We have arrived at the final installment of Lala's Irish Chain Sew Along and I am offering the finishing instructions.
If you have followed along and have kept pace with the sew along, you have your borders on and are ready to sandwich and quilt it. Good for you!
I have gone through numerous quilting books that I have in my library in search of some alternative quilting designs for Irish Chain quilts but kept coming back to the simple outline of the patchwork blocks and the pretty daisy in the setting squares.
I then made the outline quilting lines inside the setting squares. When those were completed, I returned to the patchwork blocks.
The final step is to quilt in the daisy. Using a circle guide, I marked a 3-1/2" circle in the center of the square and then marked the circle with the 8 intersecting points of the petals.
I used a quilting template for feathers to mark out the petal lines. Starting at one of the intersecting petals I stitched the larger circle and then the petals. The inner circle was the last item quilted with a 1-3/4" circle in the middle of the 3-1/2" circle.
You can make up your own template by finding items that will work for you or free-hand them... Do what works best for YOU!
When the quilting finished, it will be time for binding! Need some binding tips? You can find them here. :)
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| Little Lala with no border |
As we wrap up this sew along, I will also wrap up the stories of the family...
Last week I told of Lala's & W.D.'s 50th wedding celebration - on June 11, 1943... 20 years later W.D. passed away at the age of 95 years on June 11, 1963. He was buried on June 13. Following the funeral, Lala passed away and was buried on June 14.
Both W.D. and Lala were fragile in their advanced age. My Mom had been living there caring for them since April. Lala was sick for an extended period of time with walking pneumonia. And W.D. had hardening of the arteries and had been falling. Following a visit from their son Forrest in May for Mother's Day, Lala went to bed, never to rise from bed again. The Doctor believed she may have had some strokes. I'm told that he would walk into the room and ask Lala when she was going to get up and fix him something.
The Dr. and entire family were certain that Lala would be the first to go... Mom said, "Grandma hung on until we got back from the funeral. It was like she knew he was taken care of and could then join him."
They left a great legacy behind... 4 children, 8 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. The number of cards and letters the family received was evidence that they had a significant impact on the community. (YES! I have them in the same box I found the original title and promissory note for the house. LOL!) Included in them was a letter from the House of Congress and Representative J. Edgar Chenoweth offering his condolences for the loss of both W.D. and Lala.
I'm certain that the Christian Ladies Aid Society put on quite the meal for their funerals and would have made Lala proud of the spread. ;) Lala was a leader of the Ladies Aid Society's quilting group, and I can't help but wonder if the quilters continued making and selling quilts to raise funds for the Christian Church. I also wonder how many quilts were in the homes in the community?
I have a few other quilts in my collection made by Lala. Applique was a technique that she used a lot. Here are a few... Time has run out for me to get proper photos of all her quilts. I'll make a feature of her quilts soon!
For now, I will open the linky party for those that want to enter for a chance to win a prize package. Everyone can enter, but the winner must have a US mailing address. Quilts don't need to be quilted, but a completed top (border or not, your choice). Finished quilts are bonus! =D
Before you go, tell me...
What part of Lala's story was the most interesting or memorable to you?
Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!
Keep Piecing,
Melva
Linking with:
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Your Lala quilt turned out so pretty Melva. I have not seen one version that I don't like - it is pretty in any colorway! I can't wait to get started on mine. I really enjoyed reading all your stories about them but this last one was quite interesting about the date W.D. died and how quickly Lala followed him. BTW June 11 is my birthday, and I was 15 in 1963. :D
ReplyDeleteI love your Little Lala, especially how you placed those red squares! The quilting is beautiful with those flowers in the white space. I'm hoping to get something like that in my white squares, too. What a story of the two of them passing within a couple days. I loved looking up their address in Trinidad and finding the house still there! Thanks for an enjoyable series and sew-along, Melva!
ReplyDeleteI, too, have really enjoyed your posts. WD passed away on their 70th anniversary! It struck me that Lala must have waited to make sure WD had his moment with the family at the funeral before she joined him, too. What an enduring love and life together! Thank you for sharing this with all of us - I know it was a ton of work, but a trip down memory lane, too, wasn't it? Best to you....Deb in N. Calif.
ReplyDeleteYes, quite the life! I didn't mention that she was buried the next day. I guess the family was all still there, and they didn't dilly-dally getting it done. Thanks for the visit and support of the sew along! Blessings,
DeleteM
I won’t be able to finish in time for the giveaway, but that’s okay. I will still be able to work on it when I have some free time. I will continue to link to your Sew and Tell posts, and maybe that will remind me to finish! My favorite part of the story was the post about the house. I find that era of homes very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThinking back to a most interesting post was your introductory post where you introduced us to her. What an amazing woman! I thought that the quilt would have to be finished to enter your giveaway so I was pleased to note it needed to be a flimsy! I have finished piecing the back and have taken it to the longarmer. Thank you for hosting this fun Sew Along!
ReplyDeletewill be so sad to see lala pass from our reading. i have enjoyed her immensely. (i hope to make the quilt this winter in more quiet times) your use of the curves template was a good reminder of using the tools we have on hand. thank you for this quilt along and history share.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous legacy. No doubt Lala is smiling down on you.
ReplyDeleteIts hard to imagine - but I think that after that many years together - they are so in tune that it makes sense, she would make sure he is okay and think its okay for her. My grandparents did the same thing in the backwards order. I love the way you stair stepped quilting - that looks super cool
ReplyDeleteHi Melva, little Lala is really pretty. Thanks so much for the QAL and for linking up to I Quilted This! It sounds like Lala had a good life :-)
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