Kathleen Tracy - Inspiration in Small Quilts

During a quilter's journey through the years, tastes change, ideas grow, and the piles of fabric increase to no end.  When I started quilting I was in my early twenties and favoured cute designs; tiny, flowery, precious, bouquets; and often the odd kiddy print. 

And now, some 12 years later, my tastes have grown, changed, and overlapped into something new, yet carry still a hint of the past now and then.  My favourites now include Moda specialties such as 3 Sisters (above in 'Roman Holiday'), Fig tree, and Brackman, Brannock & Patek, and Blackbird Designs.  Then there's my fabric, book, and history passion - Civil War, and anything quilty to do therewith.  My shelves include Jo Morton, Judie Rothermel, and Nancy Gere fabrics as well as many Civil War, 1930's books and patterns.   I must admit though, many quilting ideas are wonderful, but I find great gratification in the small ones.

And, yes, Kathleen Tracy is one of the wonderful designers and historians in our quilting world that adores these small quilts too.  I was first introduced to her books through a good friend Cindy when I asked about a quilt on the wall of a shop.  It was one of Kathleen's patterns from Prairie Children and Their Quilts.  That was my first small quilt book purchase.  They quickly became numerous on my shelf after that!  I then purchased American Doll Quilts (which is now out of print, but available from Martingale Publishing as a digital book download), and the most recent of her publications Remembering Adelia.

Earlier this spring I joined Kathleen's Yahoo group "Small Quilt Talk" (link in the right column, click the image) and have gotten to know her, as well as many other quilters in love with small quilts, quite well (or at least if feels that way).  Great discussion happens there.  Many wonderful ideas, pictures of the quilty creations others have made, challenges, quilt-a-longs, and fun side topics too.

I have made only a few of her patterns, but have enjoyed each one.  All three books have sticky notes on the pages of the ones that are a must make sometime in the future.  Whenever that happens to be!  it's so satisfying to finish a project so quickly, maybe that's what makes small quilts so addictive (besides being so darn cute!).

This one is "Turkey Tracks" from Remembering Adelia.  The book pictures this small delight with a green Jo Morton fabric for the outer border, but I didn't have it, so I chose this pretty blue one.  I made this as a gift for a wonderful friend of mine who hosts a quilting day for me to get away from life and my three-year-old.  Since my hubby is deathly allergic to anything that had feathers, she always comes up with some fabulous luncheon snack that has turkey or chicken in it.  Delicious!  Hence the turkey reds in a quilt called turkey tracks - very fitting!

Pretty much any quilt that has anything to do with stars will be come a quick favourite of mine.  I searched high and low for this particular Scottie dog fabric - so darling.  I am not really a red fabric person, but when I saw the fabric, I saw it in this pattern.  Kathleen's design is a lot more scrappy and random with the different backgrounds, but I assure you, they are the same design!  This pattern is from Prairie Children and Their Quilts.

The next one is still in the works.  I believe it is favoured by many, and likely Kathleen herself, since it's on the cover of Remember Adelia!  It is a delightful use of scraps and a great way to practice hand applique since the shapes are simple and repetitive...  That's right, an orange peel quilt.

The last project created with inspiration from the Small Quilt Talk Yahoo group is an Irish Chain type design.  The challenge was to use only two colours, fashion 9-patch blocks, and set them in whatever layout you wished.  I chose blue and white Civil War fabrics and set them straight (not on point) to make a square finished project.  This one, like the previous one, has yet to be quilted.

(Image from Country Lane Quilts website, by Kathleen Tracy)

And lastly, but most definitely not least, Kathleen's newest brilliant idea to keep us going in the realm of small quilts - the American Schoolgirl Club.  I believe you can still sign up for it through her website.  It is a six month pattern-of-the-month individually designed by Kathy.  We are soon receiving month three, and I have  yet to put the other two months together, but getting them in the mail and reading the short history she has included with each one is a great way to take a quiet tea break on a sunny afternoon or quiet evening.

If you don't already have Kathy's books, they can be purchased from her website (signed copies) along with the American Schoolgirl Club.  I thoroughly enjoy reading the history she includes (hard work preparing it for sure!), and I'm looking forward to her newest book that will be available this fall - The Civil War Sewing Circle. 

Thanks for the inspiration Kathy, happy quilting!