Ta-Da! I actually have a finished project to show. This little quilt is not residing at my house though. Libby at Paper Napkin Poetry sent me two string blocks from the thirties. She said she knew I'd find something cool to do with them. Well, I think the blocks are pretty great so I hope I did justice by them. Because she sent two blocks I thought I'd send her a finished project and keep the second one. I know when I see mine I'll think of her and I hope she does the same for me.
This is how the blocks arrived.
Paper backing still attached from Nickles Bakery in Ohio!
After carefully removing the paper I filled the sink with Oxy clean and lukewarm water. This is what the water looked like from the fabric after 80 years!! I filled several sinks until the water was clean.
I laid them out to dry on a big beach towel. I ironed and mended a few seams.
I had some old flour or sugar sacks so I split them open on the seam and appliqued the star down. After finishing the first one I realized I appliqued it on my square WRONG!! It should be on like a pieced 8 pointed star. I'm not un-appliqueing it but decided to keep this one for myself and put the other one on "right" for Libby. Can you see the differenece? I hand quilted with an overall fan design which I think suits it really well!!Christie, I'm still waiting for you to contact me. I was hoping to send it out so it would reach the winner by the 4th of July....
Ta-Da! is right. This is absolutely amazing and totally neat to see. That water was really a trip, ha? Libby was so kind to share these with you and gosh she really knew just exactly where these needed to go. You've worked some kinda magic here.
ReplyDeleteWhew, and check out that quilting?! Beautiful. What lovely work you do, Lori, and thanks so much for sharing.
This is really beautiful. Amazing colors after you so carefully washed and dried it. This is just wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI love string stars - and really, there isn't a "wrong" way to sew them down! Done is done and I am sure you will really enjoy the finished result, no matter. Quilting bits are so amazing - how people just don't throw them out and then years later they do get made into something. A little piece of the past. Little quilts are so fun to make!
ReplyDeleteWowzer, Lori - definitely amazing! Way to go.
ReplyDeleteI only spotted that the star was wrong because you pointed it out.
ReplyDeleteLori you seem to get sooooooo much done that I wonder do you sleep. LOL
Sue x
What a wonderful gift! I don't think that other star it wrong. It will be beautiful even if you appliqued it upside down.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting project!!! What fabulous star blocks! I'd have been afraid of stretching the edges during that washing process! You're very brave. The finished quilt is wonderful and the quilting is perfect.
ReplyDeleteLove string stars! This came out great...don't you hate the "hold your breath moment" when you lay the piece out after it is washed...did it run? did it hold together? did it shrink up to nothing? phew....my palm get clammy just thinking about it!
ReplyDeleteThe colors are so cheery. You did a great job bringing the old block back to life. It is a generous gift to your friend.
ReplyDeleteThis is a delightful quilt story. :-D
ReplyDeleteThe star block looks great finished. It is fun to bring a new life to something old. That's why I love to work with antique farbics.
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful that you received those stars and also put them to very good use. I just love those string stars! Your quilting is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteLovely! Yours just looks more flower-like and hers looks more star-like.
ReplyDeleteIt is exciting to breather new life into older fabrics.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea that you had there! She's sure to love it!
ReplyDeleteand loving it i certainly am~!!~
ReplyDeletethank you once again Lori ~ your generousity was beyond kind and your skills in caring for and creating something beautiful with the old blocks are beyond fabulous~!!~
thank you. thank you. thank you.
:-)
libbyQ
Those are so great! What a fun project :o)
ReplyDeleteWow, that change in setting alters the star so much--but I like it both ways! That was fascinating to watch, thanks for sharing all the steps. I have some very old quilt tops that I will need to do the Oxyclean thing to. Do you use powder or liquid, Lori?
ReplyDeleteLOVE this one!!
ReplyDeletewow I love this block , what a wonderful gift for your friend.
ReplyDeleteHave fun at the show next week and of course can't wait to see all the sewing that will happen at your retreat!
have fun with your friends
Kathie
Fabulous star! Thanks for sharing your step-by-step process. It's a treasure. I especially love that you attached the star to a same-era sugar or flour sack. Perfect!
ReplyDeleteThe quilt is so beautiful, and I love the idea of using the good old Baptist Fan which I think fits perfectly with this "utilitarian" quilt.
ReplyDeleteI have made that same placement error more than once. I'm with you, though -- I wouldn't rip it out. It gives the star more of a circular feel, and there's more white space for some of your awesome quilting.
Absolutely gorgeous! You have done these treasured blocks justice & turned them into something beautiful...how kind you are to gift one back....beautiful quilting too!
ReplyDeleteIt really warms my heart to see that those old blocks were saved..and you turned them into treasure! Well done Lori!
ReplyDeleteI like them positioned both ways. :)
It was fun to see the old bread wrappers too.
Absolutely fabulous! I mean, really, really brilliant! I'm feeling rather inspired. Although I had to laugh about the paper still in place. Kind of like a little quilty time capsule.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Dionne
Wow, I love what you did with the blocks and your setting means that they are related but not the same, lol. They are really gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteLove your string stars and your new header! Thanks for sharing the cleaning process you used, I may need to use your method. Happy Stitching!
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah! Love those blocks...isn't it funny how much dust we can soak out? Very pretty idea and your quilts turned out wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the look of this! I want to run upstairs and make one of these string stars, but will control myself this time - thanks!
ReplyDeleteOhh, beautifull stars. And isn't that lovely to see the paper is still there, it's a bit of a time capsule, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThat is so lovely Lori. I feel like I want to make one. What size was it finished. Photos can be deceiving - it looks quite large. :-)
ReplyDelete