Flowers I Can Grow

Title: Flowers I Can Grow
Finished: 7/31/11
Techniques: gingham, machine stitches, grass stitch, wobble stitch
Size: 11 x 14"

This mini-quilt was the first one I did in the 2011 series. It was done in the Karen Linduska style as was the Grandpa's Sunset Roses in the 2012 series.  I used two different gingham check fabrics: a colorful large check for the background and a smaller light green check for the insert, which was appliquéd. I wasn't sure if the two checks would work together, but I think they do. The light green check was also used for the binding and backing.

The flowers, stems and leaves were made with a variety of machine stitches, widened and/or lengthened to create different kinds of petals and leaves. A single circle stitch made nice centers of the flowers.

The insert was made to not be a perfect rectangle, and the purple flower "grew" beyond the insert, which was also intentional. A grass stitch makes a border, and the quilting was done in a simple wobble stitch.

Amish Tribute

Title: Amish Tribute
Finished 8/21/11
Techniques: Amish design, Rail Fence, Solid fabrics, Machine Stitches
Size: 15" x15"

Description:
This is #4 from my 2011 attempt at a mini-quilt per week. I had seen a program, I believe, on "Sewing with Nancy" where they were discussing typical Amish style and design. I decided to give it a try.

In my research, I learned that Amish quilts have evolved over the years. This mini-quilt represents somewhere in the early/middle of their evolution when Amish quilts employed simple geometric shapes only in solid colors, and usually on black background. I tend to prefer dark backgrounds myself because the colors that are used in the design tend to "pop," as is the case here.

I also learned that the Amish women, never wasteful, weren't too worried that their colors didn't match exactly. If they had two or more shades of green, that's what they had and that's what they used. So you will notice that in each of the four central colors, blue, green, purple, and pink, there are subtle color variations. The simple "rail fence" (or split rail fence) design uses only two rails - black and the color - positioned so that there's a stair step, or zigzag, design. I've seen rail fences with three or four or even five rails, but two seemed appropriate here.

I also learned that the inner border, red in my case, is usually of a different color than any of the other colors in the quilt. I couldn't find out why, so I may have to check out a real book on the subject and read up on it.

The corner squares mimic the four main colors used in the mini-quilt.

Where I deviated from the traditional is that I did this on the machine and not by hand. Also, I employed some machine stitches for a little flavor.