The Writer’s Block–Quilts and More with Author Patrick Craig

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A Quilt for Jenna, Amish romance, Author Catherine Castle's Quilt blog, Author Patrick Craig, quilts, Rose of Sharon quilts, The Writer's Block--Quilts and More

An Amish Quilting Story From a Man?

I have to admit, when Patrick contacted me about being on The Writer’s Block–Quilts and More, I was curious. Quilting is, after all, mainly a woman’s craft. Writing Amish romance usually is, too. Then when I received Patrick’s post, I was even more intrigued at the pattern he chose for his heroine to make–A Rose of Sharon.

Since the book cover doesn’t really show a Rose of Sharon pattern, here are a couple of sites where you see the block and get free patterns:

http://www.patternsfromhistory.com/bible_quilt/bible_rose.htm

http://www.quiltviews.com/free-rose-of-sharon-table-runner-pattern-by-sharon-pederson

Now, let’s find out how a Patrick became a quilt lover and Amish romance writer.

Many of my readers have asked me how I came to write a whole romance novel about quilting.  It’s a strange and wonderful story.  The whole adventure came about when Nick Harrison, my editor at Harvest House Publishers, challenged me to send him a story idea. He told me he liked Amish stories and quilting stories. Now I knew nothing about the Amish or about quilting—absolutely nothing.  I had never read an Amish fiction novel, and I had never seen a quilt made or even seen the tools.  But I heard opportunity knocking and was determined to answer the door.

So I got on Google.  I studied everything I could find—I dove into it with abandon. As I read about it, my character’s studio became very real to me.  I could see the frame, the bolts of material, and her needles.  I could see the special rocking stitch she used.  I even saw her leather thimble.

Finally, I started my first chapter. In the story Jerusha finds very special silk material hidden away in an old chest.  Now the Amish never use silk, but Jerusha was determined to do something unique.  I wrote this line:  As she rode home she began to see the design for the quilt in her mind, and for the first time in months she felt her spirits lift.  And amazingly I began to see the design for the quilt in my own mind.

I saw a beautiful blood red rose centered on a royal blue silk square background. The backing was cream-colored and there would be over 90,000 stitches. The story began to flow out of me.

The royal blue pieces made a dark, iridescent backdrop.  The rose had hundreds of parts, all cut into the flowing shapes of petals.  The quilting pattern was the most complicated she had ever done, but she traced it out, grateful for the means to occupy her mind and keep the thoughts of Jenna from overwhelming her.  Then she laid out the cream-colored backing, placed a double layer of batting on top of it and over it all, she placed the ironed patchwork piece that she had developed over the past month.  She carefully basted the layers together, starting from the center and working out to the edges. She carefully attached one end to the quilting frame, and then slowly turned the pole until she could attach the other end.  Then she drew the quilt tight until it was stable enough to stitch on and she started to quilt.

As the quilt developed, the story developed and then a whole series developed where the quilt became the focus around which generations of an Amish family found their way through the trials of life.  And the blood red rose in what Jerusha called her “Rose of Sharon” quilt became a symbol of the shed blood of Jesus and it’s marvelous power in the lives of people who turn to God in their desperate need.

Now whenever, I see a quilt, I stop and look, for my writing journey has made me an aficionado and a true lover of fine quilts.

 

Patrick E. Craig has loved quilts since he was challenged to write a novel about an Amish quilter by his editor at Harvest House Publishers. His favorite thing about quilting is the immense dedication it takes to finish a perfect quilt that has every stitch in place, nothing puckered, and yet beautiful in design.  Patrick writes Amish Romance (one of only about six men who do) and children’s mystery stories. He is married and he and his wife Judy make their home in Idaho.  You can find his Amish quilting novel, A Quilt For Jenna, on Amazon at this link, (A Quilt For Jenna) or in your favorite Christian store.

 

 

The Writer’s Block—Quilts and More with Author Catherine Castle

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A Writer's Block Quilts and More with Author Catherine Castle, Art Quilts, Author Catherine Castle's Quilt blog, pictures of quilts

Not Your Grandma’s Quilt–Quilts as Art

Welcome to The Writer’s Block Quilts and More series. I hope everyone has been enjoying this series. I know I am.

Today I’m not going to talk about one of my quilts, but a quilt that I had the privilege of photographing and writing about when I was writing for the local newspaper in the 1990s.

This beautiful piece “Ukranian Dance” is art disguised as a quilt.

Ukrainian artists Iren and Oleg Kirilenko, who had been introduced to quilting by a member of the Ohio Valley Quilter’s club, made the quilt pictured above. Until the visit of the Ohio Valley Quilters member, the couple had not seen a quilt. Once Iren learned about quilting she was very interested in quilting as an art form. Using fabric donated by the American guild and a few solid colored European fabrics, the Kirilenkos began fashioning quilts.  “Ukranian Dance” was their second quilt.

Not only does this quilt look different than your grandmother’s patchwork quilt, it’s constructed without applique or piecing.  The Kirilenkos started in the center of the quilt, overlapping the edges of the fabric in a technique they called “fish scale.”

I was there when the quilt was unveiled at the home of one of the Ohio Valley guild members, and I still remember the gasp from the ladies assembled there. Mine included. At the time I had never seen a quilt as art. Even today, I have to say I haven’t seen an art quilt that matches this one. I wish you all could see in up close and personal, because the quilt is absolutely breathtaking!

Have you ever seen an art quilt that took your breath away?

 

Catherine Castle has had a love affair with quilts since she was young and watched her mother hand-piece squares of fabric into fascinating designs. While she loves to quilt, she has more UFOs (unfinished object) quilt tops than she has completed projects. Still she keeps buying more material and starting more projects. Someday, she’ll get them all finished. When she’s not stitching UFO quilts or gardening–two of her favorite pastimes, she writes inspirational and sweet romance. You can learn more about her and her award-winning book right here on this website or her Amazon page.

 

The Writer’s Block–Quilts and More with Author Gail Kittleson

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Author Catherine Castle's Quilt blog, Gail Kittleson, Garden Lattice Quilt, pictures of quilts, The Writer's Block--Quilts and More, tulip Quilt

Getting to the Heart of Quilting

by Gail Kittleson

Quilts speak comfort to me, though my creative gifts definitely lie elsewhere. I’m reworking a novel right now, and my heroine’s mother sent a hand-stitched quilt with her on the Oregon Trail. Meta, from a rural Iowa German community, commits herself to Garrit, ten years her senior, and his Wyoming Territory dreams.

In their wagon train, Meta meets a wonderful new friend headed for The Dalles, Oregon, and together they face unspeakable loss on the trail. In the lavender-scented folds of her mother’s quilt, my heroine finds comfort.

The pattern? Tulips in a Basket—what a cherished gift. And even more so because her mother used Papa’s trousers to fashion the baskets—Papa, who died when Meta was a little girl.

A few years ago, my husband prepared for his second twelve-month-plus deployment to Iraq, so I decided to do something for myself. A friend offered to make a quilt for cold winter night snuggling, and one day in the fabric store, she taught me the ins-and-outs.

All I wanted was yellow, for cheer, but she said, “You must choose a contrast.” When no other color struck me, and I re-emphasized my longing for yellow, we went with shades and textures. In the end, she liked the results with the Garden Lattice pattern. I edited her memoir in exchange for her quilting, and voila!

Okay, that IS me, with my hair longer and doing its natural thing …

My mother-in-law, nearly ninety, still quilts. I so enjoy her lovely creations—such a lifelong, worthwhile vocation. Although I’ll never create a lovely quilt, I admire them and the patient skill they require.

I wonder, has anyone out there completed a quilt in either of the two patterns mentioned here?

 

About the Author:

Gail Kittleson has enjoyed quilts for decades, though her sewing skills leave a great deal to be desired. Her favorite thing about quilts is their history and the comfort they bring people, and she uses that aspect in several historical women’s fiction novels. You can learn more about Gail and her debut novel at her website.

 

 

 

 

 

The Writer’s Block–Quilts and More with Author Molly Jebber

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Amish Quilts, AmishRomance, Author Catherine Castle's Quilt blog, Author Molly Jebber, Change of Heart, Keepsake Pocket Quilts, Quilts bring smiles, The Writer's Block--Quilts and More

Keepsake Pocket Quilt

 

The wonderful women in my quilting group are teaching me to quilt. They create their own patterns and stitch beautiful quilts. I’ve always loved the colors and unique patterns in quilts since I was a child. My love of quilts inspired me to write an Amish historical series with a keepsake pocket quilt theme. My main characters work in a quilting shop. Searching for an Amish quilt, I found and purchased one from an auction with pink prints and solids and a flour sack backing. I sewed a pocket on it to show where to tuck a letter inside to a loved one. I plan to take the quilt with me to signings, and I hope it will inspire readers to want to make a keepsake pocket quilt. I plan to make my own.

Amish quilts have such detail. Their wedding, Jacob’s Ladder, and pinwheel quilts are stunning. The intricate folds in their work create a raised pattern I love. They’re soft, comfy, and pretty spread across a bed or spread over a rack. I have another quilt in pink prints and solids I’ve had for years. The more I use it, the softer it gets. It will have to fall apart before I give it up!

When my daughter, Misty was born, a sweet disabled and mentally challenged woman stitched an animal themed quilt and give it to us. It is the most precious gift we received. The stitching was crooked and the squares weren’t straight, but you can “feel” the love she put into it. Quilts bring smiles to people’s faces no matter what their design!

 

About the Author:

Molly Jebber, author, has loved quilts since she was a child. She loves the soft and warm cozy feel of the material, and she enjoys the colorful patterns. She writes inspirational Amish historical romance stories. Her keepsake pocket quilt theme series begins with “Change of Heart” released June 30^th.

Want to know more about Molly? Connect with her on her website