Read an Excerpt

Wise Craft Quilts

A Guide to Turning Beloved Fabrics into Meaningful Patchwork

Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Willy Loman

Although it is unclear what he actually did sell, the character of Mr. Loman from Death of a Salesman became a topic of conversation when a friend unearthed salesman sample cases dated from 1956 in the attic of his new home. Seven black carrying cases, to be exact, and they were full of swatch cards with fabrics on them, completely intact and untouched. The fabrics were for men's topcoats that could be "Tailored for a Custom Fit" by the Progress Company of Chicago, Illinois. Swatch card after swatch card had samples of woolens, woolen blends, sharkskin (yes!)--all the newest fabrics of the period. It seemed time had completely forgotten this collection and, in doing so, had graciously left them in impeccable condition. The swatches became a part of my stash, and I couldn't wait to use them.

The straightforward construction of Willy Loman will get you comfortable with piecing together squares and rectangles that are different sizes, and I will share my strategies for working with thicker fabrics such as wool or corduroy. But keep in mind, any type of fabric collection will work with this quilt design. The key is looking at the different possibilities within a limited color palette. Focus on creating surface interest with color and texture of the squares, which is the real heart of this design.

Maybe watch Death of a Salesma n while you work....

Finished Quilt Size:

49 x 56 inches, for a crib- or lap-sized quilt

Techniques: General patchwork, joining odd-sized pieces, sewing with bulky fabrics, tying quilt layers

Fabrics

For the Feature Fabric: 450 swatches. My swatches were a mixture of squares and rectangles, all sized a little differently, some were 3 x 3 inches, others were 4 x 5 inches.

For the Backing: 3 5/8 yards quilting weight fabric. Backing should be least 4 inches larger than your quilt top's total length and width.

For the Binding: ½ yard of coordinating quilting weight fabric

Feature Fabric Suggestion: Swatches can be made from several pieces of clothing. Suitable fabrics are heavy cottons, wool or wool blends (like overcoats), upholstery fabric, and corduroy. The more variety in color and pattern you have, the better.

Other Materials

Low-Loft Cotton Batting: 1 package batting measuring at least 53 x 60 inches. Batting should be least 4 inches larger than your quilt top's total length and width.

1 skein of contrast worsted weight wool yarn for tying

My Color and Design Notes

My quilt's size was dictated by the number of swatches I had, which was 450. Your quilt may need more or less, depending on the sizes of your cut pieces and desired quilt size. This design can easily be made larger or smaller depending on your materials and needs.

Due to the thickness of wool fabrics, I recommend sewing with a seam allowance closer to inch instead of the standard ¼ inch. You also might find a sewing stiletto helpful to guide the thick layers of fabric under the presser foot.

Due to the thickness of the wool fabric, I pressed my seam allowances open to reduce overall bulk. If you use quilting cotton weight fabric, press all the seam allowances to one side.

Most of the swatches from the original cards were either dark or light — all typical colors you would imagine for men's overcoats. Once I started playing with the swatches on the design wall, I knew I wanted more color options to achieve the effect I had in mind: a gradual transition across the quilt from pale to dark. Given the limited palette of my swatches, this meant getting creative with how I could achieve more color and interest.

First, I added more texture and pattern options by using backs of some of the swatches. Next, a search on Etsy turned up some overdyed wool swatches in beautifully bright shades that I incorporated in the middle color range. Finally, I experimented with overdyeing some of the lighter swatches with Kool-Aid, creating some fun jewel tones that I sprinkled throughout the design. Decide how far you want to take your color palette and be open to experimenting.

For a few areas, I sewed two smaller scraps of fabric together to create one larger square or rectangle, then pieced them with the seam running perpendicular to the horizontal seams of the column in which they were included. I love this effect and think it really adds to the visual movement of the quilt. If you decide to try this, make sure there is good contrast between the two fabrics you piece together so the new patched piece shows up nicely in the design.

If two colors did not seem to work well next to each other, sometimes adding more color variations and contrast around them was all that I needed to make them work much better.

Rather than try to machine quilt the layers of a thick wool quilt such as this, I opted to hand tie the layers together using a periwinkle blue wool yarn. This added even more color contrast and texture to the quilt's surface. When the quilt is washed, the wool ties will felt and mat nicely, almost like a small pom-pom.

PREPARE THE FABRICS

1. Refer to the section Preparing Vintage and Secondhand Fabric (page 150) for information on preparing your fabric. I recommend washing the patchwork fabrics and backing all together to preshrink them (no need to wash the batting), unless you are worried about color bleeding, in which case you should wash separately until you are sure color bleeding will not be a problem. If you are using yardage for your swatches, wash and dry the entire piece first before cutting it into swatches. Once the fabrics are dry, steam press them well.

CUT AND SORT THE FABRICS

2. If you are starting with swatches as I did, you will simply work with the sizes you have. For cutting panels of clothing or remnants, use a rotary cutter, cutting mat, and long quilter's ruler to cut long 3-inch-wide strips from selvedge to selvedge. Sub cut these strips into squares and rectangles of varying widths.

3. Sort the cut pieces into 4 basic color groups: pale, medium, darker, and darkest. Decide which color ranges you would like more of. Maybe make a trip to the thrift store or experiment with overdyeing to fill in any sparse groups.

4. If you plan to over dye some of the fabric, do so now. To dye % yard or less of prewashed wool or other natural fiber fabric with Kool-Aid, begin by presoaking the fabric to be dyed in warm water with a drop of Ivory Liquid soap for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Measure 8 cups of water into a pot and bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Add 1 packet of Kool-Aid powder mix to the water and stir well. (Tip: You can deepen colors by adding more than one box of mix at a time.) Immerse the fabric and stir very well with tongs to evenly saturate the fabric. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often and checking periodically to see how much of the color is absorbed. When the color looks good and the water is clear or cloudy white, remove the fabric and immerse it in cool water to allow it to cool. Wash and dry the dyed fabric swatches thoroughly before using them in your quilt.

LAY OUT THE DESIGN

5. On a design wall, lay out the quilt design starting from the top, working down. To make a quilt similar to mine, you will need 19 vertical columns of swatches, and each column will be roughly 3 to 4 inches wide. Place the colors as if fitting together a puzzle, the paler fabrics start at the top, and the overall effect deepens as the eye moves toward the bottom of the quilt (see a). As the value deepens down each column, I found it fun to occasionally throw in a swatch of a much different value, but this is not necessary. Continue arranging the pieces, stopping occasionally to stand back and consider the full design layout from a distance. Use a reducing glass to take in the entire design and look at color distribution. Consider leaving the finished layout up overnight and look at it with fresh eyes in the morning. Once you are happy with the layout, take a picture to refer to later.

CONSTRUCT THE QUILT TOP

6. Sew the columns together top to bottom, working from left to right across the quilt top. To keep things in order, take the swatches from the design wall 1 column at a time, always keeping the top swatch on top of the stack, then adding the rest of the swatches in order behind it. Bring the stack to the sewing machine, and sew each of the swatches together individually, right sides together, until the entire first column is done. Press the seam allowances open to reduce overall bulk. If your pieces are like mine, the sewn edges will not line up perfectly on both sides. Trim the uneven side of the finished column to even it up (see b). Place the sewn column back on the wall, grab the next one to sew, and repeat. Continue until all columns are sewn and trimmed.

7. Sew the columns to each other, starting from the left side of the layout. Pin 2 columns as needed, right sides together, and sew. Press the seam allowances open. The beauty of this design is that there are no seams to line up between the columns. Use a sewing stiletto to guide the bulkier areas under the presser foot if needed.

FINISH THE QUILT

Refer to Quilting 101 (page 145) for more information on each of these steps.

8. If needed, piece fabric together to make the quilt backing, which should measure at least 4 inches larger than the finished top's length and width. Layer the quilt backing, batting, and quilt top to create a quilt sandwich of all 3 layers. Pin baste the layers together.

9. Using a Frixion or water-soluble marker, measure and mark a grid of dots every 3 inches across the entire quilt top for tying.

10. Tie the quilt layers together with worsted wool yarn. Begin at the very center of the quilt top and work outward. Using a tapestry needle threaded with a long strand of yarn and working from the front of the quilt, make a stitch down and up through all layers at one of the marks, leaving tails at least 3 inches long (see c). Tie a square knot and evenly trim the yarn ends to the desired length. Repeat these knots across the entire quilt.

11. Once the ties are completed, trim the edges of all the quilt layers so they are even on all 4 sides, measuring 49 * 56 inches or your desired size.

12. Prepare the binding and bind the quilt following the instructions on page

13. Label your quilt following the instructions on page 156.

Sample Box

I came across this collection of brocade upholstery showroom samples online, and it instantly reminded me of my great aunts. As a young girl, these women played big roles in my life, and I always felt loved by them. Each of their homes was adorned with a small and simple yet beautifully done parlor, and I remember them sitting together in these rooms, drinking black coffee, and prattling on about how to solve all the family's problems. I don't remember if there was brocade upholstery, but maybe there should have been.

These samples came together as a set, and are not a palette I usually work with. But I do love a creative challenge. To me, the final quilt feels very Bloomsbury, a British style from the early 1900s that embraced rich color and pattern, and exemplified filling your living space with things you love. I think this quilt would be so striking as a wall hanging or as a lap quilt draped over the back of a couch.

Finished Quilt Size:

44 x 44 inches, for a throw-sized quilt

Finished Block Size

9 x 9 inches

Techniques: General patchwork piecing, nine-patch piecing, walking foot quilting, making a quilt without binding

Fabrics

For the Feature Fabric: ½ yard each of 9 different fabrics

For the Backing: 3 yards quilting cotton. Backing should be least 4 inches larger than your quilt top's length and width.

Feature Fabric Suggestion: I used home decor weight, brocade upholstery samples for my quilt, nine color-ways of the same pattern. Four larger pieces measured 26 x 26 inches and 5 smaller pieces measured 17 x 17 inches. I suggest using as many colors as you can, repeating colors for the larger squares only if you have to.

Other Materials

Low-Loft Cotton Batting: 1 package batting measuring at least 48 x 48 inches. Batting should be least 4 inches larger than your quilt top's length and width.

My Color and Design Notes

The color and style rules I impose on the quilts I make can be fun to play around with, and I suggest trying a few of your own rules as you lay out your quilt. While putting this layout up on my design wall, I made up a simple rule that the same colors would never sit side by side. My goal was to create good visual contrast between the nine patch blocks and the larger blocks. But, as usual, I followed this rule while it made sense and broke it when it didn't. At times, I preferred the way a small block of color looked next to a larger block of the same color. A trick I use to get more color options is to use both the right and wrong sides of the fabrics throughout the quilt top. Experiment with this in your own quilt; it can create some interesting color variations.

This quilt does not have traditional binding; it just did not seem to work with the design. Some quilts simply work better without it. I will walk you through how to create a finished edge with no binding.

I machine quilted a simple straight line in a large diamond pattern across the solid squares of the quilt using a deep blue thread and my sewing machine's walking foot. These fabrics felt busy enough and didn't seem to need elaborate quilting.

PREPARE THE FABRICS

1. Refer to the section Preparing Vintage and Secondhand Fabric (page 150) for information on preparing your fabric. Knowing they had probably been handled frequently as showroom samples, I had my fabrics dry-cleaned before I cut them. Also knowing that this quilt would most likely be hung, the fabrics did not need to be put through a rigorous wash test. Each of my original pieces were chain stitched along the edges to prevent fraying. If fraying is a concern, trim the edges of your fabrics with pinking shears before washing or cleaning.

CUT THE FABRICS

2. Make the following cuts from your fabrics: Thirteen squares measuring 94 inches and 108 squares measuring 314 inches. Cut each size square from as many different colors as you can.

LAY OUT THE DESIGN

3. On a design wall, lay out the quilt design starting from the top left, working across to the right, then down (see a). The Nine Patch blocks between each of the larger squares are created using 9 of the 34-inch squares. Use 3 squares across and 3 down to create 1 Nine Patch block. I made each of my Nine Patch blocks very scrappy, randomly placing colors in each. You could play with alternating dark and light fabrics in your version, or play around with other color placement options, like creating a stripe effect by placing three darker ones in the center row, surrounded at top and bottom by lighter colors. Take a step back from the design often; considering it from a distance gives you a better idea of how the overall design is developing. When you are happy with the layout, take a picture to refer to as you begin construction.

CONSTRUCT THE QUILT TOP

4. Start by sewing the Nine Patch blocks. Take the squares for 1 Nine Patch block down from the design wall and position them in order by your sewing machine. With right sides together, start at the top left and stitch the first row of squares to each other; press the seam allowances to one side. Repeat for the next row, but press the seam allowances going in the opposite direction. Stitch the bottom row together and press the seam allowances in the same direction as the first row. From there, stitch the rows together, from top to bottom. By pressing the seam allowances of each row in opposite directions, the seams should now line up and nest when the rows are sewn together. Add a pin at this intersection, if you'd like, to ensure the seam allowances stay where you like when you sew the rows together; I use my sewing stiletto to act as a pin and hold it all together. Press the seam allowances to the same side. Check the size of each finished block and, if necessary, trim to measure 94 inches square. Place the finished unit back on the design wall. Repeat this step to create a total of 12 Nine Patch blocks.

5. Sew the rows of the quilt together, starting from the top left, and going across, sewing the blocks together. Again, press each row's seam allowances in opposite directions so the seams will line up and nest when the rows are sewn together. Sew the rows to each other, press the seam allowances to the same side, and the quilt top is complete.

FINISH THE QUILT

Refer to Quilting 101 (page 145) for more information on each of these steps.

6. If needed, join fabric pieces together to make the appropriately sized quilt backing. Place your quilt backing on the worktable, wrong side up. Tape it to the table on all 4 sides with painter's blue tape to ensure it lies flat. Lay the batting over the backing. Instead of pin basting as I usually do, I found it helpful to use a bit of spray adhesive between the backing and batting to hold them together and flat (use in a well-ventilated area and follow package instructions). Once these layers are sandwiched together and smooth, remove the painter's tape and trim the batting and backing to be the same size as the quilt top; no need to leave extra for the next steps.

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Excerpted from Wise Craft Quilts by Blair Stock, Stephanie Congdon Barnes. Copyright © 2017 Blair Stocker. Excerpted by permission of Shambhala Publications, Inc..
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