Lizzie's Selvage Dresden Plate

After seeing the selvage Dresden plate block here a while back, Lizzie decided to give it a try. She used the book "Throughly Modern Dresden" by Anelie Belden. Wow, I like how it came out. I'm hoping this will become a quilt! See Lizzie's blog at: http://www.quiltinginnortherncalifornia.blogspot.com/.

Meet Chelo from Spain!

Chelo from Madrid, Spain made this beautiful collection of selvagey items: a rotary cutter case, a small sewing case, a bag for larger items, and a cushion for one of her porch chairs. She's going to make more cushions for her chairs, and she has five!

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Can you imagine if Chelo from Spain, Jill from New Jersey, and Jodie from Ballarat (Australia) were neighbors? No, I can't either! All together they've made upholstered chairs, window cornices, dresses, and lots more, all with selvages. I guess that's why God spread them out around the world.

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Visit Chelo's blog at: http://entretelasypuntadas.blogspot.com/.

Donna Barnitz's Selvage Quilt

Take a look at this amazing selvage quilt! Made by Donna Barnitz and featured on Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville site: http://www.quiltville.com/. Thanks to Daryl Perry in NM for the heads up about this quilt. Yayy, Donna!

Sharon's New Selvage Tote

Thanks to Kathie Holland for alerting me to this nice big selvage tote made by Sharon Rowlett of Texas.

You can see their quilts at http://www.living4quilting.blogspot.com/.

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Rachel (Sharon's niece) gave me Sharon's blog address: http://www.sunnysideupquilting.blogspot.com/.

Welcome to the Quilt-Along!

Welcome to the Quilt-Along! Today (and for the next two Mondays) we're going to have a tutorial here on the Selvage Blog showing how to make this quilt. You can join officially by going to http://www.flickr.com/ and joining the Group called the "Old Red Barn Quilt Company." Then you can share photos of your version of the Asterisk quilt, and chat with other quilters (and me).



There are already over 1,200 members! Join us, this will be fun. This quilt block looks like it might be aggravating to make, but it's really easy. No triangles to cut. You'll like this!

The photo above just shows a layout of some of my first blocks. The whole quilt below shows the border.

I designed this quilt. Another version of it appeared in the May/June issue of Quiltmaker magazine. This time I'm making it in solids. I think it would also look great made from scraps.

To make one block: cut one 6" square, and one 1" strip about 32" long. (See above and below.)

I like how striped fabrics look when used for the 1" strips. (Scroll way down for examples.)

Twin quilt: For a quilt that measures 56" wide x 72" long, make 88 blocks. Cut each block 6" square. Cut 88 strips 1"wide x 32" long. (Save leftovers for the border.)

Fabric requirements: 2.5 yards for the blocks, and 2.5 yards for the strips.

Add an additional 2 yards of scraps for the borders.

Wall quilt: For a smaller version, 36" x 36," make 25 blocks. Cut each block 6" square. Cut 25 strips 1" wide x 32" long. (Same as above. Save leftovers for the border.)

Fabric requirements: 1 yard for the blocks, and 1 yard for the strips.

Add an additional yard of scraps for the borders.

There will also be a piano key border like the one shown below. I like to start making blocks from scraps, then decide on the final size later when I see how it looks. You don't need to decide your quilt's final size now. Let's just quilt-along. ;)

Are you inspired? This week review your stash and pick out some fabrics to get started. It's easier to pick 50 fabrics than it is to pick only 5! Cut some 6" squares and some 1" strips. Then you'll be ready to start making some blocks next Monday.

What do you think? Are you gonna give it a try?

Huge Quilt in South Africa!

This enormous quilt is near the airport in Cape Town, South Africa. It's made out of fabric. Can you believe this quilt? I wonder what they did with all their selvages.

I found this on the Jazmin Fabrics and Patchwork site, www.jazmin.co.za.

Gretchen's Selvage Footstool

Here's another item for the selvage history books: Gretchen Thompson's selvage version of Amy Butler's Gumdrop Footstool!

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This would look so good in my new quilt studio (when I get a quilt studio)! Take a look at her wide selvage strips, you get a good look at the Eiffel Tower fabric, a Moda monkey, some oranges, and more. I really like black and whites next to selvages.
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Gretchen brought this footstool to her guild meeting recently. It wouldn't fit in the trunk so she put it in the passenger's seat. She says she got some interesting looks at the stoplights. They're just jealous. :)

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See Gretchen's blog at: http://spicewoodquiltingdiva.blogspot.com/. This blog makes me laugh. She says the footstool doesn't match anything in their house, but she doesn't care, she has it in the living room. Well, how about some selvage wallpaper? Perfect!

New Zippered Selvage Bag - from Italy!

Francesca from Padova, Italy made this sweet selvage bag. She's going on a cruise and wanted a bag that was big enough for all her cosmetics, like suntan lotion, which she hopes to need. Nice colors, ruffled green flower, and I like those two beads on the zipper-pull too. Nice job, Francesca! Have a wonderful trip!

Francesca's blog is: www.pezzepercaso.blogpost.com. Click on the translate button at the top. It's the little flag icon.

Melinda's Selvage Kindle Cover!

Melinda in Marietta, GA made this charming selvage cover for her Kindle (Amazon's wireless reading device). She started by sewing the selvages to batting, then she added the black and white lining. Nice lime green binding too!

See Melinda's blog: http://www.melinful.blogspot.com/. I thought the Kindle would be hard on the eyes, bright like a computer screen, but it isn't. Any opinions out there about using the Kindle?

Sujata's Selvage House

Is this the happiest little selvage house or what? I love the cherries on the roof and the big red door. And the dots and the colors. It's all just right, don't you think? This block was made by Sujata Shah of http://therootconnection.blogspot.com/. Sujata is an artist in Philadelphia, originally from India.

Free Pattern for Fabulous Selvage Bag!

Take a look at this fabulous bag my Marijke Mill from Idaho (originally from the Netherlands). Pronounce her name: Ma-RYE-ka. She has a free pattern for it too. I like the soft scrunchy look, the little flower with the covered button center, the light color, and the outside pocket for my phone. There's a lot to like about this bag!

You're going to enjoy Marijke's site: http://crystelleboutique.com/. She has an Etsy shop too, called Potato Boutique. Very creative!

Memorial Day in the USA

Today we honor those who gave their lives in the service of our country. And we pray for their families. God bless America.

Optical Illusion Leggings

I'm diligent about reporting every quirky sighting to you in the pursuit of joy and creativity. I took this photo in New York City a while back. I was very discreet, but I don't think she would have minded. She knew she'd attract a little attention, right?

So, do you have an outfit like this?

Selvage Book Cover from Oman!

This colorful selvage book cover was made by Alia from Oman! Okay, I still get excited about hearing from quilters from exotic far-away places. We even have some of the same fabrics. The world is getting smaller and smaller!

Above is the left sleeve with her label attached. Below see the right sleeve. I like the big leaf.

Alia likes to add red grosgrain ribbon for her bookmark. She says that may become her signature style; her "thing." Nice idea.

Alia says there is a quilt shop in Dubai called Classic Quilts and Quilting. They buy top name quilt fabrics for only $2.60/yard! Needless to say, visitors from the UK, US and Europe stock up when they can! She says Dubai is wonderful for shopping. Maybe we should visit!

Alia is friendly and funny, and you'll feel like you've visited with a quilting friend from far away. Visit: http://coffeebeansdailies.blogspot.com.

Jen Duncan's Blue Zinger

This is Jen Duncan's Blue Zinger. Isn't it beautiful? She has it hanging in her quilt studio. Jen showed us the first block a while back, so I emailed her to see if we could have a look at the finished quilt. She sent this photo right away. I think a selvage quilt is a very inspirational quilt studio decoration. I particularly like her little diagonal corner blocks. Thanks, Jen.

Jen lives in Eureka, California. Her blog is: http://jenduncan.typepad.com.

New Quilt Challenge: If you were a quilt, what would you look like?

"Waverunner" by Victoria Findlay Wolfe of Bumble Beans, Copyright 2010.

This is the first Quilt Challenge at the Online Quilt Museum. It's open to all quilters everywhere. "If you were a quilt, what would you look like?" It's something to think about! Would you be a fancy Baltimore Album or more improvisational, like Victoria's "Waverunner" above?

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You have until the end of October to email 2 photos of your entry. Click here to get all the details: http://quiltersmuse.blogspot.com/. All entries will be featured in an OQM Exhibit by the same name. (No quilts will be physically mailed. Photos only.)

Selvage Pin Cushion from Spain!

Sylvia Reguero of Malaga, Spain made this creative selvage pin cushion. It looks like the ends are tied tighter in the top photo, and looser in the bottom photo. I wonder if she ties it around her wrist sometimes. Very nice job, Sylvia! Muchisimi! (Sylvia taught me that word via email; it means very very nice.)

My grandmother from Lithuania used to like to tie fabrics (scarves, packages, clothes etc). I think Sylvia and Grandma would have been on the same page. :) I used to watch her sew and cook and garden. I hope you grandmothers out there have lots of fun with your grandkids this summer. Awww. What memories.

Selvage Dresden Plate

Isn't this a creative and colorful Dresden plate selvage quilt? Ronit was experimenting with making the Dresden plate block. She says it easy once you read the directions. Funny how that works. I should try it more often. I love how she put this all together. Nice job, Ronit!

Read all about it at: http://www.2hippos.blogspot.com/. Thanks to Setphanie at: http://www.loftcreations.blogspot.com/ for sending me the link to this great little quilt.

Nellie's Beautiful Blue Lake Series

This stunning quilt is part of "The Lake," a series of 25 panels by Nellie of Tennessee and Michigan. She's working on a 9' x 7' installation with the beach in the foreground and the sky above. To see more of this work, click on "The Lake" in Nellie's sidebar at http://nelliedurand.blogspot.com.
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Do you see Elvis on the far right-hand edge? And I see a selvage, front and center! Nellie uses scraps from her projects (and her friend's scraps) to create these amazing quilts.

Domestic Bliss

This awesome little selvage quilt "Domestic Bliss" was made by Barb Vedder from New Jersey. It will be auctioned at the Quilt Show in Columbus to benefit the National Quilting Association. Barb has more close-up photos of this quilt on her blog. It's definitely worth it just to see the header at the top of her blog! But there are lots of great quilt photos: www.funwithbarbandmary.blogspot.com.