Weather ‘V’ane/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 25, 2019 by slfinnell

The April A to Z Challenge is in its tenth year, I’ve now participated for 6 of those years, and this year will be my 3rd quilt theme. It’s my first quilt using only patterns from the Kansas City Star newspaper archives. Welcome to my blog!

Weather Vane In StarQuilts
1929 Weather Vane in StarQuilts

I love how it states “Makes a Striking Quilt”. Weather can be pretty striking in certain instances. Kansas City is smack dab in the middle of ‘Tornado Alley’. Well known for that. Some other weather extremes were, most recently, 17 inches of snow dumped mid-January followed by another few inches a week later with pounding winds to boot.

I won’t go on a tangent about our Missouri weather any further. Everyone has extremes in the weather to some extent. So the weather vane in January 1929 might have been an unintentional foreshadowing of the stock market crash and the beginning of the Great Dust Bowl? I just find the irony in these things interesting. Do you?

DId You Know?

According to Weather Channel, Tornado Alley may be shifting east and it’s a mystery as to why. To read more on this phenomenon click here. One reason suspected is the drying of the Great Plains causing this shift. As for someone personally effected, I do believe there has been a shift.

Come back here Monday for another quilt block for the A to Z Challenge! Also be sure to visit the home of the A to Z here and see other entrants challenge posts. There are excellent writers participating every year with topics in whatever you’re interested in

Double T /AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 23, 2019 by slfinnell

DoubleT KCStar 1947
Vintage Double T

This block was featured in the Kansas City Star in 1947 but its roots go back much further to the late 1800’s. Women of that day sewed/ quilted for a cause; in particular to promote prohibition of alcoholic beverages. Temperance quilts were the rage.

Did You Know?

The Women’s Christian Temperance Union founded in 1874 created more quilts for this cause than any other. Closing down saloons was the goal and they would pay 10 Cents to get their name on one of these quilts.

Quilts can still be for a cause. Over at Quilting Patch you can create a 12 x 12 inch mini quilt to benefit the tragic loss of Notre Dame. Click here for all the details.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy is how I’ll describe making this block. I’d love to see a whole red and white quilt on my own bed from this one simple block. And to answer a question from a fellow blogger— Yes I would make the same blocks over and over for a quilt. The end result is worth all the effort.

Scottish Cross/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 22, 2019 by slfinnell

The 1945 Scottish Crown as appeared in the Kansas City Star — The 1945 Scottish Cross as appeared in the Kansas City Star

The Scottish Cross is typically created with plaids and I would suggest it’s a tribute of sorts to things Scottish. Nothing wrong with that! My heritage goes back to that area. But no more on that before I wander into another subject. Let’s focus here on the fabric for this one.

I learned that in researching old Scottish quilts, they preferred to use ‘Turkey’ red plain or prints to prevent bleeding of the colors. Nothing more aggravating than to find all your work ruined by a fabric that can’t keep its’ color to itself. Nowadays, we prewash them. But to avoid this hazard altogether, I chose a different color palette for this block. And besides, I didn’t have much red plaid lying around. And I wasn’t going to use gingham. Nope.

Above you see 3 variations of color arrangments. The one I went with is the first one. I used Plaid-ish prints and stayed in the blue shades. The following pics will give you a view of the steps of this fabric puzzle as it went together.

Finally I present the 1945 Scottish Cross…

Did You Know

According to archives at the Truman Library, Missouri’s own President Harry S. Truman’s
ancestry was predominantly English, with a few German, French, and Scottish lines. Most of the families came from Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, with many of them settling first in Virginia and later moving west to Kentucky. If you ever get the chance, I’d recommend a visit to the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. You won’t be disappointed!

Letter R for Rambler/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 20, 2019 by slfinnell

The Rambler pattern in 1929 in the Kansas City Star recommended rose,pink, green and white to resemble a rambling rose. These days you can still find wild roses blooming in rural Missouri and the Midwest. But …….

Did You Know?

There are over 150 species of roses and thousands of hybrids available in pretty much whatever color you desire. You can even dip them in a favorite color if that isn’t enough. So I present today my version of the redraft Rambler in My color choice.

1929 Rambler from the Kansas City Star as in Star Quilts

Earlier in an A to Z 2019 post I’d mentioned I had neglected to show the whole process in creating Flying Geese blocks. So I’ve decided to remedy that in a picture tutorial for your viewing in case you decide to take the leap into the world of quilting. It’s the easiest method I’ve found. I definitely recommend it. For you mathmeticians out there who want a smaller block, simply figure your ratios and you can create any size you desire. These are going into the 12 inch block, Rambler.

Finally, I present the Rambler redraft in my own color choices. No green for me. No Pink either. I kinda like it this way.

The rest of my 4-day weekend is to be spent sewing. I have gotten behind and I do Not like it one bit! Thank heaven for some time off and Happy Easter to those celebrating.

Letter Q for Chain Quilt/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 19, 2019 by slfinnell

From KC Star Sampler book

Originally this 1942 block was pieced by Mrs. Matushek of RR3(that’s rural route 3 for you city folks) from Cuba, Missouri. It then measured 9 3/4 inches and in her quilt, she made ‘rows’ of chains in pastel shades. I am happy to say this one measured the size the book says, 12 inches (plus seam allowances).

I had doubts as to whether I wanted to tackle this one even though I’m not typically afraid of curved seams. But I just finished it Tuesday evening and I had fingers crossed that it would go smoothly. Thanks to the great instructions, I had no issues but once with a pucker that I had to rip a few stitches for and resew. Fully satisfied with my outcome even though I was in such a hurry. Naturally because of that hurry it could have done with some extra pinning. But this is a quilt block a day for April and I must move on.

Did You Know?

Cuba, Missouri, the home of the KC Star block contributor in 1942 is located on the historic Route 66 in southern Missouri. This highway was known as the Road to Opportunity back during the Great Depression as more than 200,000 people migrated via this road to California during the Dust Bowl days.

Come back here tomorrow for another quilt block for the A to Z Challenge! Also be sure to visit the home of the A to Z here and see other entrants challenge posts. There are excellent writers participating every year with topics in whatever you’re interested in

Letter P for Pinwheels/AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 18, 2019 by slfinnell

Pinwheels Redraft Options fro Star Quilts
KC Star Pinwheel 1930

As the book states, “Simplicity recommends this quilt block”, you can’t go wrong with a pinwheel block. Lots of options for layouts as you can see in the redraft version to the left. The Kansas City Star first published the pattern on April 19, 1930. Pretty good staying power after 89 years I’d say.

Checking right sides are correct
Fabric Choices
Pinwheels Layout

Be sure to keep right sides and wrong sides flipped accordingly or you’ll have a ‘dull’ spot in your quilt blocks. There’s nothing that stands out more than the wrong side of a fabric in one little area. This is why I lay my blocks out beforehand. Just saves me from spending time with that seam ripper.

Also known as Flutter Wheels, these Pinwheels make a quilt cheerful. Hope you’ll recognize them next time you see them in an old quilt.

Did You Know?

Remember the Our Gang and Little Rascals Movies? The classic films with Alfalfa, Darla, Spanky, Buckwheat, Stymie, Porky and more?? Our small town of Sedalia, Missouri is birthplace to an actress, Grace Ivadell Carter. Her birthdate is January 7, 1914 and she did parts in 3 of these different short movies (or shorts) in 1923 and 1924. Her appearances in these shorts totaled 8. Saluting yet another Missourian in the A to Z Challenge this year.

Letter N for Name on Each Friendship/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 16, 2019 by slfinnell

Another signature block for this AtoZ quilt was just what I needed. You can’t have too much writing on a quilt when you want it to memorialize something. Just don’t ask me what I’ll be writing on the block at this particular moment. Time will tell. I have to say I like the ’56 version with the star points better than I do the redraft version on the left.

I decided to show some corrections I had to make. You can see in my layout photo on the right that I had it correct, but when sewing, I turned a couple sections wrong and ended up spending some time with my beloved seam ripper.

All’s well in the end result for this block. It even measured the correct 12 inches.

Did You Know?

The Star and Elvis spilled the beans on a young Elvis fan on May 25, 1956. According to the article, a teenager snuck out of the house to see him in concert. Being convinced she’d gotten by with it was short-lived however. Served to her on her breakfast plate the next morning was a copy of the Kansas City Star with her picture on the front page.

Letter M for Milky Way/AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 15, 2019 by slfinnell

Vintage MIlky Way quilt from Star Quilts
Milky Way as in KC Star 1930

If you’re making a whole quilt of this block you may notice that you need to alternate the middle block or ‘star’ from lights to darks to get the desired results. But for this challenge, I needed only to create the one block.

Above you’ll see the yellow and white half-square triangle. In whole quilts that would need to alternate as a blue and white color scheme. (refer to quilt picture above)

Last Seam
Milky Way Layout

Essentially, you have a 9-patch block here. Sewn in 3 rows and finally attached with 2 long seams.

Did You Know?

In keeping with the era of the 1930’s I’m sharing with you about an astronomer, Robert Julius Trumpler today. He revealed that the size of the Milky Way Galaxy was off. And give us the ‘real’ map of stars and clusters, a way was needed to get a view through that dust. The tool itself wasn’t invented until the 1950’s but, “Thank You!” Trumpler for paving the way!!

Letter L for Maple Leaf/AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 13, 2019 by slfinnell

From Star Quilts- a vintage Maple Leaf block quilt

From Star Quilts - Kansas City Star 1930 version

In 1930, the Kansas City Star said ‘green makes a pretty maple leaf quilt’ That may be, but the maple leaf’s splendor is the colorful display it makes in the fall. Everyone knows that right?? Well if not, look it up.

The colors in this block won’t necessarily reflect the colorful scenes of a forest full of maple trees. But it is going to make a nice addition to the quilt top. Even if I did have to adjust nearly every solid colored square by trimming away 1/4 inch on 2 sides of them. I’m not complaining. But I have to say I never saw this coming when I planned a Kansas City Star quilt project. I wonder what the quilters of days past would have said about these measurement issues? Did they not make samplers??

Ok I am complaining.

Just a little adjusting goin’ on around here. If you sew quilts, you’ll see the number this block has played on me by not being correctly published. But it is the way of the A to Z right? Adjust your schedule, time, photos, etc. You get the idea. So maybe this is a life lesson for me. Let me continue to the end. It did work out ok, just shy of an inch.

Measuring 11 inches, I present the Maple Leaf block. I will forever remember the trimming and holding my breath til the very end. I salute you quilt professionals out there.

Did You Know?

The Maple Leaf Rag, by Scott Joplin, was published in Sedalia, Missouri in 1899 by a local music store owner, Joh Stark. It became a classic model for ragtime tunes and Sedalians are pretty proud as it holds the annual Scott Joplin Festival each year during the first weekend of June.

Letter K for Flying Kite/AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 12, 2019 by slfinnell

In 1937 Flying was a pretty big part of the news with Amelia Earhart, the Hindenburgh and Jacqueline Cochran (who set a national speed record for women). Why not create a quilt block called Flying Kite?!

Flying Kite Layout
The chosen colors

Confession time…I went shopping with mom and in a big way. A local store (fabric store) went out of business after the owner passed away and a couple fabrics you see here were fat quarters, not scraps. Sigh. Couldn’t help it. Sometimes a girl has to go for the bargains.

And who can pass up a great sale?

If you like pinwheels, this is a spinner variety you should love.

Did You Know?

So on the topic of sales, in 1937 I thought I’d share the cost of living for some things.

New House $4,100
Yearly wages average $1780
Gallon of gas 10 cents
Loaf of bread 9 cents
New car $760

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Katy Trail Creations

I Quilt, Crochet and Sew as well as care for children in my day job. Never a dull moment!

Tag Archives: #AtoZQuilt

Weather ‘V’ane/ AtoZ 2019

DId You Know?

Double T /AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Scottish Cross/ AtoZ 2019

Did You Know

Letter R for Rambler/ AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Letter Q for Chain Quilt/ AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Letter P for Pinwheels/AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Letter N for Name on Each Friendship/ AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Letter M for Milky Way/AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Letter L for Maple Leaf/AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Letter K for Flying Kite/AtoZ 2019

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