Detail Pictures of the Whitehall Public Library Quilt

The Making of the Whitehall Public Library Quilt-Part 1

The first step in making this quilt was measuring the space that was available to me for display when the quilt was finished. We had a large wall that is visible from the door as you walk into the library. It is an interior wall away from the windows and direct sunlight. The quilt measures approximately 98" wide by 67" high.

Once I knew how much room I had I began designing the quilt. After looking at other bookshelf quilts on the internet and discussing the options with Alfie Chico, whose idea it was to make the quilt, and Debby Recker, we decided we wanted a window or fireplace in the center of the quilt.

I use a computer program called QuiltPro when designing my quilts but could also have drawn the design on graph paper instead. The program made it much faster to make changes and check sizes.

I have always enjoyed making things look 3D or as realistic as possible so making the window was probably my favorite part of constructing the quilt. Once I knew how big I wanted the window to be I added the detail of the beveled window frames in my design program. To make the beveled pieces I sewed together 1 strip each of white and gray fabric. My strips measured 1" wide by the width of my fabric so they would finish as 1/2". I set these aside until I had my window background ready. I paper pieced the intersections of the window frames so I could be very accurate. This is what the intersections look like in my design:

To make the background I took a piece of green fabric and placed it wrong side up on a piece of the sky fabric. I cut a gentle curve through both pieces of fabric. The reason I placed the green fabric wrong side up is because I wanted the far hill to look "grayed" out and farther away than the closer hill. Both hills are made from the same fabric. After cutting the curve, I removed the extra sky fabric and the extra grass fabric and sewed the two remaining pieces together along the curve. If you've never done curved piecing make sure you practice on scrap fabric first. After sewing the first curve, I layered this piece of fabric with more of the grass fabric, right side up this time, and cut another gentle curve. If you're afraid of curved piecing this could also have been appliqued.

Once I had the 2 hills sewn, I cut this piece of fabric apart to fit in the window panes. Next, I cut my white/gray strips into segments to fit in between the windows and sewed them together in rows. I made 3 rows. After I paper pieced 4 window intersections, I sewed them together with the white/gray strips to make the horizontal parts of the window panes paying close attention to the positioning of the strips to create a shadow on the underside of the mullions. I sewed these strips in between the window rows, added the outside pieces of my window frame and my window was complete. I'm not giving measurements here because my measurements are unique to this quilt and may not work for another quilt.


It may be easier to see how the window was constructed in my computer drawing shown below:

Well, that's all for today! I have other things I need to do but if you want to make a quilt like mine this should help you get started.

Good luck!

Curious about this quilt?

A recent comment about my library quilt got me thinking. Rob, the commenter, wanted to know if there was a pattern for this quilt. Unfortunately, there isn't and there won't be one because it was commissioned to fit a large wall at my local library, but I'm considering writing a series of posts about how I designed and how, with the help of friends and the use of a wonderful sewing machine, we were able to make this quilt. I'll probably cover the purpose of this quilt and how it was used to raise funds for the library, as well. Is there anyone else out there who's interested in the process?

Ahhhhhhhhhh....

This is a picture of the project I have been working on for the last year and its nearly finished! This quilt was the brainchild of Alfie Chico, who is now my friend, but when she called me out of the blue to ask me to help with this project, I was totally caught off-guard. Alfie had been looking for a way to raise funds for our local library and originally wanted to raffle off a quilt. She was inspired by a children's book, similar to a coloring book, but with pictures you could customize to your own interests. One of the pages had a bookshelf with books on which you could write you own titles.

After some thought, Alfie, Debby Recker and Paula Kelly, the head librarian at the Whitehall Public Library, realized the quilt would probably bring in more money if the project was approached from another direction. Rather than selling tickets for a chance to win the quilt, they decided for a $100 donation to the library, the donor could choose a title for one of the books on the quilt. The quilt will hang in the Whitehall Library next to a companion book in which each of the donors got a page to say why they chose their book and what it means to them. This made it possible for more than one person to choose each book.

I was the last one brought into the project, but since I have more experience with quilting and machine embroidery, they allowed me to take the helm. After I designed the quilt, Alfie, Debby and I got together quite a few times to embroider the titles. Once the book titles were finished, it took me about a week to put the quilt top together. Then I was able to give the quilt top to my friend, Cathy Werner, of Your Fairy Quiltmother, who did the actual quilting. She did a dense allover design that should hold up well over time.

The quilt was unveiled at the Whitehall Public Library's 50th Anniversary Celebration held at The South Hills Country Club on Sunday, May 5th, 2013. It was well received and after a few finishing touches, it will be ready to hang in the library for the next 50 years and, with luck, many more!

I can't wait to visit it!

Update on Whitehall Library Quilt

Here is another picture of the quilt I am helping to make as a fundraiser for The Whitehall Public Library. This is the library I grew up going to and it holds a special place in my heart. This section of the quilt will be on display at The Whitehall Community Day on Saturday, August 25th. We are waiting until we have a full list of the books that will be featured on the quilt before we start to assemble the shelves. There is still time to have your favorite book included!

Library Quilt Update

I had the chance to work on the window for the quilt being made to raise funds for the Whitehall Public Library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so I decided to post a picture of my progress. The center of this quilt will be on display at the Whitehall Community Day on August 25th so you can see it up close and check out some of the details we are adding. We have had quite a number of books chosen so far but if you would like to have your favorite book featured on the quilt there is still time! What a wonderful way to share a favorite family story or commemorate a loved one. You can choose the book you've read a million times to your children or grandchildren or one that has special meaning to yourself. For more info visit the Whitehall Public Library's website http://www.whitehallpubliclibrary.org/ or contact me via email at larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

Sneak Peak of library quilt

. . If you are a regular reader of my blog you probably already know I am working on a quilt as a fundraiser for my local library. But in case you're a new reader I'll give you a little background. The Whitehall Public Library, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will be celebrating its 50th birthday in 2013. Alfie Chico had the original idea of making a raffle quilt to raise funds for the library but after meeting with Paula Kelly, the head librarian, the two decided the quilt should hang in the library upon completion. Debby Recker attended the meeting where the fundraiser was proposed and volunteered to help with the project. I was brought in to design the quilt and supervise the construction of it. People will have the opportunity to have a book of their choice represented on the quilt for a $100 donation. There will be 50 adult books and 50 childrens' books featured on the quilt as well as a window and window seat and a lot of special, little details. There will also be a companion book to the quilt in which all of the donors will have a page of their own to explain their reason for choosing their book or books. While we are waiting for all of the book titles to be chosen I have started to piece the window section of the quilt. The window is pieced using paper piecing, curved and traditional piecing but will probably also have some applique added later. The curved piecing was a little bit of a challenge for me since I haven't done much of it but I am very happy with the result and I will definitely do more of it! I am so grateful for the opportunity to work on this very important project. I feel so blessed that I can use my talents to help others and I can't wait to see it hanging in the library and show my children "their" book!

For more information or to have your favorite book featured on the quilt send me an email at: larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

Library Quilt underway!

I have been asked to help construct a quilt to benefit the Whitehall Public Library as well as celebrate its 50th Anniversary! Plans are already underway and we are excited to get to work. But we can't do too much until we know what books will be featured on the quilt. The quilt has been designed and we have a list of books, so far, but want to make sure people are aware of this project and let them know they have the opportunity to get their favorite book represented on the quilt, too!

The actual quilt will be a book shelf/shelves with 50 adult titles and 50 children's titles. It will hang in the Whitehall Library and be displayed with a companion book that will feature the names of the people who chose the books and their reasons for their choice.

We have a lot of special details planned for the quilt so it will definitely be something to see when it is finished. The deadline to get your book choice in is August 31st, 2012 so we will have enough time to construct it and have it ready for unveiling in the spring of 2013.

Feel free to contact me via email for more information: larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

Or contact The Whitehall Public Library
                  100 Borough Park Drive | Pittsburgh, PA 15236
                  412-882-6622
                  www.whitehallpubliclibrary.org Email - whitehall@einetwork.net