Black Dog on a Cold Day

 

Sophie the Newfie

 

My husband took this photo of Sophie, our sweet Newfie.  She is difficult to photograph because she's mostly black, and she often looks like a shadow blob in pictures, with no definition.  We've learned the secret is to flood her with light.  Here she is in the cold January sun.  Yes, it's January, and we have no snow this year -- despite the polar vortex bringing sub-zero temps.

 

For the record, Sophie loves the colder weather--much easier to take than summer heat and humidity.  She has a thick coat.  Last April, she found the  last remaining pile of snow, and promptly laid on it to "cool her jets."

Antique Red Snowflake Coverlet

I thought I was done buying coverlets, and then this one showed up on eBay last week.

I love that red snowflake design!  It's not something I can easily do even on an 8-shaft loom, so I put in an offer and they took it!

It's in 4 panels about 22 inches wide.    You can tell the weft is single ply, so it puffs up nicely.

Interesting to see how the seams were sewn together, too.  It looks like it was done by hand, but it has held up through the years.  There are not broken places in need of repair.

For the sake of documentation, here is the listing:

Bay item number:235902291598

$64 plus $18 S&H 

Item specifics

Condition:  Pre-owned: An item that has been used or worn previously.
Pattern:  Floral
Shape:  Rectangular

Character: Red X
Size: Large
Color:  Red
Set Includes: Coverlet
Material: Cotton, Wool, Woven
Item Length: 8.5ft
Type: Coverlet
Department: Teens, Adults
Style: Colonial
Time Period Manufactured: Unknown
Production Technique: Stitched
Item Width: 7ft

Handmade: Yes

Planning a New Project: Duckworth Scrapbuster Quilt (Koi Pond)

Example of a Duckworth Quilt from Podunk Pretties.  I love how this one turned out -- it reminds me of my Koi Pond from years ago.

I've been seeing these quilts on Pinterest, but usually there was no info about the pattern other than the designer.  But I finally found an explanation!

These are made by a quilter named Jo Anne Merrill-Duckworth, and are meant to be a scrapbuster, usually in a single color way with a contrasting center.  

• It's a wonky log cabin block. 
• Blocks are trimmed to a finished 6 inches (or use a 6-1/2 in square ruler to make it easy on yourself)
• 192 blocks in 1 quilt
• Set 12 x 16 blocks

Now to see if I actually have enough scraps in a single color way to make a whole quilt like this! 

Here is a video that explains the Duckworth technique:

Easiest Scrap Quilt Ever - The Duckworth Quilt - video from The Jelly Roll Club

From Podunk Pretties Blog

Scrap Quilt Enthusiasts - FaceBook Group.  I finally got into it!  The creator of this technique provides a document answering questions and explaining how to make a Duckworth Quilt.

I worked up a test block, to see how the technique works, and if I could stand it (I can!).

Here are the steps for the text block at the top of the post.

 

First, I pulled some orange scraps, ironed them flat and cut them down to suitable centers.  

These really are leftover scraps.

This didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would.  

 

You start with 4 centers.  They should vary in size and shades / textures. 

 

Then you start adding the strips, round and round each block until they can be trimmed down to 6-1/2 inches. 

 

Round and round ... 

 

... and round some more.

You don't have to be too neat or precise about it.  They are meant to look scrappy.

 

 

 

 

When they grow to be big enough, you trim each block down to 6-1/2 inches.

 

Decide on the desired orientation, and then ...

 

... Stitch it together.

 

Only 191 more blocks to go!  [Or is that 191 divided by 4?]

Inventory of Quilt Tops Awaiting Completion

 The Watermelon Quilt

Along with surveying completed work in 2024, I thought it would be useful to also survey the quilt tops that have yet to be completed, to help map out some of my work for 2025.

 

The Scrappy Spider Web Quilt 

 

Winter on the Christmas Tree Farm (wall hanging)

Deck the Halls (wall hanging)

 

Holly's Smokey River Quilt Top

 

Holly's Bargello with a Twist

 

The Ugly Stash-Busting Quilt

 

The Cathedral Windows Quilt

 

 

Black Jack Quilt Top

 

Oceanica (Panel)

 Desert Blooms Layer Cake (Still needs borders)

 

 Curry & Red Spice Quilt Top. This one is waiting for some surface design treatment -- I started with oil sticks and stencils, but that was a bit too tedious.  I may finish with textile paint and stamps -- someday.

Somehow, I feel like I have many more quilt tops than this waiting to be finished.  

Perhaps I will have to dive into the tall boy to see what is there ...  Maybe it's not as bad as I thought?

If I can see them like this, they will be pushed back to the top of my mind, and I can start to make a plan to get 'em done.  Either on my own, or by paying someone to do the quilting for me.

There are many more in earlier stages of development.  Some kitted up, some still just ideas, some in partial stages of development.

 

 

Pale Blue Whig Rose Coverlet

Pale Blue (maybe even light gray) Whig Rose Coverlet - wool and cotton

I saw this coverlet on eBay a few weeks ago.  It's very similar to the other whig rose reproduction coverlets I have from the 20th century.  (They are softer than the older ones.)   I thought they were probably all made by The Goodwin Guild,  but maybe not?  Not all of them have tags to prove their provenance.

What makes this listing so interesting is the paperwork and the history of the coverlet and the weavers who made it (although not included in the purchase):

 There is a Wisconsin connection, too!

Viola did the fringe treatment on the edges.  I don't think I have another one quite like this.  

Interesting to have it up close to study!

  

Art and Viola's Weave Shop in California.  I think this might be more about them?

The fact that this coverlet was made within my own lifetime (I was a teenager in the 80s, and in no position to weave myself back then, although I already had a huge fascination for Gramma Medo and her spinning wheel), I still had an appreciation for those who did weave.  It makes me feel closer to them somehow, in that long line of weavers before me.  Sigh!  And now I am making cloth too!  ;-)

It makes me wonder if some of my other reproduction coverlets (without tags) were made by this couple instead of The Goodwin Guild?    Star of Bethlehem is featured in the paperwork above-- I purchased the "Pumpkin Spice" coverlet last fall in the Star of Bethlehem pattern.  Maybe it was made by this couple?

Meanwhile, I am contemplating my next weaving project.  I know it will be difficult to make the circles of a whig rose even and true circles.  So perhaps it's better if I continue to collect whig roses, instead of attempting to make them as misshapen coverlets?  Or try a smaller scale like a scarf or table runner?  Or go for a more square design?

I was the only one to put in a bid on this one, and I won!

2024 Finishes: A Retrospective

 

 

The Kiss: LSQG 2024 March Madness Challenge Quilt

 I still love this one! 

A pretty good year, all in all!  

 

 

Twilight Quilt

I find it useful to review the things I've accomplished in the past year -- as a way of logging productivity, and also as a way of logging what quilt tops still need finishing.  Here's the 2024 Year-End Review.

 

Laundry Basket Quilt-as-you-Go Crumb Quilt

 

Watermelon Quilt Top is Complete

 Still need to sandwich and finish this one.

 

Scrappy Spider Web Quilt Top

 Still need to sandwich and finish this one.

 

Embrace Your Curves - EAA Quilt Challenge 2024: Clyde the Octopus is Complete

 

The Mountain Cucumber Coverlet is Complete!

I forgot that I finished this epic coverlet early in 2024!  I've been working on the wandering vine for so long now ...