Welcome to my quilt blog, my name is Ruth.
Why Ye Olde Sweatshop?
I live in Southern California, but my parents came from this lovely village in the north of England. I spent most of my summers over there and as many of you know ... so many pubs and shops are named, 'Ye Olde "fill in the blank".
When I starting making fabric grocery bags to sell, I set up a sewing area in my garage. One day in the middle of summer I was down there with friends, (baking in the heat and fabric was everywhere) ... I said that we may as well be in a sweat shop - literally, since we were all sweating buckets. The name stuck and this blog became a place to post my finished quilts. (In winter we fondly call my 'sewing room' the dungeon since it gets so cold).
Philosophy about quilts
I am self taught - reading internet tutorials and watching
youtube videos from so many talented 'real' sewers.
I like to make quilts that are reasonably quick to assemble and can be machine washed and dried. I have kept a few quilts for myself and happily given the rest away to family & friends.
Final thoughts ...
It's always better to make a simple quilt and finish it, then try to make a masterpiece and loathe it for months or years. Life is too short not to take advantage of the beautiful fabrics that exist. Find a quilt pattern you like, be reasonable and honest about how much time you have to sew, and most importantly ... enjoy the process.
Be content with the limits of yourself and your machine. Look for pictures of quilts made with fabric you like - don't be afraid to do something similar and use what others have done as a launching point. Quilting is supposed to be fun ... I hope this blog helps you a little when you make your quilt. :)
Yay! Yes thank you, helpful and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI wish you well with your crafty pursuits whatever they may be. :)
DeleteI love your explanation about the name! Hey, thanks, too, for posting the details about each quilt. It's really helpful to know exactly what people used in their projects to get a sense of how different materials work together!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. It is such a joy to see like minded quilters. I quilt only for my local guild who gives me scraps and orphan blocks to create quilts for community service. Your inspiration confirms my own focus in my senior years to do good where I can...and enjoy doing it! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely comment. I am sure that your quilts are greatly loved by those who receive them. Making quilts for others isn't everyone's joy - but I think you and I are on the same page with that philosophy. Never hesitate to share pictures of your quilts with me - it's wonderful to see what others do and helps inspire me as well. Sending good wishes to you and your guild - and of course, those who enjoy your talents.
DeleteRuth, thank you from the bottom of my heart for becoming such a wonderful mentor and long-distanced friend. So much about what you said above in your “final thoughts” resonates with me. I’m so grateful that our paths have crossed. You’ve been an incredible blessing. 💗
ReplyDeleteYes I was wondering if I could purchase your another California quilt pattern 37 you can text me at 479 430 1949 thank you
ReplyDeleteWhat a helpful blog! Your articles on kaleidoscope are amazing. Really deconstructs the process. Especially helpful are the parts about organizing and using scraps. The minky one is also very detailed, but I'm not sure I'm going to take that on. This is an encyclopedia of knowledge. I see you haven't blogged here for a few years. Hope you can leave this site up for the rest of us. Thank you!
ReplyDelete