colonial girl quilt
10-19-2020, 06:59 PM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Asheville, previously Lake Vermilion, Tarpon Springs, Duluth, St Paul, Soudan
Posts: 1,651
If you don’t have a light box, tape it (and a piece of tracing paper) to a window on a sunny day and trace he embroidery lines you need,
i can find a picture of the blocks I think you want, but the link is broken.
https://pin.it/5sm2zxe
i can find a picture of the blocks I think you want, but the link is broken.
https://pin.it/5sm2zxe
Last edited by Krisb; 10-19-2020 at 07:08 PM.
10-20-2020, 04:40 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 669
10-21-2020, 04:11 PM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: New Hampshire & Maine
Posts: 3,300
My thoughts: Can you copy one of the blocks on your printer? Cut out the arms and neck on the copy. Turn the copies to the back side and lightly trace them (a sharp #2 pencil works) to the new thicker muslin fabric where they belong on the block. Embroider the arms and neck as in the original block. Hope this helps and is clear.
Your blocks sound beautiful. Can't wait to see photo of them.
Your blocks sound beautiful. Can't wait to see photo of them.
09-07-2022, 01:32 PM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 5,051
I recently became a snowbird, and moved to South Texas for the winter. When we got to our other house, I found 19 Colonial Lady (?) quilt blocks in one of our closets. No idea how long they had been there, shoved all the way to a back corner, but they look to be from feedsack fabric. They are all hand embroidered to large muslin squares. However, most of the muslin appears to be poor quality, as you can literally see through it.
I could have backed it with a sturdier fabric if that was the only issue, but the bigger problem is that when I found these on the closet shelf, they were folded in half, and it looks like maybe some critters had been chewing them.
On the left side of each block, there is approx 3 inches of the muslin that has been eaten away, so now these beautiful blocks are unusable as is.
If I trim off the ragged edge, then it diminishes the muslin to about 1/8th away from the skirt of the lady. There is not enough room on the other sides to make it equal, although I might be able to sash it but the teeny seam allowance makes me hesitate to do that.
I have thought about this for a while, and I think my best option might be to cut away the appliqued pieces, and attach them to a heavier fabric. If I go with this option, then I lose the embroidered neck and arms. Currently, there is a book embroidered in the hands. I could add the umbrella that I am used to seeing, but obviously, they would not match the ladies' dresses. I would like to embroider the neck and arms, to keep it in the same style, but I have not been able to locate a pattern for just the neck and arms. I tried searching under Colonial Lady, Parasol girl, Bonnet Girl, and I get amazing pictures, but no actual patterns
After all this rambling, my question is: does anyone know where I can buy the pattern for the neck and arms so I can try to salvage these blocks? I know that quilts are only as old as the newest fabric, but someone spent a lot of time on these, and the needlework is beautiful. They remind me of a quilt that my grandmother had , so I hope someone can point me in the right direction.
I could have backed it with a sturdier fabric if that was the only issue, but the bigger problem is that when I found these on the closet shelf, they were folded in half, and it looks like maybe some critters had been chewing them.
On the left side of each block, there is approx 3 inches of the muslin that has been eaten away, so now these beautiful blocks are unusable as is.
If I trim off the ragged edge, then it diminishes the muslin to about 1/8th away from the skirt of the lady. There is not enough room on the other sides to make it equal, although I might be able to sash it but the teeny seam allowance makes me hesitate to do that.
I have thought about this for a while, and I think my best option might be to cut away the appliqued pieces, and attach them to a heavier fabric. If I go with this option, then I lose the embroidered neck and arms. Currently, there is a book embroidered in the hands. I could add the umbrella that I am used to seeing, but obviously, they would not match the ladies' dresses. I would like to embroider the neck and arms, to keep it in the same style, but I have not been able to locate a pattern for just the neck and arms. I tried searching under Colonial Lady, Parasol girl, Bonnet Girl, and I get amazing pictures, but no actual patterns
After all this rambling, my question is: does anyone know where I can buy the pattern for the neck and arms so I can try to salvage these blocks? I know that quilts are only as old as the newest fabric, but someone spent a lot of time on these, and the needlework is beautiful. They remind me of a quilt that my grandmother had , so I hope someone can point me in the right direction.
Did you make the quilt?
09-08-2022, 09:01 AM
#17
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Reno, Nv
Posts: 16,539
I think that, I Love to Quilt (post number 14 above) had a great idea to use the printer and copy the pattern. It would give her a life sized pattern of the lines she needs to draw to make her quilt blocks.
09-10-2022, 08:26 AM
#18
Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Eastern Iowa
Posts: 10
I recently became a snowbird, and moved to South Texas for the winter. When we got to our other house, I found 19 Colonial Lady (?) quilt blocks in one of our closets. No idea how long they had been there, shoved all the way to a back corner, but they look to be from feedsack fabric. They are all hand embroidered to large muslin squares. However, most of the muslin appears to be poor quality, as you can literally see through it.
I could have backed it with a sturdier fabric if that was the only issue, but the bigger problem is that when I found these on the closet shelf, they were folded in half, and it looks like maybe some critters had been chewing them.
On the left side of each block, there is approx 3 inches of the muslin that has been eaten away, so now these beautiful blocks are unusable as is.
If I trim off the ragged edge, then it diminishes the muslin to about 1/8th away from the skirt of the lady. There is not enough room on the other sides to make it equal, although I might be able to sash it but the teeny seam allowance makes me hesitate to do that.
I have thought about this for a while, and I think my best option might be to cut away the appliqued pieces, and attach them to a heavier fabric. If I go with this option, then I lose the embroidered neck and arms. Currently, there is a book embroidered in the hands. I could add the umbrella that I am used to seeing, but obviously, they would not match the ladies' dresses. I would like to embroider the neck and arms, to keep it in the same style, but I have not been able to locate a pattern for just the neck and arms. I tried searching under Colonial Lady, Parasol girl, Bonnet Girl, and I get amazing pictures, but no actual patterns
After all this rambling, my question is: does anyone know where I can buy the pattern for the neck and arms so I can try to salvage these blocks? I know that quilts are only as old as the newest fabric, but someone spent a lot of time on these, and the needlework is beautiful. They remind me of a quilt that my grandmother had , so I hope someone can point me in the right direction.
I could have backed it with a sturdier fabric if that was the only issue, but the bigger problem is that when I found these on the closet shelf, they were folded in half, and it looks like maybe some critters had been chewing them.
On the left side of each block, there is approx 3 inches of the muslin that has been eaten away, so now these beautiful blocks are unusable as is.
If I trim off the ragged edge, then it diminishes the muslin to about 1/8th away from the skirt of the lady. There is not enough room on the other sides to make it equal, although I might be able to sash it but the teeny seam allowance makes me hesitate to do that.
I have thought about this for a while, and I think my best option might be to cut away the appliqued pieces, and attach them to a heavier fabric. If I go with this option, then I lose the embroidered neck and arms. Currently, there is a book embroidered in the hands. I could add the umbrella that I am used to seeing, but obviously, they would not match the ladies' dresses. I would like to embroider the neck and arms, to keep it in the same style, but I have not been able to locate a pattern for just the neck and arms. I tried searching under Colonial Lady, Parasol girl, Bonnet Girl, and I get amazing pictures, but no actual patterns
After all this rambling, my question is: does anyone know where I can buy the pattern for the neck and arms so I can try to salvage these blocks? I know that quilts are only as old as the newest fabric, but someone spent a lot of time on these, and the needlework is beautiful. They remind me of a quilt that my grandmother had , so I hope someone can point me in the right direction.
09-10-2022, 09:55 AM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: USA
Posts: 378
I have a child’s Crayola light box from Walmart that serves as my light box. There are many home made alternatives. You can use a window during the day. You can use a clear plastic bin with a light underneath. You can lay a piece of acrylic over the separation in a leaf table with a table lamp underneath. Google home made light box and you will get lots of options. I hope someone can find you a source for actual pattern but if not, you made need a do it yourself option.
