Contents. Dedication... 4 Introduction... 4 Chapter One: Create Foundation Blocks... 6 Fabric Choices... 7 Foundation Block Construction...

Transcription

1 Contents Dedication... 4 Introduction... 4 Chapter One: Create Foundation Blocks... 6 Fabric Choices... 7 Foundation Block Construction... 7 Chapter Two: Embellish Like Crazy Have Fun Being Creative...13 Pattern Transfer...13 Embroidery Tips...13 Basic Appliqué...13 Block Embellishment...15 Appliqué Motifs Chapter Three: Block Instructions January: Garnet & Snowdrop February: Amethyst & Primrose March: Aquamarine & Jonquil April: Diamond & Sweet Pea May: Emerald & Lily of the Valley June: Pearl & Rose July: Ruby & Larkspur August: Peridot & Poppy September: Sapphire & Morning Glory Chapter Four: Quilt Assembly Block Assembly Black Inner Border Outer Border Final Assembly Finishing Binding Hanging Sleeve Signing and Dating Your Quilt Chapter Five: Crazy Projects Decorator Pillow...61 Fireplace Mantle Scarf Framed Picture Chapter Six: Quilt Gallery Alphabet for Foundation Blocks Resources About the Author October: Opal & Calendula November: Topaz & Chrysanthemum..50 December: Turquoise & Poinsettia... 52

2 Dedication How do you dedicate a book except to thank all the people instrumental in your life? As I reflect on these people, I think of my husband, children, and grandchildren, and for their love and support, I am thankful. However, the ones to whom I owe the most gratitude are my students, both male and female, young and old, who learned from me and allowed me to learn from them. I am grateful to you. Introduction When I started my first quilt, I was like most quiltmakers wanting that perfect quilt for the master bedroom and not having enough experience to make it. My husband, Bill, and I were traveling one summer when we visited a quilt shop and found the most beautiful blue and white double Irish chain quilt, perfectly made and hand quilted. That s the one I envisioned on our bed. There was just one problem with it the price. Bill absolutely refused to pay $800 for a quilt. His solution was that I could make it. No problem, he said. You sew all the time. As he looks back now $800 would have been a small price to pay for that quilt! Thanks, sweetheart! That is the story of how I began quiltmaking. Here s the rest of the story: Taking one class led to another, one quilt led to another, and one day I was hired to teach quiltmaking. In no time, I was designing my own class samples and then developing them into patterns. My quilts were winning ribbons and my patterns were selling. I began teaching my classes in nearby towns, then across my state, then I was booking workshops and lectures across the United States, in Canada and on cruises. My hobby had turned into a real job. During a yearly checkup, my physician suggested that since my hobby had become a job, I needed a new hobby. (Everyone needs something to get their mind off work.) The very next thing that crossed my path was a quilt show featuring many Crazy Patch quilts. This was it! My new hobby! I came up with the concept for my new CRAZY PATCHWORK when I wanted to make a quilt that would include the gem and flower of each month of the year, and, instead of using the traditional Victorian era fabrics, was made of batiks. As I worked on the first block, I decided I had the perfect quilt on which to place all the important things in my life: wedding dates, children s names and birthdates, and their favorite things were stitched into the empty spaces. Heartwarming! Special! I could hardly wait to finish a block, but then when is a block finished? I kept going back to add more, more, and more decorative stitching and embellishments. I became obsessed with the hunt for threads, laces, trims, rickrack, ribbons, beads, bobbles, crystals, metals, and a Navy pin to place near my husband s birth date. I cleaned my jewelry box of costume jewelry that I had collected over the years. Some of my gaudy pins now live in each corner of my quilt. I have become convinced that the crazy in CRAZY PATCHWORK was not necessarily about the technique, but probably more about my state of mind! Crazy Patchwork K Alice Wilhoit 4

3 Introduction MY FIRST CRAZY PATCHWORK Size 39 x 48, made by author. 5 Crazy Patchwork K Alice Wilhoit

4 Create Foundation Blocks When each side of the center fabric has been covered with a seam, go clockwise around the unit again as many times as needed to cover the square area drawn on the base fabric (photos 11 12). Photo 11. Photo 12. Crazy Patchwork K Alice Wilhoit 10

5 Create Foundation Blocks When the desired size surface has been covered with fabric (photo 13), do a final press. Press on the wrong side of the block. Place the block on a flat surface. Lay a 9½" square ruler over the block (move it around to get the best look); then trace around the ruler with a marking tool that will show up both on the light and dark fabrics (photo 14). Photo.15. Stitch, using a sewing machine, just inside the drawn line (photo 15). Photo 13. This will secure the bias edges. No need to trim the block to its final size for now; just trim some of the excess fabric away for easier handling. The final trim will be done after the embellishment is completed. Hint: Prepare all the foundations blocks first. The fabric is now out of the way and you can concentrate on embellishing the seams of your Crazy Patchwork. It s a good thing to have all the blocks, along with threads, laces, buttons, beads, etc., in an art bin container. If you get bored working on one block, you ll have others handy to choose from. This makes Crazy Patchwork very portable! Photo Crazy Patchwork K Alice Wilhoit

6 June Gem: Pearl Flower: Rose Supplies: Use stem, lazy daisy, and straight stitches to fill-in the growth on the ground in and around the trellis. Fill in with French knot flowers. Transfer the wording to fabric and embroider, using two strands of floss and the stem stitch. K Foundation block: White fabric for the center K Brown, green, your favorite rose color embroidery thread or size 12 or 16 perle cotton thread K I placed an adorable bunny rabbit metal button from Susan Clarke Originals under the trellis on my quilt. Method: Make a foundation block with a white fabric center to represent the pearl. Refer to Chapter 1, Foundation Block Construction, for instructions. Use your favorite method from Chapter 2, Pattern Transfer, to transfer the trellis design to fabric. Embroider with two strands of brown floss or one strand of size 12 or 16 perle cotton using the stem stitch. Refer to the photograph for placement of vine, roses, and ground cover. Use green floss and the stem stitch to stitch the vine. Use red floss or your favorite rose color floss to represent the roses and a mixture of French knots and spider web rose stitches to make the roses. Add lazy daisy stitches and French knots using green floss for leaves. Crazy Patchwork K Alice Wilhoit 40

7 Block Instructions 41 Crazy Patchwork K Alice Wilhoit