.  All of my UFO’s have sentimental stories it seems, and this one does.  The box was filled with three bowtie blocks projects and some of the fabric to complete the same.  The first one involved a bright gold/red leaf print that used to be a skirt that my Mother made for me in Junior High.  I picked out the fabric before it was made.  And my memory of it includes a fabulous mending job that my Mom did to fix it after I tore a big gash in the skirt.  (I was a tomboy and was busy trying to do all that my older brother did). I was very impressed with her mending skills.  Here is the fabric, very typical of the mid 1950s:



When first starting quilting, I cut the skirt fabric into bowtie block pieces, but my sewing skills were not there, and I stopped working on it.   There were 14 completed blocks and lots of pieces cut for more.  Here are those 14 on my design wall:


There were some other blocks made where the gold/red leaf fabric was paired with another print.  I decided this week that these were too busy for my taste now, and took them apart.  My plan is to complete all of the blocks with the solid red alternating fabric, for a bright quilt.  I have fabric for about 50 more blocks.  It was fun going down memory lane about my skirt, and I like the plan of completing this UFO.  

The other 2 bowtie projects in the box are another story, and I will save that for another day.  What are you working on this week?  I hope your enthusiasm is high this week too.  I really appreciate your participation in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party, and I hope you will join in again this week.  

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

15 comments:

cityquilter grace said...

that is one gorgeous hourglass quilt...all i can say is wow...i have a bowtie top waiting for basting...this week maybe since too hot to leave the building...

Gretchen Weaver said...

Your hourglass quilt is beautiful! She'll look lovely at show & tell. The story about your bowtie blocks is so nice, this will be a fun project to create. Happy stitching!

Kat Scribner said...

Holy cow, Judy. 2 inch hourglass blocks. That quilt is amazing !!!

maggie fellow said...

wow - the quilt is awesome. I find myself to be very sentimental about fabric too :)

Pam said...

Oh my! All those little hourglass blocks. The navy border make this quilt stunning!!

Ruth F said...

Looks like your bowtie blocks are the 3D kind, which are the only kind I'll make--they look "authentic"! I made our oldest (of 4) a bowtie quilt to take to college (in 2000), then 20 years later replaced the binding and backing for him, and mended a few places; it has been well loved.
I've read your blog for years, and admire your patience with tiny pieces.
Ruth in VA

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

Holee wow!!! that is a stunner of a quilt!! 2 inch blocks - I think you might be a little insame too haha!! I love it - and the navy binding will be great with it!

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

I love reading about the history of these blocks in pretty fabrics too from long ago. How precious to have in your hands nowadays, Judy. Whatever you end up making will be so special!

Nann said...

I **LOVE** it!! And what fun to make discoveries in a box of UFOs.

Rebecca Grace said...

Your hourglass quilt is spectacular and I love your bowtie blocks even more after reading about your skirt memories. Isn't it amazing how strong the memories are that we associate with textiles? Seeing a fabric scrap that you remember from long ago is as powerful as a smell that whooshes you backwards in time to the moment you smelled that smell long ago.

Sara said...

The hourglass quilt is stunning! Loved the story behind the bowties, and I'm glad you came up with a way to use the fabric after all.

Bonnie said...

Kudos for getting all those little blocks made and put together. What a great accomplishment. And wow -- it seems to me you've gotten a lot of blocks from your skirt, although now that I think about it who knows what size your bowtie blocks are! I'm in the middle of a bowtie love affair. I've made one top from older bow ties and filled in with some newer ones and my RSC is bowtie blocks. Rebecca is right I see old fabrics and can often remember where I bought it and what it was used for. On the other hand, I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning. Have a quilty week.

Marsha Cooper said...

I agree that your hour glass quilt is amazing. So much hard work and it's beautiful.

Kate said...

Your Hourglass Quilt is gorgeous! Looking forward to seeing that one finished. How cool that you kept the fabric from a favorite skirt, hope you find a place to use it.

Jennifer said...

The quilt with the hourglass blocks is amazing - can't wait to see it with the final borders. How sweet to have fabric your mom worked with in your stash, that will make a fun quilt.