Amalie's Footwear

My main objectives for this project were:

1.      To create a unique quilt using the polka dot fabric that I was saving for a special occasion.

2.      To try something different on the borders, by using lettering to fill up the white space. 

What to Add to the Quilt

First, I needed text and names to represent what the theme was portraying.

Since, I had just completed my family tree quilts; I was intrigued by the names that were found in the genealogy record. Therefore, I would choose names from the past that appealed to me and were not common names found today.

So what would I decide?

1.      I wanted to create a special place, and thus after much thought; named it “Polka Dot Crossing’.  This would go on the top border.

2.      I needed a catchy phrase. What relates better to shoes than a sale. So the text, “Shoe Sale” was added to the bottom border.

3.      And after having worked on this quilt, came up with the idea of creating more similar quilts with different themes. So decided the collection would be called, “Shop to Shop”.

4.      So I needed a name for the shoe shop. Finding the name “Amalie”, it was named, “Amalie’s Footwear”. And these words would go on the side borders.

 

Second, I wanted to add elements to the quilt to make it more than one-dimensional.

Here was the perfect opportunity to use decorative buttons that just waited to be discovered, in my button jars; and add uniqueness to the quilt design.  This allowed me to pour out my button jars and see what interesting shapes and sizes were hiding in plain sight.

Here’s the finished quilt. It measures 21 3/4” wide by 18 1/2” high.

My Quilt

 

SPECIAL NOTE:
I really appreciate your visits and comments in this blog adventuring; and hope to see you join me again to read more about my creative interests and new projects. My plans involve adding several FREE pattern tutorials this year (mainly quilting) on the first Saturday of the month.

My first FREE project coming to this blog… August 3, 2013.

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Shoe Sale

Creating this quilt was a real energy boost during some really intense hot summer days. Now that we have figured out how to cool the upstairs with the placement of four floor fans, it is much better.

Since then, I’ve completed the first two quilts in my Shop to Shop collection. My plan is to create a variety of quilts using all four polka dot fabric colors shown in an earlier post—brown, green, yellow, and red; and then producing a PDF pattern for each quilt design.

Here is how QUILT ONE has evolved so far:

My final placement of the appliques turned out like this: I liked the handbags on the top row and the shoes below. This reminded me of a real store display. 

APPLIQUE LAYOUT

 

 

Adding buttons was a fun process. I have two jars of buttons, and really wanted to have a project to play with them again. Even though they look so decorative displayed that way, at some point they SHOULD be used!! 

MY BUTTONS



Then when I finished the stitching, and added the layers to add the binding, I did go with my gut feeling of using the polka dot fabric. It adds a unique look, tying in the polka dot theme to this project.  

BINDING

 

Come back next time, to see the finished project.

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Fabric Surprise

I love when my sister comes to visit… along with the sale of a quilt or a new idea for a unique quilt project; she brings me FABRIC, too. So delightful!!

FAT QUARTER BUNDLE

 

Any quilter loves receiving new fabrics; however, what a cool surprise to receive fabric yardage; and spools of thread from my mother’s stash.  Many of these spools still have the plastic wrapper on them and some even have a price printed on the wrapper.  

 

FABRIC SURPRISE

SPOOLS OF THREAD

THREAD PRICES 

 

 

It's hard to imagine… paying $0.79 for a spool of thread, today. And, back when I was in high school, I also remember a conversation with someone that also made her own clothes; that we could sew a dress for $10.

Then...back to reality! I wonder what I'll dream up for this lovely fabric, now in my own stash. I've already used some of the thread colors in my current project.

 

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Shoes and Handbags

Polka Dot Fabrics

Here are the four polka dot fabrics that I have in my stash that I will be using in my little quilts. They were originally my mother’s; and then given to me some years ago (five or six or maybe more). I haven’t really done much with them; as I really did want to save them for a special project.

[Brown, Green, Yellow, Red]

 

SHOES Quilt

Now that my little SHOES quilt is well underway, it’s time to give you a sneak peek at some of the construction process…

 

Quilt Top with Borders Added

To begin, I had to decide on the main fabric colors for the background.  This was accomplished with some purple precut blocks I had in my stash. They were leftover four-inch squares from a baby quilt I had made in 2003. As I was going to use the brown and white polka dot fabric. I chose brown to go with the purple blocks.

Then, not wanting a boring outside border (trying to be more creative here); I decided on using black and white -- black lettering on white fabric; my projected vision of it.  

 

 

Templates--Fusible Web Ready for Fabric

Using fusible web, the templates have been traced and are ready for fusing to the fabric. It seems to be a rather messy process when I get out my fabric scraps and contemplate on colors and fabric choices. However, once that is done, the fun begins!

 

Initial Layout of Appliques

After the appliques are ready for the blocks, it was time to figure out their placement. This can also be time consuming; however, it’s best to just begin and see what comes of it. This is where a ready-made design speeds the process because the designer has already worked through all this.

I did change the order from what is shown here; however, you’ll see it next time once the lettering is completed. And you can decide if it works for you!

 

 

Auditioning Paper Lettering

After I had all the fused elements stitched down; I was ready to audition font styles and sizes that would best fit on the white border. 

 

 

Stitching the Letters with Zigzag Stitch

Once that was decided upon, I was ready to stitch the letters on the borders. [I used a zigzag stitch (2.0/0.5) in colors closely matching the fabric pieces.]

In most cases, I’d only need to change the bobbin thread if the top thread was changed from a lighter color to a darker color or vice versa. This allowed me to use the same bobbin thread on many of the applique design pieces.

 

TO COME:
   1.  Adding the embellishments I have in mind.
   2.  Final decision on fabric for the binding.
   3.  Creating a PDF pattern of this quilt project.
 

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Polka Dot Inspiration

It was on a hot summer day (near the end of June) when I just needed to get away from the heat… My approach to such a dilemma—would be to find a cool, shady spot to escape the heat; and either read a book or take a nap.

However, since that wasn’t going to happen any time soon, I figured it was as good a time as any to just create a silly little quilt to pass the time, until the heat would somehow dissipate. What a great idea! It took me on an adventure away from the time spent on previous projects and into something new….

And that silly little quilt was all about SHOES!!

Then the inspiration came—it involved using polka dot fabric—both in the quilt top and relating to the wording added to the borders.

Now there are more silly little quilt ideas dancing in my head. That also gave me the idea to use some of the wording from the new quilt; in my blog name. Okay, so now I don’t care if there are way too many hot days or rainy days keeping me inside. As long as the electricity stays on and the fans work, I can do this.

Hope you visit often, and when the desire hits you to take time to write a comment, I’d love to read them. If you haven’t the time or energy, thanks for stopping by.

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