Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine Winter 2021

warm homespun greetings

Although the coming months bring somewhat official opportunities to practice generosity, gratitude, and compassion, we see these qualities in play year-round when it comes to the quiltmaking world. Need a hug? Ask a quiltmaker. Need to raise money? Raffle a donated quilt. Need a gift idea? Make a quilt. Need a good laugh? Visit your nearest fabric store. For this last issue of 2021, you’ll find plenty to feel good about and plenty to share. There are designs reflecting flora, fauna, and the universe—all homey and cozy. Get ready to settle in! Speaking of 2021, Primitive Quilts and Projects is 10 years old! Yes, we launched our debut issue with the Summer 2021 issue. Sure, we’re a little late in celebrating, but it’s been a big year for everyone, and heck—better late…

on location

If you’re like us, you read the Zillow listings frequently. On a warm day in July, we came across an idyllic northern Michigan retreat—a real log cabin with three fireplaces located on a great fishing, kayaking, and tubing river. We were sure it would look very sweet decorated for the holidays … so we telephoned and made our pitch to shoot the Winter issue at the property. Lucky for us, homeowners Shari and Phil Hufford agreed and allowed us access for a day to photograph this issue (and it turns out that decorating for the Christmas season is one of their favorite memories in the cabin). As is usual, shooting the Winter issue in the summer had its drawbacks: Very hot and humid weather had us sweating through the hanging of…

tada! notes from our readers

PRETTY PUMPKINS This is my front door hanging for fall that I made using Debbie Kuehn’s pattern from the Fall 2021 magazine! I loved making it! —Peggy Nelson A FAMILY MASTERPIECE Here is my version of Dashing Through the Snow that was published in Winter of 2016. I had intended to just do the center piece as a pillow or framed wool appliqué as I do not know how to quilt, but then COVID hit and I thought, this pattern is so beautiful, why not? My mom, Jo Teeguarden, lives down the street, so she pieced it together for me and I ordered a hoop and batting and hand quilted it. When my sister, Lauri Teeguarden Conley, was finally able to come for a visit, she did the binding for me. It was a…

playing with color

Dear Jeni I find myself really loving some patterns that call for brighter or lighter fabrics, but after spending years decorating with darker primitive colors, I don’t want to make them, even though I like the pattern design. Have you ever changed up a colorway on a pattern to make it fit your style? Thank you, Laura Dear Laura, Thank you for your great question! My sister Gretchen and I owned a quilt shop for 12 years, and we heard this from many people over those years. They would come in and say that we just didn’t have anything for them, because they didn’t like wool, or didn’t like Civil War prints. We always tried to win them over by having them pick out a pattern and helping them see that we could pick out…

featured reads for winter

TABLETOP STITCHERY by Gail Pan shopmartingale.com; $19.99 (Available November 1) It's easy to see why so many stitchers have fallen in love with the artistry of Australian designer and author Gail Pan. Her embroideries are as sweet as birdsong on a summer morning, and in this follow-up to her previous bestsellers she presents a dozen enchanting designs to top your table. Choose from a variety of shapes to suit your space—circles, squares, hexagons, and rectangles—and be inspired by projects ranging from dainty 8" doilies to a charming 14" x 33" table runner. Gail includes full-size patterns and covers all the basics of hand embroidery, so you can relax and enjoy stitching each whimsical bird, basket, flower, and plump little pumpkin. Perfect for brightening your home throughout the year or bestowing as gifts, these designs…

ashton gardens

Finished quilt size: 57½" square Finished center block size: 23" square Finished block size: 8½" square PROJECT LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY INTERMEDIATE Missie chose fabrics from the Ashton Collection by Blank Quilting. SKU numbers are noted below. MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS □ 1 yard ivory toile print for backgrounds (1668-41) □ ⅓ yard small floral cream print for backgrounds (1673-41) □ ⅓ yard dotted cream print for backgrounds (1670-41) □ ⅓ yard small cream print for backgrounds (1674-41) □ 1 ¾ yards large cream floral border print for fourth border (1667-41) □ 1 ¼ yards dark brown dotted print for borders and binding (1670-39) □ 3 ½ yards fabric of choice for backing TIP: Missie’s fourth border cuts at 6" (including seam allowance). The yardage listed may need adjusted if you choose a different print. This may also change the yardage…