Mini for Holly

April 09, 2022 by Laura Hartrich in quilts

This is a gift for my friend who helped me find something I couldn’t find on the internet.

When I made this star quilt for my in-laws for Christmas, I was using a favorite bundle that had been on my shelf for ages. I knew the name of the bundle and the designer who had grouped the colors but couldn’t find a list of the Kona colors in the bundle anywhere! I needed to replenish some but didn’t know what they were. My friend Holly came through with her search skills. I made this for her to say thanks. I used scraps from the star quilt that she helped make possible.

Mini quilt for Holly, 18”x16”

Mini quilt for Holly, 2021. Measures 18”x16

Going Away Quilt for S

April 08, 2022 by Laura Hartrich in quilts

In the eleventh hour, I decided to make a small quilt for my son, to mark the passage of him moving out after graduating high school.

Because of the tight timeline, the design needed to be simple, so I decided on some disappearing 9-patch blocks, and some random/improv patchwork. I used some of the same fabrics that I used in the quilt for Michael Brown. I also used some ice dyed fabrics from in a shop in Paducah, KY, from when we went down to see my quilt in the National Quilt Museum. I usually don’t like ice dyed fabric but I fell in love with these.

I put each of our initials on it (N, L, S, P) to symbolize us going with him, supporting him. I don’t think he noticed but it’s okay. I didn’t want it to be obvious.

Going away quilt for S, 49”x52”, completed August 2021. Final pictures by Mitch Hopper.

Star Quilt for Jim and Deb

April 02, 2022 by Laura Hartrich in quilts

I’m not sure what prompted me to get started so early, but I began this quilt in January 2021, finished it in May, and finally gave it to my in-laws for Christmas. It’s double sided because I couldn’t decide between a solid version and a print version so I did both. The color palette came from a bundle of solids that I’ve had on my shelf for years (it’s Pond by Elizabeth Hartman). I tried to match the colors of the prints to the colors from the bundle. On the print side, I used a paint by number print and as many florals as I could cram in, both nods to my mother in law’s hobbies. I went with a simple sawtooth star pattern because I think it’s so classic and I wanted to make something that would look good in my in-laws’ beautiful house. I quilted it by hand, using a Baptist fan motif and some perle cotton thread. Jim and Deb have always been so good to me, and they’re the last members of my family who didn’t have a quilt from me. It felt good to finally give them one! Measures 48”x58”. Pictures by Mitch Hopper.

Table Runners featuring my Grandma's Doilies

March 27, 2022 by Laura Hartrich in quilts

When my grandma passed in 2016 many of her sewing supplies, projects, and textiles came to live with me, including a pile of very finely constructed doilies. I had an idea to put them on quilts for my family members, but four years later those doily quilts hadn’t made it to the top of my to-do list. It finally occurred to me that table runners might be just as appreciated and a far more attainable goal for me. I spent a week working steadily on these (and one for myself that is almost done) and finished them just in time for gift giving. They were opened over video call in true 2020 style.

I felt a little uneasy about cutting these lacy things that had clearly taken a lot of time and care to make. But I finally decided to go for it... Doilies aren’t exactly popular as home decor these days, and I thought chopping them for these runners was a better fate for them than staying packed away in boxes or drawers. Hopefully these runners will get plenty of use. And I think they really highlight her work. I hope she would approve.

I quilted these (very densely!) on my Juki. I wanted all the sections to get tacked down to prevent any snags during use. Lots of imperfect, organic echo quilting. Took a lot of time and thread, but I love the effect.

Fiona's Baby Quilt

March 22, 2022 by Laura Hartrich in quilts

My friend Laura Hopper, aka Sonic Stitches, has brought so much to my life since I met her at guild 5 or 6 years ago. She is so smart and thoughtful, a great writer and guild leader, a talented curator, a good friend and human, and a brilliant quilter! In spring 2020 she embarked on the journey of birth and motherhood and I was so happy for her. I asked friends to make blocks with 9” circles in black and white. I had never organized a group quilt like this before and it was so fun to collect blocks through the mail. Everyone did a fantastic job. I added sashing in some of Laura’s favorite colors, some additional applique, quickly quilted it with my walking foot, and handed it off to a friend who volunteered to put on the binding. We were in a bit of a time crunch, trying to get it done before the baby arrived. Despite the pandemic, a few of us were able to carefully meet in their backyard and gift this quilt. It was wonderful to watch them open it in person at a time when nobody was doing much of anything in person. This quilt measures 60” square. Mitch Hopper, aka Fiona’s dad, took final photos.

Thank you so much to all of Laura’s friends who contributed to this quilt:

Ellen Pomes, Heather Kinion, Amy Struckmeyer, Julia Bryant, Deb Pentak, Natalie Holz, Melissa Bogusch, Jennifer Lowe, Bill Keller, Holly Harper, Sarah Evans, Jen Beatty, Emily Bruzzini, Sarah Shulman, Lyndsey Rankin, Jenni Grover, Emily Lang, and Katie Cooper