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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