Keeping a Quilt Journal

GUEST BLOG from my friend Misty Cole:

Keeping a Quilt Journal

Photos and text by Misty M. Cole

A friend of mine recently joined a long-term class to make a Dear Jane quilt.  It is composed of 225 unique blocks, and in the book that reproduces the 1863 patterns, Brenda Papadakis recommends putting together a journal before beginning your blocks. I saw my friend’s journal when she was working on her blocks at a meeting one day. I was about to begin work on a Baltimore Garden quilt, and I thought the binder idea was just fantastic. I decided to put together my own journal before I began appliquéing.

The binder is a nice structure for a quilt journal, since you can add or subtract pages as needed. My binder has pockets in each cover which is convenient for holding receipts, selvages or anything else you want to keep handy. To begin, I found a roomy binder.  I put a color copy of the full quilt in the front cover.

I filled the binder with page protectors. I printed out all my patterns from the Baltimore Garden CD, and put one in every other sleeve.  I made a journal template on my word processor, which had spaces for date begun, date finished, and notes about each block.  I printed out one sheet for each block in the quilt, and labeled each sheet with the block names and letters.

As  I prep each block for applique, I put my pieces into a small plastic baggie and slide it into the sleeve opposite my journal page for that block, where I stored the block pattern.  When I am done sewing the applique, I return the bag of freezer paper templates to the sleeve in case I need them later.
On each journal page, I list dates and notes as I sew. I list things like measurements I need to refer to later, or what was happening on the day I started this block (“I have a new niece!”). I can add in-progress photos.

Why keep a quilting journal? It helps keep a record of how long it took to complete a project. It is a way to stay organized so you don’t lose patterns or pieces of fabric or information. You can keep track of how much money you have spent on a project. It can be a great motivational tool, for those days you are feeling discouraged or bored with your project. It is a wonderful souvenir for long after your project is done.

Even if you do not want a binder journal, there are plenty of other options. Jot down your notes in a spiral notebook or blank journal dedicated to quilting projects.  You might even choose to keep a spreadsheet on your computer with simple information about each quilt, like title, size, year completed, where it currently resides, where it has been shown, etc.

You can print free journal pages at this website: http://www.quilties.com/projects/printable-quilt-journal-pages/

I have found my journal to be a very useful tool.  I hope you find a method of journaling about your quilts that works for you!

Thanks Misty, for being my guest blogger today!
Keep Stitching (and journaling),
Barbara M. Burnham

Baltimore Applique Society's Lady of Victory Quilt

My friend Taryn wrote recently about the unveiling of the Lady of Victory opportunity quilt on her blog "Reproduction and Antique Lover"  with photos of the lovely applique block she made. So, I thought I would share the story about this quilt, and photos of the block I made.

How the project came about: Mary Koval purchased a beautiful Baltimore Album quilt. The center block is Baltimore's "Battle Monument" and at the top of that monument stands the Lady of Victory -- thus the name "Lady of Victory Quilt." Mary has since donated the antique quilt to the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

The patterns: Mary graciously gave her permission to the Baltimore Applique Society to produce the Lady of Victory quilt pattern. The pattern set includes 25 - 18"x18" patterns, border patterns, information on the history of the quilt, and a CD-ROM with a high-resolution photo of each block. Proceeds from pattern sales will help the BAS further its goals to help museums preserve antique quilts and to promote the art of applique.

The opportunity quilt: Baltimore Applique Society then produced an opportunity quilt from the pattern set. BAS members volunteered to stitch the blocks, then all the embroidery details were added. Blocks were to be made as close to the antique quilt as possible. Volunteers were each given a kit with all the fabrics, a photo of the antique block and a pattern to work from.

     Here are some closeups of the block that I stitched. Lots of techniques on this block! The eagle's eye is an oval fussy-cut. I tried to keep the edges nice and smooth, but keep the little lines that look like eyelashes. It was a challenge to needleturn such a tiny piece by hand! But that beak was the most difficult challenge -- to get that red part flat underneath and then cover all the edges with the inner and outer points on the beak.

To make this flower, I sewed strips of red and pink together, then cut the petals out one at a time; the same way we often make split leaves from two green fabrics.

Berries were made the same way.

... and a little split bud. The little pointy red bud but was done with reverse applique. The eagle's yellow feathers could be done with reverse applique, or applique on top. I chose to stitch them on top -- I basted them on in a group as one piece, then cutaway excess a little at a time.

The flag is red stripes only, just like on the antique quilt. The star on the flag was MUCH easier to stitch by stacking two triangles crisscross.

I hope you enjoyed this little applique closeup tour. I can't wait to see the whole quilt in person, all quilted!

Keep Stitching!

~ Barbara