Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt

A Finished Quilt
Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020

Finally an update! March 2020 came along and everything changed and this new "normal" is difficult to come to terms with for everyone. I know that here in Australia we are in a very fortunate position with relatively few Corona Virus cases, a health care system that has had a chance to prepare, and now a gradual easing out of restrictions. We are so very aware of how lucky we are and I am practising daily to be that glass half full kind of person.

Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020
Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020
Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020

I have been home. My family have been at home! I have worked at home for the last 10 years, so staying home has not been difficult for me. Having to share my "work" space with my family however has proven to be refreshing! It may even be that my sew-jo has returned. I have stitched, especially in the evenings, and have several finished quilts to share with you. Taking photos is still a huge stumbling block in updating my blog, but yesterday was a good photo day.

Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020

This is my finished Kansas Dugout Quilt predominantly made with fabrics from my Japanese fabric stash. The fabric pieces for this quilt were cut at the same time as the fabric pieces for my Japanese Stash Buster Quilt - way back in November 2019. It's not often that I plan ahead and cut fabric for multiple quilts at the same time. The quilt top was hand pieced (running stitch). The last stitch was completed on Christmas Eve 2019. (The next day I started hand piecing my Trip Around the World Quilt).

Kansas Dugout Quilt Block | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020

This quilt is pieced in blocks as pictured above, then blocks are joined into rows by adding additional joining squares. I pieced 120 such individual blocks, then pieced blocks together into rows, and then joined rows. I have previously machine pieced several Kansas Dugout Quilts and have made available a step by step tutorial: here. I hand pieced this quilt rather than machine pieced it for no other reason than the joy of stitching with needle in hand. 

Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020
Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020

The quilt has been machine quilted with straight edge to edge lines of stitching. Nothing fancy. And for the back of the quilt I have used a hoarded piece of fabric from the Lighhearted collection by Ayumi Mills for Kokka Fabrics (2014) - super fancy - and very satisfying to sew from stash.

QuiltLite Batting | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020

Batting. I have again used QuiltLite batting to layer this quilt. Quiltlite is a woven cotton fabric similar to a loosely woven flannel fabric as pictured above; it offers the presence of batting without adding bulk or loft. I have had lots of questions about this batting, especially from overseas quilters, and unfortunately I too cannot find it available online other than here in Australia. Most of my local fabric/patchwork stores carry it where it is known as QuiltLite.

Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020

QUILT DETAILS
Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt.
Finished quilt measures 50 inches x 61 inches.
120 Kansas Dugout Quilt Blocks
Started: November 2019.
Quilt Top Finished: 25 December 2019.
Finished Quilt: March 2020.
Hand Pieced.

Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020

Fabrics:
Fabrics from my Japanese fabric stash collated for over more
than a decade, including many
designs by Suzuko Koseki for Yuwa Fabrics.
Fabric for joining squares: Add It Up (Basics) by Cotton + Steel.

Notions:
Acrylic template for cutting fabrics:
 2" fabric squares were cut using a rotary cutter and ruler.
Once cut, all fabric pieces were marked with a ¼ inch seam allowance.
I use a mechanical pencil with a 2B 0.7mm lead
for ease of marking a line on the fabric.
Jeana Kimball's Foxglove Cottage -Sharps Needle - size 10.
Aurfil 50wt thread (the orange spool) for hand piecing.

Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020

I am not selling my quilts at the moment but will make them available again when domestic and international shipping settles into a reliable new normal.

As always, thank you so much for stopping by! Another quilty update next week - the photos are ready!
Rita

Hand Pieced Kansas Dugout Quilt - Japanese Fabrics | © Red Pepper Quilts 2020

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11 comments:

  1. Beautiful quilt. Good to see you!

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  2. Wonderful quilt, such cheerful colours.
    Kay c

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  3. I always love to see your quilts. I have just recently been introduced to Quiltlite batting. LOve it! There is a distributor in Michigan, USA. I had a hard time finding a quilt store that had it. But since it is distributed(?) by Jaftex Corp. in the USA, USA quilters can ask Scott Fortunoff on Facebook and he will find a shop near you. That is how I did it.
    Again - I really appreciate the happiness that your quilts always bring me.

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    1. Thank you for this info, Kara. Living in Mississippi, I am very interested in this woven batting!

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  4. Love your quilt and fabrics. Lighthearted is one of my all time favourites, it looks fab on anything. Well done!

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  5. Great to see your beautiful quilts again. We are indeed very fortunate to live in Australia. I am looking forward to quilting with Quiltlite - perfect when using Liberty lawns. Keep safe and keep creating.

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  6. I was just over to look at your blog yesterday -- I love looking at your quilts.
    Rita, I am pleased that Australia is doing well with the pandemic. I know there is loss everywhere, and that is the heartbreak.
    Fortunately, we live in Northern Virginia and we have our act together in this state. We have corners of our state that have been damaged greatly by the virus and other areas where all seems under control. For the most part, it is the older loved ones that succumb which is so so sad.
    My father is locked away in Ashby Ponds and the entry there is strict. I am able to bring him provisions that he desires (favorite cookies, drinks, BEER (he is 96) his favorite bread, perfect bananas etc)
    I am also a inside person so this has been very good for me as well. I am so happy that you have found moments to start finish and accomplish beautiful quilts. Keep going Rita. I hope your mom and dad are doing okay..
    I adore this quilt. It is happy and snappy

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  7. Thank you Rita! Every person who stays productive and positive is doing SO much more than they realize. They are lifting up SO many others. Thank you for that. There is SO much to love about this quilt(as always). Those angled corners! Oh my! And the fabric carefully cut around three plump strawberries!! Such a happy happy quilt.

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  8. This is such a happy quilt. x

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  9. It is a lovely quilt. Only two months with hand piecing is very short time. I must say I am very inspired, I have to try hand piecing this block, but first I have to learn how to hand piece. I am sure I will find some good tutorials. It was fun to see the text at the fabric of the back, I could read some of the words in Norwegian and Swedish I think. Thank you for shearing this.

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  10. Bright and cheerful quilt! Love the little pears, and the shirt!

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