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Cindy's Tips


COOL SLEEPING...THE OLD-TIME WAY
How did our ancestors do it? With a "summer spread," an unlined (or lightly lined) quilt, often simply pieced and embroidered. (Redwork was a favorite technique.) Sometimes the quilt top was backed with a sheet, the edges turned and whipstitched together. Sometimes the top was left unbacked, and the raw seams turned over and handstitched, french seam-style. White, cool muslin was the main ingredient in these refreshing pieces.

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I need an appliqué pattern to help me learn the technique. PDF Print E-mail
Dear Cindy,
I am looking for an appliqué quilt pattern that I recently saw in a book
on Hand Quilting.  I believe it is called "A Thousand Leaves".  Do you
know where I might look for/find it?  I believe it may also have  another name by which it used to be called, or is now called but I don't remember what the alternative was.  The pattern is basically just leaves around stems and I believe all was hand appliquéd on the quilt top.  Thank you so much for any info you can provide.


Holly,
Unfortunately, there are many books out on hand quilting, and I'm not sure which one you're referring to. My guess is, though, that you're talking about a pattern that was one of the major prizewinners in the 1933 Sears quilt contest for the Chicago World's Fair.  It had what looked like thousands of the same kind of leaf (a willow type) in different fabrics, appliquéd to a winding vine. The Needlecraft  Supply Co. offered a kit similar to it in 1935. You can see that quilt in  Barbara Brackman and Merikay Waldvogel's book, SOUVENIRS OF THE WORLD'S FAIR (Rutledge Press). That quilt's official name, I believe, was  "Autumn Leaves." 

I have seen it in two different settings -- one, in long wide  vertical strips (usually about three), sometimes with green sashing separating the strips and forming an outer border -- and sometimes not. I  have also seen it as one big rectangle of appliquéd leaves/stems -- then a  blank white border all around -- then another border of appliquéd  leaves/stems -- then a blank white border -- then a final border of appliquéd  leaves and stems. (This is shown as #88.17, "Autumn Leaves," pg. 175, in  Barbara Brackman's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF APPLIQUE.)

It is simple enough that you probably don't need a pattern. Just measure your bed and decide on what size you want the quilt to be. (One common size for queen beds is 84" x 96"; you might also consult Judy Martin's wonderful all-purpose guide to math,  patchwork-style: TAKING THE MATH OUT OF PATCHWORK QUILTS (Leman pub.). Draw a curved line, then reverse it for the other side, let the curves meet, and there's your willow leaf. Now all you have to do is buy or make some bias trim. (Consult a good basic quilt making book, like QUIILTER'S COMPLETE GUIDE by Fons & Porter, for instructions on bias trim -- it's the same as bias binding.) 

Sketch your basic quilt out first on a piece of graph or lined paper, then use a water-washable pen or pencil  (light hand!) to sketch the same basic lines on the fabric. Appliqué the trim  down, following the marked lines. Then add leaves until you're  satisfied. It will indeed take about 1,000 leaves. They're actually a good  take-along project: cut the leaves out beforehand, adding 1/4" seam  allowance, then turn the edges under and baste while you're at the dentist or  doctor. I don't want to steer you wrong, but this  quilt will take a long time to appliqué. However, it will be worth it in the  end. 

Good luck to you,
Cindy Brick

 
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