On the work table in Cornelia’s room were pieces of plain fast color gingham in orange, also small pieces of old fashioned calico spotted with tiny bits of carmine or red. “Oh, I know what we are making today – tiger lilys.” “Right you are, Nancy, how did you guess?” “Well, I can remember the showy flower which grandmother kept way back against the stone wall of her garden. It brightened the gray stone even on a sunny day. and on a dull day it seemed to burn and glow. I remember she used to quote something which I have since learned was written by William Blake. “Tiger, tiger. Burning bright.” While Cornelia pasted the newspaper pattern on to light weight cardboard or tagboard with library paste and put the pattern under a heavy book to dry, the rest of the club brought out their pieced basket block which was all ready for the flower of the day.
The basket had been pieced and attached to the upper half of the block. This upper half was white, while the basket was tan and white. The handle had been appliqued to the upper white half.
When the pattern was dry it was cut into Its parts, using a sharp scissors. Then the pattern of flower and bud were laid on the orange. Some of the members chose the plain and others the figured. Of course the color of the tiger lily is on the Inside of the flower and that is not visible in this pattern, but as Nancy said, “One could use a little imagination in making this quilt.”
The flower, bud and leaves were cut with a 1/4 inch allowance on all sides. The stem was cut from a bias piece of material and was made twice as wide as stem. Then the raw edges were folded back until they met on under side and were basted in place. Then the stem was pressed.
Following the Insert chart basket the pieces were laid In place on the upper half of the block, basted and then stitched with fine, invisible slanting hemming stitches. This ninth block was one of the prettiest and most effective.
Edmonton Journal
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 26 Jan 1929, Sat • Page 33
Last week: Trillium
Next Week: Japanese Balloon Flower
Grandmother’s Flower Garden Quilt
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