Basting Does Not Mean That You Are Cooking a Turkey

Megan is away for the week, and so it is eerily quiet around the house.  The weather is warming up, my daffodils are starting to bloom, and Max is spending more time outside.  Brian is spending the days working in his office. THE HOUSE IS MINE!!!!!

So this means that it is time to do some of those tasks that require commandeering large amounts of space.  This week, that means that I will be sandwiching and basting all of my finished quilt tops, and then they will be ready to put on the trusty Bernina in order get them quilted this year.  Now, a little bit about quilting those carefully pieced and colorful quilt tops. My grandmother taught me how to sew and quilt in when I was 9, so I did get a few quilts made in my early days, but finishing them was a very daunting task for me. I kept sewing, but gave up quilting for a long time. I started quilting again in the mid 1980s and learned to machine quilt from Harriet Hargraves, the mother of modern day machine quilting, when she came to give a lecture and workshop at an East Bay Heritage Quilters Guild meeting in the late 1980s.  I loved the fact that I no longer had to do hand quilting, and that my quilt could be finished in days instead of weeks or months. Lots of people send their quilts out to established quilters who use special quilting machines (called longarm quilting machines) to complete the task.  But I have always been a "process" kinda gal, who wants to control the entire endeavor from start to finish.  Since I don't have a longarm quilting machine, I use my regular sewing machine (an old Bernina 1260) to complete my task.  It is not ideal, but it works for me.

Before I can put a quilt under the needle of my machine, the quilt top (the "fancy" part that is made up of colorful fabric pieces) needs to be layered together with batting (the soft middle part of the quilt) and a backing (fabric that is the underside of the quilt).  This is called "sandwiching" a quilt  - think of the fabric as bread and the batting as the filling.  Once you have the pieces layered up, you need to figure out how to hold all the layers together.  I used to pin the layers together with safety pins but have turned to basting since my good friend Dorothy shared Sharon Schamber's basting technique with me.  I find that basting takes a bit longer, but it is fine because the rhythm of basting is almost meditative.  Also, basting holds the layers together better for me and less slipping of layers means the back of the quilt does not have fabric bunching up or forming folds and pleats.

Basting takes up the entired dining room.  After putting all of the leaves in the dining room table I lay the backing fabric (wrong side facing up) on the table, and cover it with the batting.  Everything is smoothed out by hand as I line up the top edges of the backing and batting.  Then I dig out my "basting boards"  - two 8 foot long pieces of wall moulding that came from the local Yardbirds store before it was closed by Home Depot  (Boo! Hiss!!!). One of the boards is lined up even with the previously noted top edges, and the quilt backing and batting are wound tighlty and smoothly around the board with about a foot of the bottom edges left unwound.  The the same thing is done with the quilt top - the top edge is lined up with the basting board and the quilt top is wound tightly and smoothly around the board with approximately a foot of the bottom left unwound.

Next, the loose bottom edges of the quilt top, batting and backing are lined up and the layers are smoothed out against one another.  The boards are carefully unwound, ensuring that the layers remain straight and smooth, until the sandwich covers the width of the table. Using a fine milliner's needle and size 20 DMC cotton, the basting begins in the lower left hand corner and travels away from me toward the basting boards.  When I get as close as I can to the boards, I move the next row of basting over to the left,  and start basting toward me again.  This zig-zag pattern continues until all of the unwound sandwich is basted.  Then I unwind more of the fabrics and batting so that unbasted materials once again cover the table.    The quilt top you see in these photos is 60" X 70", and it took 2 1/2 hours to baste.

When I get this quilt onto my machine, I will share some machine quilting photos and tips with you.

Because Everybody Needs a 9 Patch Quilt!

This is about the final quilt that was completed in the last year. The colorful block is called a 9 Patch, and that is because there are 9 squares (set in 3 rows of 3 squares) in the block. The 9 Patch blocks are set with an alternate square of fabric , which happens to be black with a small splash of gold. All of the blocks are set in an “on point” setting, which got its name from the fact that the blocks are set on their corners (points) rather than along a long edge. This is a VERY traditional quilt block and setting, just the fabrics are contemporary. Why did I choose this particular block? Because everybody needs a 9 Patch quilt in their collection.


Yet another quilt that was begun in the mid ‘90s, this quilt top began when I walked into my local quilt shops and saw riots of bright colors. One of the most influential fabric designers of the time was Patrice Lose, who made his name from his wonderful bright colors. These fabrics were leftover pieces from a baby quilt that I made for Agnes Rodriguez, one of the Applications Specialists at work. And like lots of my quilt tops, the reason it took so long to complete the silly thing was that it took a long time to find the right border fabrics.

The finished size is 56" X 72". The batting is Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 (80% cotton and 20% polyester), which is an absolute dream to machine quilt. The 9 Patch block is quilted with a serpentine stitch along the straight seams and there is a free-motion flower quilted in the middle of the black blocks. The first border is quilted with a serpentine running along the seams and the outside border is quilted in a double swag,

This is one of my favorite quilts because it is so bright and happy. No, wait, let me be honest – all of my quilts are my favorite quilts! Each one is lovingly pieced and quilted, with fabrics that are chosen to go together in a specific design. All quilts are truly labors, because they don’t “just happen”. But they are all labors of love.

It Is Not a Freddy Quilt, It Is a Pineapple Quilt

OK, one more of the quilts that was finished this last year.  The pattern is called the pineapple block, so I simply call this my Pineapple Quilt.  It was started (like a LOT of my projects, it seems) when I got back to California from South Africa.  I had always wanted to make a Pineapple Quilt, and there were lots of yummy bright-colored fabrics available to work with in 1994 and 1995.  Besides the bright fabrics in this quilt, there is a black fabric with white polka dots. The polka dotted fabric was a gift from Karen Matsumoto, and was just crying out to be used. Black is an obvious color to be used with brights, because it sets them off so nicely.  The polka dots were a direct contrast to the geometric lines of the block. I was happy with the materials, so what could be the problem?

The problem (at least in my mind) is that lots of people seem to think that I took my inspiration for this quilt from Freddy Moran.  Freddy is an amazing quilt artist and she makes wonderful quilts. She loves to mix bright fabrics with black and white fabrics, and I must say that she does have a knack for putting just the right fabrics together.  But I had not yet met or even heard of Freddy when I started my quilt.  So it kinda bothers me everytime somebody looks at my Pineapple Quilt and says "Oh, it's a Freddy quilt!" or "How lucky for you, you did a class with Freddy". Please take a look at this site to see more of Freddy Moran's work - you'll see that her work far surpasses mine.

Anyway, back to my Pineapple Quilt.  It was constructed using the Pineapple Rule from The Great American Quilt Factory. The finished size of this quilt is 62 X 52.  It was machine quilted on my trusty Bernina 1260 using a random running loop pattern with Warm and Natural Batting .

Tree Farm - Another Quilt From This Last Year

Here is another photo of a project that was finished this last year. This was a quick and fun quilt - quick because it was a kit and fun because it is came from Country Threads in Garner, Iowa.  The pattern is called Tree Farm, and can be found in the Country Threads book "We Made it Through the Winter". When I say quick I mean that the whole quilt took me 7 days from starting to cut and piece to completing the machine quilting and binding.  Like most projects, it just took me a while to get around to actually getting started.

I fell in love with the Country Threads "look" when I found the first Country Threads book (from the Quilt Shop Series) just before I left South Africa . After 4 years of African quilt overload, it reminded me of everything I loved about American quilts - the symmetry of traditional patterns, the subdued colors (well, subdued compared to African colors), and the appropriateness of the quilts for placing on a bed.  African quilts by comparison were more contemporary and "artsy", with free-form designs and use of lots of bright colors. They were not quilts that I would place on a bed, but that is probably my "quilt prejudice" creeping in.

During the remainder of the 1990s, my job afforded me lots of opportunities to travel.  Imagine my excitement to travel to see a vendor in Orange City, Iowa, knowing I was so danged close to Country Threads in Garner.  Orange City is in western Iowa, and Garner is way over there on the other side of the state.  No matter, it was a "short" 4 hour drive along perfectly flat countryside and lots of corn fields to cross the state, and I knew I could always fly home out of Mason City, which was another 30 minutes away. Parking next to the Country Threads barn was almost a religious experience, and I felt that I was trodding hallowed ground as I walked amongst the chickens, goats and dogs to the shop. I bought patterns, and kits, and yardage; I met Connie and Mary, the infamous proprietors.  And when I went back to my car with my treasures an hour later, I just KNEW that my suitcase was going to be over the weight restrictions.  But I was deleriously happy, and spent the night caressing the fabrics that were actually purchased at Country Threads, and they were ALL MINE!

The next morning I gladly paid the $10 for for overweight baggage (yep, it was only $10 back then) and flew home.  And I was able to visit Country Threads 3 more times, and each visit was just as wonderful as the first. I finally quit flying for business, and have not been back to Garner, Iowa since July, 1997. It is easy to remember this, not just because July in Iowa is miserably hot and humid, but because it was the day that Gianni Versace was killed.  Isn't it amazing what we remember?  Anyway, whether or not I ever get back there, Country Threads will always hold a special place in my heart as the first quilt shop that I truly fell in love with.

Edited to add:
Someone has asked me about the size of this quilt.  Thaks so much for taking the time to ask - because of this I will be adding relevant information for this and all future quilt postings.
Tree Farm is composed of 8" squares, so it is 72 1/2" X 56 1/2", including the binding.  It was machine quilted with a straight line pattern on my trusty Bernina, using Warm and Natural Batting.

What a Sweet Treat!

So last night I went to my Tuesday night quilting group (Karen's Kids)  and shared good times with my friends.  We were all working on different projects, and I was able to take pictures of 3 more of the quilts that I made last year.  Those will not be posted today, but will be seen here in the coming week.  Today I want to share the cutest bag pattern I have seen in a long time.

This is called a Sweet Treat, and was developed for use with Honey Bun strips of Moda  Fabrics.  Michele from Karen's Kids picked up the pattern and some strips as a kit at a local quilt shop, and brought the kit to class. The next thing you know, everyone is making Sweet Treat bags for themselves and for Christmas gifts.  Except for Sandi, who was still looking for just the right fabrics to go with THE BUTTON.  THE BUTTON was a birthday gift a few years ago from my good friend Karla.  I have been wanting to use THE BUTTON, but the pattern and fabrics had to be just right because I love THE BUTTON. 

So, I knew this would be the right pattern the minute I saw it - I just needed the right fabrics.  Of  course they  would have to be batiks, because those are my favorites.  And I knew that the teal and purple-y batiks would be in the purse.  But I needed a 5th fabric, and I just wasn't finding what I wanted. Yesterday I finally discovered the pale olive middle fabric in my stash, and knew that it was time to start my bag.

Unfortunately, I was not able to find my copy of the Sweet Treat Bag pattern this morning.  So I Googled the name and found that this is a free pattern on the Moda Fabrics web site.  You can find a copy of the pattern by clicking here.  The beauty of the bag is in the unique construction - the bag is automatically self-lined.

These are quite addictive to make, as they go together so quickly and are perfect for embellishing.  It would make a great make-up or toiletries bag to pack for a quick week-end qet away, then could double as an evening clutch if you went out for dinner.  I can see that there are going to be lots more of these in my future - now I just need to find additional perfect buttons to embellish them. Guess that means a trip to Stonemountain and Daughter in Berkeley!

Huli-Huli Vous?

I love barbecue in all of its variations. My dad was a great barbecue master, and his sauce was legendary in northeast Phoenix. Unfortunately for my brothers and me, Dad never shared his recipe (“It’s my secret, and if it is what makes you come home every couple of years, it will remain a secret”, he would laugh.) Dad’s recipe was never passed along to us and the closest I ever found to it was Everett and Jones Mild Sauce. Now, Everett and Jones is an East Bay institution, and it was where you would most likely find me and a cold beer on a Friday night when I lived in Oakland. Imagine my delight when I found Everett and Jones Sauce at my local Safeway a few weeks ago! I made my poor family eat ribs drenched in Everett and Jones until they could not look at another rib!

  

So what does that have to do with huli-huli? For that matter, what is huli-huli? In a few words, it is Hawaii’s own famous barbecue sauce. Huli is the Hawaiian word for turn, and huli-huli (turn, turn) chicken is one of the Oahu’s great delicacies. It became familiar as a fund raising tool on the island after Ernest Morgado came up with the recipe in the mid-1950s. He mixed up all the flavors of Hawaii (brown sugar, shoyu (soy sauce), pineapple, and ginger) and came up with a great marinade and basting sauce. In the early 1970s I would find huli-huli chicken stands wherever I drove around the island, functioning as a fundraiser for Little League, church choirs and just about any other activity that needed to raise money. Used to be that you would never find it on any restaurant menu, only in roadside stands where cooks lovingly cooked and sold their wares. Yum – it was one ono kaukua (delicious food).

So here is the huli-huli sauce recipe that I was given by a co-worked before I left Honolulu. My original recipe calls for ¼ of a pineapple, pureed. I have substituted ½ Cup of frozen pineapple juice concentrate – so much easier to work with, and the taste is almost identical.

Huli-Huli Chicken Marinade and Basting Sauce

• ½ Cup Catsup
• ½ Cup Shoyu (soy sauce)
• ½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
• ½ Cup Frozen Pineapple Juice Concentrate
• ¾ Cup Sherry
• 2” Piece of Ginger Root, finely minced
• 2 – 3 cloves Garlic, mashed
• 2 – 3 cut up chickens 

Mix all ingredients together. You can marinate chicken pieces for a few hours before grilling or just brush sauce on chicken before placing on grill. Turn and baste frequently, until chicken is done, probably 30 – 40 minutes.