Medallion 4

Medallion 3

Medallion 2

Medallion

As a pattern proofreader for Designers' Quarters Magazine, I only work two weeks, every three months. But during that time, I'm focused on checking the accuracy of 10 new quilt designs featured in each issue of the magazine. It's a dream job for a former English teacher and longtime quilter who loves to stay in her pajamas all day!

So for the next couple of weeks, while I'm calculating yardage and double checking measurements, clarifying directions and liberally wielding my red pen, I won't be writing blog posts. Instead, I thought I'd post photos of a quilt I've been working on. It might be fun to watch the progression as I add border after border to a medallion style quilt.

The toile type fabric for the center of the quilt was designed by Jinny Beyer to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage to North America. I bought one yard of the theme fabric in 1992. It sat in a cupboard for years while I collected a variety of "watery" blue prints to accompany it.

Collecting fabrics was not as easy as you might think. For one thing, I'm not particularly fond of blue. The other problem was that shades of color change from year to year in the quilt fabric industry. I had to be patient in order to find turquoise blues in classic prints.

I also had no particular quilt pattern in mind when I bought the toile. Nautically themed blocks like Mariner's Compass, Ocean Waves, and Storm at Sea were obvious choices but wouldn't show off the various scenes in the toile. It wasn't until 2005 when I saw this simple medallion quilt in Designers' Quarters Autumn issue that I figured out how to showcase the Columbus fabric.


The large center square and triangles of this antique medallion quilt (circa 1840-60, owned by Penny McMorris) became my starting point. Follow the next few posts to see how I adapted and changed borders as I went.

Small Quilt Display

A reader named Libby has been following my posts about doll quilts and asked, “Do you have a display of all your doll quilts? I'd love to see how you show/use them.”

Plaid Posies

19" x 22" 

hand appliqued, hand quilted

© Diane Burdin,1991

I’ve never had much luck displaying my doll quilts. Those charming groupings and tablescapes you see in magazines and online are inspirational, but as soon as I try to create one, my quilt becomes a magnet for clutter. Jim moves them off the coffee table so he can put his feet up, and guests mistake them for coasters. I get tired of the tug of war we play, shuffling them from one surface to another, so I don’t bother putting small quilts out anymore.

There is one spot in the house where I hang little quilts -- a room where I spend enough time to appreciate how much they brighten the surroundings -- the laundry room. 

This tulip is a Gwen Marston design. The pattern used to come in a package of Fairfield batting, although, as Gwen herself admits, who needs a pattern? Just cut one from folded paper. I used Roberta Horton woven plaids and stripes, added a saw tooth border and quilted it with my favorite folky fan pattern.

Many of my yard sale finds have ended up in the laundry room too: an old grater, butter paddles, wooden chopping board, and cookie press...

a clothesline winder, cabbage grater and a towel hook made by my friend Laurie from a silver fork and spoon.


Now, if I could only be that clever with quilt displays!

Excessive Heat Warning

There seems to be an excessive heat advisory all over the country this week. I hope you're all managing to keep cool somehow. Quilting is probably the last thing anyone wants to think about in 90 degree temperatures, but I thought I'd keep posting about doll quilts for the rest of the summer.

I’ve gotten some of my favorite doll quilts from friends. The fun of owning someone else’s work is that the quilt designs and fabrics used might be very different from my own style. There’s also the novelty of owning a finished piece--one which hasn’t languished on my sewing room floor for months or even years.


This little Tumbler was made by Judy Heath, a talented and prolific quilter with whom I worked at our local quilt shop. Many of the fabrics are from the Peppermint and Sassafras line designed by Judie Rothermel in the mid 1990s. It's a charming little piece, measuring only 11" x 12" and covered in buttons that Judy brought back from a trip to Australia.

Story Problem

For 6 days in a row, William wakes up at 7:00 A.M. and walks 1 mile to attend his high school's marching band camp. The band practices marching for 3 hours each morning. They rehearse music for 3 hours each afternoon. Evening practice sessions last 2 ½ hours. Throughout the week in which the average daily temperature is 91 degrees with humidity of 75%, 270 students develop 3 entertaining routines which they will enthusiastically perform during the 2007 football season.

Considering all of these factors, what is the result of a week at band camp?

One very tired kid!