Sarah's Sewing Circle First Meeting

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

I just wanted to give you all an update on the happenings at the first meeting of Sarah's Circle Sewing Club. As you may know, the club is named after my GGGrandmother, Sarah Phillips. That's her pictured above, stitching on something. Maybe it's one of the quilts that I inherited!

Anyway, the club will be making quilts based on antique quilts - some will be reproductions of quilts owned by me, others from books, and hopefully, some from the club members own collections.

Our first meeting was a lot of fun. Deb had made up nametags for all of us with Sarah's picture on them. Very nice. We started out talking about our plans for the session, and then I talked about the first quilt - Sarah's Album Doll Quilt. It is based on an antique doll quilt owned by Sandy Schweitzer, my friend and our local AQS Certified Quilt Appraiser. Knowing how I love the Madder colors (righ reds and reddish browns, originally dyed with the root of the madder plant), she had loaned me this wonderful doll quilt from her collection to reproduce. The quilt is double sided, as you can see below:

Sandy's Madder Doll Quilt - Front & Back

It is quite faded, and obviously had been loved. It was a perfect quilt to reproduce for our first project in Sarah's Club. I made up the sample using all the madders, pinks and browns that I could find that would bring out that same warm golden feel of the original. I am pretty happy with the way it turned out:

Sarah's Album Doll Quilt by Carrie Quinn

Front & Back

I had so many fabrics that I wanted to use, that I have decided to make a big one, too! I dug deep in my super-secret stash to find some perfect fabrics for this quilt, and I did my pattern using my Snippet Stew method - sort of (color that easy!). Because of the large number of fabrics available, and the fact that I couldn't make up my mind, I made up the kits with enough fabrics to do the front, and most of the back of the quilt - and no two kits are exactly the same! I have decided to declare war on cookie cutter quilts. The girls in the club seemed to really like that idea, and a few of them are going to do their own version of Sarah's Album. Deb did hers up in Blue and Gold:

Deb Walker's Version of Sarah's Album Doll Quilt

The pattern directions are only for the front of the quilt. I decided to challenge the club members to do their own thing on the back. I, myself, took all the scraps and sewed them into some more of the little album blocks, some pinwheels, four-patches and strips. It was fun to try to get them to all fit!

Patterns and kits are available in the shop, or you can call the shop to have one sent out to you.
Next month we are going to learn English Paper Piecing as we do a small reproduction of a quilt I purchased in Paducah last year:

Carrie in Paducah with her Six-Pointed Star Quilt

I used Photoshop to show what our small version will look like:

Sarah's Star Doll Quilt

Of course, club members can do whatever they wish to do with this quilt. It is very scrappy, and not everyone will want to set it in double-pink, I am sure! Some may decide to just do a potholder! I think it will be fun to learn the method, though. We will be sewing at the club meeting, so be sure to bring:

• Needle and thread (a neutral color for piecing and a crummy thread for basting)
• Scraps to make the stars - each star uses two colors.
• A background fabric for the stars - I am using a tan with a small dot, simular to the one used in the big quilt.
• A setting fabric. Double-Pink or whatever floats your boat.
• A small pair of embroidery scissors
• A larger pair of scissors for cutting fabric

I will add anything else I might think of. I will provide the paper pieces, and we will have scrap fabric on hand for practicing on. It is sure to be a good time!

Another project we are planning is an album or autograph block swap. The members of the group are to bring their ideas for blocks and we will choose one next month. It should be fun!

If you haven't joined Sarah's Club, it is not too late. We can take a few more in the current group, ) and if there is enough interest, we can add a daytime group, too. Call the shop to register i-f you are interested: (847) 516-7911.

That's it for now!

Stop by and see us soon!

Carrie