Chester County Criswell

 I started stitching  the Chester  Criswell quilt in 2012 along with Sharon from Two Bits Patches.  Each month we would receive a block pattern from the quilt, along with the history behind the maker of the block.

My version of this quilt is a little different from the original.  I set my blocks on point and used a red crackle fabric for the setting triangles and border.

Each block is stitched on a different cream print fabric.

The original was set straight and has no border.

Most months I would stitch two versions of the block so I have 15 more blocks to make another quilt.  

I haven’t decided how I want to lay out the second one.

I really enjoyed sewing along with Sharon and all the other ladies that stitched this quilt.

It was interesting to learn about Sharon’s family members who had originally stitched the blocks.

There is now an ebook about this quilt that can be found here if you would like to know the history behind the quilt.

Until the next time,

Nancy

Ohio Sampler and Other Projects

It’s Friday and Karen, Lori, LuAnn and Cathy are posting their  Ohio Sampler updates.  Since I have already assembled my quilt I thought I would post an update on some of the other quilts I have been working on.

First Benjamin Biggs.  

I will say I have done a complete turn around on my attitude about this quilt.
At first the dark reds I had chosen to uses didn’t appeal to me but after putting the first half of the quilt together I find I really like the way it is looking.

Next Chester Chriswell.  

I chose to make both versions of this months blocks because even if they are the same block they look so different when you add the green.

It’s hard to believe that after three years of working on this quilt we only have one block left to stitch.

There were a few more photos I would like to have uploaded for this post but it seems the new Apple  Photo App is not cooperating .  I hate this new update.  It is so confusing and difficult to use.  In my opinion change is not always a good thing.
Until next time,
Nancy

Ohio Collection and other blocks

 It’s Friday and time for an update on my Ohio Collection progress.

I stitched three blocks this week.  The lamb, the basket and this great rooster.  Once again thanks Karen for sending me the drawings for these blocks.  They add so much to my quilt.  It’s getting close to the time I need to start trying to figure out how all of these blocks are going to go together to make a quilt.
Hop over to visit Lori, Cathy, LuAnn and Karen for a Friday update on their blocks.

I am also up to date with my Chester Criswell  blocks.. There are only two more blocks left in this three year journey.

This is my latest Benjamin Biggs block.

Until next time,

Nancy

Blocks, Borders and Decisions

Auntie Green side borders

Noah and Matilda side border

Chester Criswell Mary McDowell Block 28

  

Chester Criswell Maria Criswell Block 29

Block 13 The center Benjamin Biggs block

Benjamin Biggs Block 14 

I have been doing a lot of stitching this month keeping up with all the quilts I have in progress.

Chester Criswell, Auntie Green and Noah and Matilda are almost coming to an end but I have several others in  the beginning stage.

I have also been contemplating getting rid of my long arm machine. I can never seem to get it to work the way I want it to and spend a lot of time taking out stitches.  Maybe hand quilting is the way to go.  I do love hand quilted quilts but they take so long to finish.

Maybe I could be like my Paternal Grandmother an amazing woman pictured here in a newspaper article.  Who at the age of 98 was still quilting away.
We can only hope.

I know I am not able to afford quilting by check as most of my tops are appliquéd and need custom quilting and I have a lot of tops that need to be turned into quilts.  So many decisions.  I think I will just go for a walk.

Hope you find some time to do what makes you happy today.

Nancy 

End of the Year Post

I really can’t believe another year has come and gone.  Looking back on what I have accomplished all I see are lots of blocks laying around.  First there are all the Chester Chriswell blocks.  We are now up to block 27 . 

The Susanna Chriswell block.

Then there are the Benjamin Biggs blocks

Block Eleven

Block twelve

I did complete this little quilt to give to my Granddaughter and her Americian Girl doll as a Christmas gift.  They both loved it.  I think it was the minky leopard fabric on the back they loved.

Chester Criswell

 Just to catch up on my third year blocks for the Chester Chriswell quilt.

Block 24 Alice Richmond

Block 25 Sarah Stubbs

The quilt has three Sarah Stubbs blocks but I only made two.

 Block 26 Elizabeth Cummins

I thought about not continuing on with the third year but I have a hard time not finishing something I start so I am continuing on.  So far this third year has held some pretty blocks so I am happy I didn't quit. Now I need to start thinking about how I want to lay this one out.  I might even decide to make two quilts since I have so many blocks.
Happy stitching,
Nancy

Chester Criswell

I have gotten a little behind posting about my Chester Criswell blocks so I thought I would do a little update

Block 21 Mary Trayner

Block 22 Jesse Jackson Smith

Block 23 Mary Watkins

Block 23 is the last block for this year so I tried to organize a little and see what I had.  I have been working on this quilt for two years now just using reds and greens from my stash of reproduction fabrics and different patterned cream background fabrics.  I have begun to worry that maybe I was ending up with just a great hodgepodge of colors that might not all go together so well.

It’s not too easy to tell by looking at these pictures but I think I can make it work if I mix things up a bit and spread the colors around.

Some of the blocks in this quilt were repeated and I might just take the duplicates out so it would not be quite so large because 37 blocks plus this large center block which is the size of 4 of the smaller 12 inch blocks tends to make a very big quilt.  

Tell me do I really need to continue on for another year?

Happy stitching,

Nancy

Chester Criswell

  Block 20 Margaretta Harris’s Block

I decided to use the quick, fabric wasting method to make my Chester Criswell block this month.  Since I have more fabric than time.

First I  printed 4 copies of the pattern, reversed two and taped them together to make a complete pattern.  Then I traced the whole pattern onto freezer paper.  I then ironed this to another piece of freezer paper to make it sturdier. So I could turn the edges.

Since there were no connecting lines in the pattern I made sure to put some registration marks so I would be able to line the pieces up again once cut apart.

After cutting the pattern out I ironed two pieces to one piece of fabric and two on another.

I had previously marked the pattern on my background with a blue wash away marker and was careful to include the registration marks.  Difficult to see in the picture but they are there.

I then turned the edges with my starch and little iron.  Placed them on the background and stitched.
I have never done  back basting but I think it would be a good method to use for this block.
With back basting it could be done from one piece of fabric without all the waste.
Happy Stitching,
Nancy

Chester Criswell Block 19

I made two versions of this months Chester Criswell block.

                   Block 19 Emily Carlile

Block 19 Margaret Criswell

Both blocks are made from the same pattern and I think I caught a subtle message in this months print out about there being a third year.  This is going to be a large quilt.

BB, CC and NM

I am working on so much red and green sometime it is a little confusing keeping each group of fabric seperate.

This is block two of the Benjamin Biggs quilt, BB.  I decided to make all the corner buds cheddar.  These blocks are so large, 16” finished.  I have made the first two blocks and am beginning to second guess my decision to make this quilt.

Block 18 of the Chester Criswell quilt, CC.
Mary McKissick’s Block.  The quilt has three of this block two red and one red and green.  I think I will stop with two.

                 

The next four blocks are of the Noah and Matilda quilt.  This one is one of my favorites.  I like the little 8” blocks and how different they are.