'Drezden Daizies'

May I take this opportunity to introduce 'Drezden Daizies'.

2012 AQSG Study of Colonial Revival Quilts from the Early 20th Century

Have you ever come up against a deadline
for a project that just had to get done?
I have.
'Drezden Daizies' made its deadline by way
a technique I call 'applique-quilting'!

Look closely and compare Drezden Daizies with it's inspiration quilt top.
What do they both have in common?
Dresden Plates - yes!

Dresden Plate quilt top - unfinished

In fact, very similar Dresden Plates.
Each Dresden in the quilt top is duplicated in a smaller size in the wall hanging.
How is that possible?

Originally my plan was to scan each of the Dresden Plates into my computer.

Unfortunately they were too large to fit on my scanner bed.

So, I took a photo of each block in the quilt top ...
plus the one extra Dresden Plate that came with it ...
and loaded the photos into the computer.

The top (folded), extra block and a fabric printed image.

With a little Photoshop tweaking each one was printed on fabric in a variety of sizes.

The printed fabric pieces were layered with a lightweight fusible interfacing
with the printed side of the fabric facing the fusible side of the interfacing.

Each Daizy was free-motion stitched following the scalloped edge
of the printed image which was visible through the interfacing.

Each flower was trimmed about 1/8" from the stitching line...

cut a slit in the center of the interfacing...

and turned them right side out
carefully making sure the interfacing would not show.

 

The background was made from an actual Pratt's feed sack.

I cut the feed sack down a bit and used the left over fabric for the outer border.

 The blue inner border is made from the same vintage fabric used in the inspiration piece.
An actual vintage doily was cut in half and stitched into the border seam to add some some dimension.

A little fussing with a red toile print helped create a pitcher that gives the impression of an old red transfer ware pitcher.

Love the red polka dots!

With the key elements in place the Daizies were arranged
in a way that was pleasing to me.

They were then fused them into place.

Rick-rack trim was used to create stems.

 Leaves were created using the same technique used for the flowers before fusing them into place.

(Since I was rushing through this project I did not take many photos of the process. Sorry!)

I then layered the top with cotton batting and the backing fabric.

With all three layers together I appliqued the elements to the quilt while quilting at the same time.

I call this technique applique-quilting.
I stitched around the perimeter of each Daizy and over each would-be seam to create flowers with petals. Details of the leaves and the pitcher were also applique-quilted in a similar manner stitching in details for each.
The rick-rack is stitched down the center.
The background is grid quilted and the border got the quickest feathers I could possibly do at 10:30 p.m. the night before I was schedule to catch a 6:00 a.m. flight from an airport more than 1 hour away.

If you are interested in my quilt or others that appeared in the same exhibit of quilts
inspired by the Early 20th Century Quilt Revival look for

 

Revival!: A Study of Early 20th Century Colonial Revival Quilts

by the American Quilt Study Group

The Colonial Revival era linked quiltmakers’ busy hands with a longing for the past, especially Colonial times. Member of the American Quilt Study Group accepted the challenge to study quilts of this era by making reproductions of Colonial Revival quilts from the early 20th century. Included in the book are 28 study quilts, with patterns for 10. Fifteen of the 28 quilts are traveling across the country in a special exhibit.

8 1/2 x 11 inches, softcover, 96 pages

Happy quilting!

Greta