The Clothesline Quilts are finally finished! I'd been trying to wait for a nice day to take the photos but, this being Oregon, it's been overcast for about the last week!
I really, really lucked out with the pillowcases I found to make this one. The colors are fantasic and many of the case were "new" in their packages, so the fabric was very crisp.
The sashing is white Essex cotton/linen (of course!).
It was difficult to cut these up, but I love the finished product!
And here's the Super-Soc version! I ended up taking your advice and not removing the quilting. I'm still not in love with it, but the finished quilt is nice.
Someone asked in the comments whether I did anything special to get the plaid to line up. I didn't. In fact, I didn't make any effort to keep the plaids straight, because I think that, with this kind of casual summer look, having the plaids be slightly wonky looks better.
I mention in the pattern that it's best to concentrate on creating squared-up blocks of identical size, but that there's no need to worry about the piecing within the blocks being perfect. (Hopefully that makes sense!)
I'm not sure that the back of the Soc quilt is particularly effective, but boy is it ever soft! The combination of the madras plaids and natural linen is perfect for summer. I think it would also be pretty cool to make one from flannel shirts for winter.
The repeating nine-patch pattern is designed around using nine pillowcases, nine old shirts, or nine 3/4 yard cuts of fabric. Because of the nine-patch within a nine-patch layout and the limited fabric available from pillowcases and shirts, this is basically a "one-size" pattern. It makes a nice little 55" x 62" lap quilt. (Don't let that stop your from figuring out how to make a larger quilt work! I'm just saying that the pattern here is only focused on the one size.)
I've seen some people commenting that they wanted to use their vintage sheet fat quarters to make this pattern. You can certainly use nine fat quarters to cut sets of 2" x 21" strips and make the 81 small blocks for the quilt front. However, you will have no fabric left over for the binding or backing. Additionally, the pieces used for the quilt back are larger than fat quarters, so you'll need to either find a larger piece (maybe a vintage sheet) or you could use a narrow sashing between nine fat quarters to make a large enough back. Binding strips can similarly be cut from additional fat quarters or from a vintage sheet.
Here are the pattern downloads:
Download Clothesline Quilts Organizer Cards
If you need them, I also have tutorials for sandwiching, quilting and binding.
As always, if you end up making one, I would love to see it in the Flickr Pool.
Stay gold, readers!
Beautiful. I love the vintage sheet one!
Posted by: Meg | June 17, 2009 at 10:33 AM
very nice!
Posted by: kristine hanson | June 17, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Oh my goodness. These are fantastic!!!
I gasped a little when I saw the pillowcase one.
Wonderful.
Posted by: Jess | June 17, 2009 at 10:40 AM
So I download the tute and am all "hmmm, I wonder what an organizer card is..." only to find it is the BEST THING EVER! Thanks so much for the free pattern and figuring out placement for me ahead of time!
Posted by: Jesselyn | June 17, 2009 at 10:40 AM
They are so gorgeous! Great job as always!
Posted by: Amber | June 17, 2009 at 10:41 AM
YES! You are my hero!!! Thank you soooo much for doing this.
Posted by: Michaela | June 17, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Oh, those are absolutely amazing. It's great to see a dying art thriving!
Posted by: Morgan | June 17, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Wow these are beautiful! I love both of them but I REALLY love the pillowcase one! They are gorgeous! And your free motion quilting is so fabulous! It looks completely flawless! I hops someday I'm that good!
Posted by: Jen Newby | June 17, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Thank you so much for all of the pictures of the beautiful quilts and the pattern. You are such an inspiration.
Posted by: Michelle | June 17, 2009 at 11:03 AM
These are gorgeous, Elizabeth!
Posted by: Jamie AZ | June 17, 2009 at 11:05 AM
I just love your tutorials, so well written, you make it all look so doable, it inspires me to jump in and try :)
Posted by: Valerie | June 17, 2009 at 11:07 AM
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful pattern and the organizer cards will be invaluable. A quick question, I'm wondering how the cotton/linen works with the reg. quilting cottons because of the different weights? I notice quite a few bloggers using it and am interested in giving it a try.
Posted by: susan | June 17, 2009 at 11:09 AM
beautiful! The pillowcase one is my fave!
Posted by: Kelly O. | June 17, 2009 at 11:32 AM
I like the nine-patch within nine-patch layout. These look great. And I agree with you on the matching plaids - who has the time?
Posted by: Cheryl Arkison | June 17, 2009 at 12:10 PM
OK, these are GORGEOUS!! They look like a Spring & Summer version. I say definitely do a flannel one with washed out blues, purples, & white, and you'll have your Winter. Then of course you'd have to a do a Fall/Autumn. Maybe some deep oranges, reds, purples, and browns, with a little dark green! hmmmmm....*scampers off to create*
Posted by: Michele | June 17, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Oh, I also forgot to add, I am really surprised at how you use so many fabrics for the backs of your quilts. Either you have literally tons of fabric, or your just more brave than me! I can never dedicate that much of my "good" fabric for the backs. I always imagine the other quilts I could use it on, and end up using something very plain for the back! Your quilts are so cute on either side, maybe one day I'll have the budget for using the better fabric on both sides!
Posted by: Michele | June 17, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Wow!! They are beautiful!! What does Soc stand for? I am now making your Mod Sampler and am on the E blocks and cannot wait to start this one next!! You are the best and so gracious to share with all of us readers! Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: Peggy B | June 17, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Thank you, Thank you, Thank You! I have been anxiously waiting for this pattern and buying every vintage sheet and pillowcase I can get my hands on!
Posted by: Cherie | June 17, 2009 at 12:28 PM
I totally agree with the previous poster who said they look like spring & summer versions of the quilt. Gorgeous. Thanks so much for making the pattern available.
Also, your photos make me wish I had a clothesline!
Posted by: karen | June 17, 2009 at 12:55 PM
These are just beautiful. Thank you so much for generously sharing the pattern. Your work is really inspiring.
Posted by: Collette | June 17, 2009 at 01:34 PM
These are so beautiful and generous of you to share!! I just completed your mod sampler (all in flannel) and it turned out wonderful thanks to easy peasy directions. I've been collecting vintage tablecloths that should work well for this pattern...can't wait to see what others do!
Posted by: Kathi | June 17, 2009 at 02:15 PM
Gorgeous, gorgeous! You have been busy!!
Posted by: Kate | June 17, 2009 at 03:30 PM
Those are fantastic quilts!! I can't wait to start on the vintage pillowcase one! Fantastic directions too.
Posted by: Pam | June 17, 2009 at 03:52 PM
I love them both. Thank you for sharing the pattern and hints. This is what blogging is all about, inspiration, sharing and encouragement.
Posted by: Janet Lucas | June 17, 2009 at 03:55 PM
Those are great! I love them! I'm going to have to fit one of those quilts into my schedule somewhere! Thanks for the great information and tips.
Posted by: Cheryl | June 17, 2009 at 06:08 PM