Tag Archives: Colorado Winter
Colorado Winter – Finished Quilt
Here is the finished quilt front. The quilting is very subtle – I selected a thread that exactly matched the background, so you can only see the quilting upon close study of the quilt. Here is the finished quilt back. My intent with the block in the back was that it be off-center, and not match up with anything in particular. It almost exactly matches to a block on the other side – so much for good intentions! I selected a rope-type border design, which is on all four borders. I elected not to turn the corners with the design, but quilt it in the way the borders were attached, with the vertical sides, then the tops & bottoms. After the stitch in the ditch was complete, I thought the blocks looked a little plain, so I free-handed an angel in the center of each block. My client says this will be appreciated by the recipient since she is deeply religious. All that’s left is to apply the label, inspect the quilt, and pack it for shipping. That’s all folks!
Colorado Winter – Layering & Basting
After making a few adjustments, here is the quilt top, fully assembled. The backing was made from leftover scraps from the construction of the quilt, which was a common practice during the 1800′s (and even today!) There was an extra block leftover too – which was inset into the quilt back. The quilt is layered & basted, ready for top quilting. I have selected stitch in the ditch for the pieced blocks, and will echo that same pattern in the solid blocks. I haven’t yet determined the border pattern. That’s all folks!
Colorado Winter – Assembly
All the blocks have been completed & the design laid out on my design wall. So far I’m pleased, but I’m going to let the layout marinate for a few days before I begin assembly. Looking at this photo I can already see a few adjustments coming. That’s all folks!
Colorado Winter – Assembly
All the blocks have been completed & the design laid out on my design wall. So far I’m pleased, but I’m going to let the layout marinate for a few days before I begin assembly. Looking at this photo I can already see a few adjustments coming. That’s all folks!
Colorado Winter – Piecing & Assembly
The fabrics have been prepared and all the block pieces have been cut out. I figured out what the borders/plain blocks will be, so I head back to the store to pick them up. (Side note: I print photographs of each quilt project & clip it to a basket, shown at left, where all the quilt pieces are kept when I’m not working on it. This keeps me from accidentally using a fabric for a project on something else & helps me know what I’m working on.) Block assembly has begun – the green blocks have been assembled; I have decided that one of the greens seems out of place, and it will be replaced with an alternate fabric. I may incorporate this block into the backing (which would have been common practice – extra fabric or blocks would have been used up – although I doubt a block would have been deemed “out of place” at the time.) That’s all folks!
Colorado Winter – Fabric Selection
Eager to get started, I went to the fabric store to find fabrics which would meet the criteria. In researching the background for this quilt, I discovered that the printing techniques & dyes during this period were actually quite advanced, and by the time period just following the Civil War, over half the quilts were made by machine. I don’t know what the borders & plain blocks will be constructed of; I think I’ll get all the blocks completed & take them back to the store to decide. The client later approved the fabrics for the design (phew!) That’s all folks!
Colorado Winter – Design Layout
This is the color scheme for the quilt, in shades of red, green, and brown. These are not the actual fabrics for the quilt but are shown to indicate the color scheme. Start of post. That’s all folks!
Colorado Winter – First Project Meeting
Project Description: This is a reproduction of an 1877 quilt on display at Living History Farms. The fabrics selected are not specifically reproductions, but are indicative of the colors & fabric printing techniques available at the time. The block design is called “Colorado.” Finished Size: 48″ x 75″ (approx.) Fabric Selection: Colors inspired by the evergreen trees & leaf foliage found in Colorado during the fall & winter months. Client asked for a Civil War era reproduction quilt to accompany a steamer trunk he was giving as a gift. The client selected this particular quilt from a book I have of quilts from various eras. The block is named to commemorate Colorado’s statehood in 1876. That’s all folks!
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