The lost thimble came back

Back in 1997 I was awarded the Dorothy McMurdie Award for my contributions to quiltmaking in Canada.

“The Dorothy McMurdie Award was established in 1988 to recognize individuals who have made a significant contribution to quilting in Canada. It paid tribute to their accomplishments and documented their contributions to our Canadian quilting heritage. This award was discontinued in 2015. It has been replaced by the Dorothy McMurdie Founders Award, which is presented to a CQA/ACC member, whose National Juried Show entry exemplifies outstanding workmanship in an original design. The quilt cannot contain computerized embroidery or quilting.”

— The Canadian Quilters Association

I have always treasured this award, it has meant a lot to me so I always kept it in my sewing room on a shelf with many other treasures and trinkets. When we moved to Mahone Bay, we had to figure out how to put a shelf on the only wall that was empty...the slanted roof wall! Peter cut one side of a piece of wood at an angle so it would be flush with the wall. He made two shelves and installed them one below the other.

I organized everything: thimbles, tiny dolls and wooden soldiers, small baskets, small trinkets and small animals. A place for everything and everything in its place! That is until the fall of 2013 when we had a new roof put on this old house. The guys had to shovel all the layers of old shingles off, do some repairs and nail new shingles on. that’s when things started falling off the shelves, landing everywhere! I picked everything up and kept them in a box until the roof work was done.

I cleaned each piece as I put things back, I came to the base for the thimble but where was the actual thimble? I searched high and low for it but it was not to be found. I pulled all my storage baskets out and over the years I emptied them and searched for the thimble. I never gave up, it had to be somewhere. It was too big to get sucked in by the vacuum. Most people who know me know I hate to lose things and not find them.

Fast forward to September 2024, 11 years later. Heather Stewart was here for her lobster and to visit with our quilting friends. I had gathered up some cloth bags that were hanging on a door knob (just below the shelves). As I reached in one to pull a smaller bag out something smooth and hard landed in my hand...there it was, my Dorothy McMurdie thimble had come out of hiding 11 years later! It was there all the time, now if I could just find my silver hoop earrings I would be a happy camper!

Australian influence

I don’t think I have seen many Australian quilts designed by Australian quilters that I didn’t like…alot! My husband and I spent a year in Australia right after we got married 55 (!!) years ago. We shipped a trunk of belongings ahead and in it was a quilt, a “Friendship Circle” quilt (similar to a Dresden Plate) that my Grandmother made, probably in the 1930’s. I don’t know when it was given to me but it seemed to have been always in my room or on my bed or a chair. I don’t recall seeing any quilts or hearing about quilters while we were there (1969-70).

Thanks to the internet the world became a smaller place and I discovered Sarah Fielke and Kathy Doughty and then Wendy Williams with her beautiful wool applique and Jen Kingwell and the list goes on. And oh there is some amazing Australian fabrics out there too!! And books and patterns! Take a look you won’t be disappointed!

“We Three Birds” pattern by Natalie Bird, hand pieced, machine pieced, hand applique, hand embroidered, EPP and hand quilted. I loved making this quilt! Great pattern. I raided my stash for the fabrics, mostly cotton but used Essex Linen for the background of the birds and the background of the hexies..

Detail of “We Three Birds”

Another detail of “We Three Birds”.

“We Are Family” pattern by Susan Smith. Another Aussie quilt that I thoroughly enjoyed making! It is machine pieced, hand appliqued and machine quilted by Nadine Stevens. and again I raided my stash for the fabrics! I would love to make another one! With apologies for the photo, I will replace it soon!

Detail of “We Are Family”

Quilt Backs: Cut From the Same Cloth… Or Not!

It has always been suggested that quilts should have a backing that is one piece of fabric or a backing which has as few seams as possible and the pieces are all cut from the same cloth. I have always struggled with this since I usually just buy a half meter or one meter of fabric so that I have a lot of variety in my stash. As my quilts got larger, using one piece of fabric was a challenge and I really liked the idea of a pieced back. Sometimes I have leftover blocks that I can piece into the back. I usually start with those blocks whether it is one or several and I “build the back” around those blocks. Very much like the way a log cabin block is built (sewn).

Herringbone Blues (back)

I come from strong Scottish “stock”. My paternal Grandparents immigrated to Canada in the early 1900’s. They brought with them their strong Scottish frugality which they passed on to their family and the next generations. I did search on Google for “Scottish traits” and frugal is tops as is miser! So I just can’t rationalize buying several meters of “wide back” fabric which is usually 108” wide and can cost anywhere from $18 to $30+ per meter when I have lots to chose from in my own stash with apologies to my LQS! Plus I find it a lot to handle, to wash and to dry and then to iron it. 

The Birds Their Carols Raise (back)

The Avenue (back)

The Avenue (back, detail)

New England Motel (back)

So I recommend quilters should give it a try. Start small with a wallhanging back, and gradually work your way up to a queen size quilt or whatever size you want. You can also stitch your quilt label in to the back, use a 4”x6” light coloured rectangle and sew it in to the back then using a pigma pen write the name of the quilt, your name, the quilter’s name (if you did not quilt it), place where the was made and any other pertinent information. Sometimes before sewing the label in I write the information on the label, I iron a piece of freezer paper to the back of the label. This gives you a nice firm surface to write on. When you finish writing all the information, peel the freezer paper off then sew it in.

We Three Birds (back)

We Are Family (back)

We Are Family (back, detail)

I picked up my latest quilt from Nadine who quilted it for me. The back is of course pieced. There were several other quilters there, one who had never thought of piecing together a back and she was quite intrigued with it. I know when I finish a top I am anxious to get it quilted either hand quilted by me or machine quilted by someone else. It does take time to sew together a pieced back but I think it is worth it. Sometimes I have a definite idea of what I will do and sometimes I just pick a stack of fabrics and off I go. I often start with a leftover block or two and more often than not it tells me what to add next, how big or how small. The key is to keep everything straight, trim as you go if it needs it and make sure to add enough around the outside edge for the long arm or for a hand quilting frame. Have fun with it!