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Saturday, April 23, 2011

Four Patch Fever!


Sometimes the simplest things are the best. Simple shapes, simple designs, and MEGA repeat of pattern. I love a quilt where the design repeats and repeats and repeats and gives SO much to look at!

This little basket is just chock-full-o-four-patches just waiting for future projects. I just can’t stop making them as leaders & enders even when I don’t know where they will be used.

Oh the possibilities!

And these are the kinds of quilts that just warm my heart when I find them.

Yes, this is day three of Antique Mall Roadshow! I told you there was way too much to appreciate to do it in one post!

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Isn’t this just a sweet country quilt!? And the colors are still very springy. The 4 ptaches were about 6” in size I think, and it was just adorale with the plaids and prints in it. It had some really bad spots, so it would be just a “fold and display” piece, and I have SO MANY of these at home that I’ve pretty much relinquished myself to just bringing home PICTURES to drool over. Maybe they will inspire someone to turn to their scraps and rereate their own version. I just love the simplicity of 4 patches!

And THIS one had to be my favorite of ALL:

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16 patches! I was nearly giddy yesterday when I saw Lynn’s post at Klein Meisje Quilts because she just finished piecing her OWN 16 patch top! I left her a message to come see this one today, and I hope she does! Unfortunately, THIS one was priced out of my range, and I would have loved it. But you know?? Who says I can’t make one!?

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Just look at these wonderful fabrics! The red and yellows really spark for me…it has fabrics through the 1950s in it.

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Lots of solid red, just like I love it! Yep, I took LOTS of pictures of this one just because it was such a happy quilt! You can click the pics to biggie-size them and get a closer view.

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In some places she even joined 4 blocks that had a common theme together! See the pink rose fabrics in the center of the pic? Whether this was intentional or not we will never know…but I like it! I do!

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I of course LOVE the ginghams in here. I have never met a gingham that was not happy. Even a black gingham is just crisp and cheerful and I love seeing them mixed with all the other dress prints and solids…Isn’t this a wonderful quilt?

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There is more 4 patch love going on here in this basket! All of this “stuff” was displayed on TOP of the quilt, and I didn’t bother to unpack the tub to get the quilt out, but this too, with its 30’s prints and solids was a definite eye-catcher for me!

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Here is another case of really having to keep an eye out for possibilities. Do you see what is hiding in this picture? It looked to be SILK!

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And it was just LOVELY when it was unfolded! All Square in a Square, playing off the positive/negative aspects. But---the silks were VERY shredded. And it made me sad that this was folded and stuffed into a pile with an old sailboat on top Sad smile

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These stripes created kind of an optical illusion…and I love the black/white/grey combo with little spots of color. It looks almost modern, doesn’t it? You can see some of the shredding going on…..

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This little Stringie caught my eye! It’s a rainbow! I love how the red corners make “butterflies” where the block quarters come together. These are probably more “hatchet” blocks than strings, they look fairly uniform. and the rainbow of sashings? I can see this on a child’s bed when it was made, just so HAPPY!

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I love quilts displayed on ladders and racks and furniture and…..Don’t you just get all excited at these treasures?

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Even the Double Wedding Ring seemed to be sporting it’s best Easter Colors! I love the purple in this one. I made ONE double wedding ring quilt in my early quilting years. I cut each piece by hand, tracing a template I had cut out of a butter tub lid. Jason was about 3 when I started it. I hand quilted and finished it a couple years later. How those rings laid flat I will never know! But I know this – I will NEVER make another one! It’s in the closet somewhere…..

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I loved the feel of this one..the weight of the batting, the density of the stitching, and the fact that it has been used and washed and loved and used and washed and loved.

Easter will be quiet here. Jason has to work, and Columbia is just far enough (3 hours) away that it makes it difficult to do the trip in one day ---drive up in the morning, stay a few hours, and drive back in the evening --- so it will be just DH, Jeff and I at home. And that is fine with me. I plan to sew, to reflect, to love those around me, to appreciate with gratitude, to slow down, to be.

I am missing the things we used to do when the kids were little. Color eggs, have hunts, fill baskets, hang decorations. But I remember them all, and maybe sometime in the future there will be a next generation to do these things with.

Okay, and before I get too weepie and sentimental. It’s time to go clean bathrooms! Flirt male

Happy Easter, Everyone! Bunny

26 comments:

  1. ooh, love that 16-Patch!!!!

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  2. I have really enjoyed the trip through the antique mall. The quilts are great. The 16 patch is calling my name. I have been needing a leaders and enders project and I think this will be it.

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  3. I miss those days too. Silly kids went and grew up too fast! ANd to top it all off, our son is leaving for Marine Boot Camp Easter morning! We are so proud, but I am going to drown my tears in 'Just One Star' blocks.
    Don't know if I would have the heart to leave all those fabulous treasures you found in the store. Of course, don't have the money to bring them all home either! Those quilts make me want to grab a cup of tea and sit next to the quilts and let them tell me their stories, but I would probably be committed. Have a wonderful Easter weekend.

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  4. I don't know how you resist bringing some of these quilts home - they are all wonderful! I am excited to have an almost 3 year old grandson to share Easter with this year. He will be such fun!

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  5. I have two - no - make that 3 totes of scraps. I "must" cut them down to squares to start building 4 patches! They are totally wonderful when you see them put together into a quilt - no matter what size it is.

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  6. I jut bought a three drawer cart and gathered all my crap together. Now I am going to cut a bit each day so I can be ready to make ome of your wonderful pattern. I have to finih RRCB too.....
    All thoe quilts, I would so want to bring them home with me.:)

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  7. Fun quilts...and yes, there is nothing like cleaning the bathroom to cleanse all that sentimentality out of you!

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  8. Sometimes I think we get caught up in the vast array of modern quilt patterns and forget the simple beauty of just sewing squares together! Thanks for sharing the pictures from the antique shops you visit.
    In the mid 80's I hand pieced a Double Wedding Ring quilt and hired a sweet lady to hand quilt it. I have another one, that has been in progress for 10+ years, and is not likely to ever be finished. Maybe that pattern is meant to be a once in a lifetime quilt!

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  9. YES!!!!
    How marvelous a quilt that 16 patch is.
    I keep telling people it takes planning to let serendipity take over in your quilts--you need to make an effort to not over-think.
    What a wonderful show of quilts these past few days--lots of inspiration.

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  10. And the ginghams--when will the fabric designers start adding cotten ginghams to their lines?

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  11. I talked to Lissa at Moda...she says the plaids/stripes/ginghams just don't sell as well as the "overly pretty" fabrics. And that is what I love about the antique quilts, they used EVERY DAY utility fabrics in them. So when I see a reproduction quilt, it is missing key elements that make it look real...what I see instead is a fake-wanna-be-antique-look-alike. You know?

    :c)
    Bonnie

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  12. Nothing wrong with weeping while you clean the bathroom. I do it all the time.
    jk

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  13. That 16 patch does it for me and I'm in the gingham fan club too!

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  14. Oh, I love that silk quilt with black squares. Is it for sale?!

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  15. Thanks so much for taking us along on your antiquing trip! I don't get to spend much time in antique stores these days, so I appreciate you taking us on a 'virtual' trip with your last few posts.

    That 16-patch is a gem. I love how they used the dark red in those two outer rows like a 'pseudo border.' Clever! Hmmmm... I wonder if something like that will pop up in Scraps & Shirttails 3? ;)

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  16. Hi Bonnie,
    I loved seeing all these older quilts- it is what I think about when I think about quilting- I do love 4 patch quilts and the 16 patch quilt is spectacular.
    I have made a continuous arc wedding ring quilt. It is a lovely quilt but I don't think I would like to make another one. They are quite complicated without piecing the arcs and a challenge to get to lay flat- lots of quilting in them too.
    Thanks for sharing- Have a wonderful Easter.
    Regards from Western Canada,
    Anna

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  17. Happy Easter!
    What a treasure hunt you have been on, how did you have the will power not to come home with all those beautiful old quilts?
    I understand how you feel about the four patches, I am joining 2" squares because I am making your Strippy Classic....I am loving the whole process...thanks.

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  18. I'm a little weepy right along with you...needless to say all my chickens had places to go and the big Rooster has been gone but will be home around midnight. It's been a lonely day but I've loved looking at quilt blogs and enjoying your pictures. I wish I would have taken a class from you in Pigeon Forge. I didn't notice you were teaching until I had already signed up. I enjoyed Quiltfest..it being my very first Quilt Retreat of sorts.
    Easter Blessings
    Gmama Jane

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  19. Hi Bonnie.

    I met you at the Piecemakers Scrappy Mountain Majesties Workshop. I can relate to missing the tradition's of the past. I talked by college student daughter in to dying eggs, I even made a bunny cake even though it will only be the three of us this year.
    Happy Easter,
    Jeanne Dumphy

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  20. I have so enjoyed seeing the quilts these past few days. I love that 16 patch! It's now on my list.

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  21. Hi Bonnie! Thanks for taking us along on your trip to the antique mall. I LOVE looking at old quilts and getting ideas from them. I hope you don't mind, but I saved a few of your quilt pictures for inspiration. I especially love the silk quilt...I am thinking--how would that look done in cotton? With a similar black stripe? It's so dynamic!!

    Deb from Clutterquilter.blogspot.com

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  22. I have been enjoying your quilt shows and simple patch quilts are always wonderful. My kids are grown too and I miss the fun when they were little, but nice to spend the day with them and enjoy a good meal.

    Happy Easter to you and your family.

    Debbie

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  23. I am with you give me these antique quilts and simple blocks, just so fun!
    love your 4 patches and will be waiting to see what you make with those!
    you always find the greatest antique quilts to show us
    thanks
    kathie

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  24. Lots of lovely quilt inspiration. I hate reading your blog (LOL) because it makes me want to get quilting when I too have bathrooms, bedrooms etc to do! Happy Easter Bonnie!

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  25. Got a four-patch question for you... do you 'reserve' certain 4-patches for different quilts.. like Christmas fabrics for holiday quilts.... 30's fabrics for 30's quilts.. etc... or just throw them all together.. I think I'm being to anal with this. LOL

    Hugs!

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  26. Anonymous7:54 PM EDT

    Thanks for sharing these beautifu pictures, Bonnie! Living in Australia, we don't have the beautiful antique quilts that you have in the States... I zoomed in on the picture of the first quilt to see the price - whooo! Next time I'm in the US I'm bringing back a suitcase full of quilts!!! The 16-patch has also inspired me - I'm going into my sewing room right now to start sewing from my drawer of 2.5" squares.... Happy Easter!

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