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Hello Friends, I have something exciting to share with you today! Pat Sloan is hosting the Harrisonburg “Spitzer Sisters” Quilt Along to benefit the Virginia Quilt Museum.
QUILT HISTORY
Below is the photo of the original quilt that is in the collection of the Virginia Museum.
From the director of Virginia Quilt Museum:
Mary Spitzer Etter of Harrisonburg, Virginia donated her family’s entire quilt collection to the Virginia Quilt Museum in 1997. The collection contain 27 quilts, most of which were made by Mary’s aunts, the Spitzer sisters. Their names were Sarah Josephine Spitzer (Walters), Margaret Melinda Spitzer (Jones), and Ellen Rebecca Spitzer. It is unknown if the other two Spitzer sisters, Hannah Spitzer (Brown) and Jane Spitzer (Evers), did much quilting. Of the quilts completed by the Spitzer sisters, there is a single initial embroidered on the front of quilt to mark who made each quilt. Ellen Spitzer’s daughter, Irene, also completed three pieces of the collection. Some of the quilts contain blocks that were done by Mabel Spitzer, Mary’s mother. These blocks were then quilted by either Berta or Effie Long, Mabel’s neighbors. There are a few quilts not made by a Spitzer, yet they were still made by relatives of the Spitzer family.
The blocks of this quilt were pieced in many colors. There is Muslin backing and cotton batting. It is heavily quilted in a cross-hatch design. A lavender “E” is embroidered in the corner.
QUILT ALONG BACK STORY:
A little over a year ago the Virginia Quilt museum shared a photo of the Mary Spitzer Etter quilt at Instagram. Immediately Wendy Sheppard and Pat Sloan were texting each other that they loved the quilt.. which lead to .. don’t you think it would make a great Quilt along? Both Wendy and Pat are long time Virginians.
About a year ago they wrote to the Executive Director of the Virginia Quilt museum, Alicia Thomas, to propose doing a quilt along with the pattern. She said ‘yes’!
Wendy has re-created the pattern from photos of the original quilt and has called it ‘Harrisonburg ‘ for the location of the Virginia Quilt Museum. She is using all her navy and cream scraps for a stunning scrappy version like the original. Pat is going to sew along during the quilt along using her Benartex fabric, Sleepover. Both are using their beautiful Aurifil thread collections.
PATTERN:
It is currently an exclusive release only available at the Virginia Quilt Museum. Paper patterns are making their way to the museum as we speak. So if you are wanting to purchase the paper version, give the museum just a few days to post the link to purchase the paper version. If not, pattern in PDF is available NOW by clicking HERE.
ALL PROCEEDS FROM PATTERN SALES FOR THE DURATION OF THE QUILT ALONG AND LIMITED TIME THEREAFTER WILL BENEFIT THE VIRGINIA QUILT MUSEUM
QUILT ALONG DATES:
Please follow along Pat Sloan’s You Tube videos for the quilt along.
- RUNS: Feb 14, 2023 to April 11, 2023 (Tuesdays)
- Quilt size: 78″ x 93″
- Pattern required:
- Schedule: 1 row a week, then the border, and wrap up
MY QUILT ALONG QUILT:
Scrappy blue and cream will be me color palette. Here is a snapshot! I have used almost 350 different fabrics!
COLOR OPTIONS TO MAKE YOUR OWN HARRISONBURG QUILT:
Pat will be using her Sleepover fabrics for her quilt. You may purchase Sleepover fabrics HERE:
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I hope you will join in this quilt museum for the worthy cause of preserving quilt history for the future generations. Get the pattern, raid your stash, and give Virginia Quilt Museum a visit HERE.
USEFUL LINKS:
Wendy
Pat
- https://www.youtube.com/patsloan
- https://www.instagram.com/quilterpatsloan/
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/QuiltWithPatSloan
- Project Page for Harrisonburg Quilt Along – https://www.ilovetomakequilts.com/harrisonburg-quilt-along-to-support-the-virginia-quilt-museum.html
Museum
- https://www.instagram.com/vaquiltmuseum/
- https://www.facebook.com/VAQuiltMuseum
- Pattern https://www.vaquiltmuseum.org/product/harrisonburg-digital-pattern-by-wendy-sheppard
- https://www.vaquiltmuseum.org/
Benartex
- https://www.instagram.com/benartex_fabrics/
- https://www.facebook.com/Benartex
- https://multisite.benartex.com/news/
Aurifil
Ivory Spring 
I just purchased the pattern. I am not sure where to find the free foundation paper piecing template on your website. I definitely wish to use that. Can you provide a link or tell me where to find it? Looking forward to this QAL!
Hey Wendy…looks like a lovely project… however, the links to the museum are going to a 404 not found site. Just FYI and thanks!!! 😍
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It should work now for the pattern link: https://www.vaquiltmuseum.org/product/harrisonburg-digital-pattern-by-wendy-sheppard
I love to learn about the history of different quilts and that is a good one. I’ll be going back to Florida during the QAL to help my MIL with her house so I won’t be able to join. She was hit by hurricane Ian and the process is so slow!!
Wendy, love your patterns! My collection of them keeps growing. I already downloaded the Virginia Quilt Museum pattern. I am also following your sew alongs with American Patchwork and Quilting and Quilters World. So much fun planned for 2023!
Love the Harrisonburg pattern. Excited to do this, especially in Pat’s Sleep Over fabrics.
I love this pattern and I love scrappy quilts. It is the way I use the leftover pieces from planned quilts. I am a scrappy quilter not a controlled scrappy.
This pattern is beautiful! I am definitely a controlled scrappy person who feels the need to let go of the control and try to be a scrappy person but hasn’t gotten the nerve to do it. YET!!
It’s a gorgeous quilt! Definitely a controlled scrappy. The Harrisonburg pattern Is wonderful!
Would live to win this beautiful quilt kit. I am a “controlled” scrappy person. Matchy, matchy..😂😂
I’m not sure if my post was sent, but I absolutely love the Harrisonburg quilt design. Controlled scrappy here. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
I am a random scrappy person — the more scraps the better. This looks like a great project for a QAL!
I would love to just put together a scrappy quilt. But I usually find myself more of a controlled scrappy quilter looking in my bin for a color to use. The Harrisonburg quilt design is truly a work of wonder with scraps!
Good morning. I just watched Pat talk about this stunning quilt. For me I am a controlled scrappy. Mostly by theme. So Christmas, bright colors, spring vibes, reproduction etc. my brain won’t let me do random very well 🤭. This is a beautiful quilt kit.
Currently a controlled scrappy quilter but slowly converting to a random scrappy quilter. Your Harrison quilt pattern is perfect for both controlled and scrappy quilt versions!
Please enter me in the give away for thenViginia quilt museum quilt! Thanks!
I am a scrappy quilt lover who tends to lean toward a controlled color palette. However, certain patterns just scream for a random scrappy selection of prints, such as string or log cabin quilts.
I am in love with this quilt and am looking forward to supporting the museum (which is wonderful) and participating in the quilt along!
Would Love, love to win the quilt kit. I use scrappy prints and solids to make some baby quilts for my family.
I’m definitely a controlled scrappy quilter. Your blue version of this quilt has inspired me to join the quilt along! Looking forward to it.
Mostly a controlled scrappy. Although, I’ve made two randomly scrappy quilts and love them! Looking forward to this quilt along!
I am definitely in love with scrappy quilts. The scrappier the better to use up leftovers from previous quilts. Would really love to win a kit as I would then have to follow as told instead of just picking up fabrics and joining them together. I am 73 and never won anything in my lifetime.
I do more controlled scrsppy. But have my bucket of scraps that I’m trying to be more random with. Love the Harrisonburg q you lt. going to the museum on our way to Paducah in April so makes it even more special
I’m controlled scrappy for the color palette but often use random placement of fabric within the blocks.
I love the Harrisonburg quilt. I would love to win this kit.
Wendy, I love your color choices. I have been quilting since I was 29 years old so that being said, I have quite a stash. When I was younger(smaller budget) I was random scrappy but now I enjoy both controlled and random. Doing both allows for better stash control.
Thanks for the template – getting ready to SAL, starting next week
Hi Wendy,
What a great idea to do the Harrisburg QAL! It seems to be a win-win-win for everyone involved!
Can you please advice on pressing. The pattern does provide any directions on which way to press the seams, especially in Step 5 and 6 when attaching the background rectangles to each side of the Step 3 unit.
Hi Karen,
I generally don’t give out pressing directions in my pattern because
different quilters press differently.
For making the HST units, I press open. As for 5 and 6, I just work out
the pressing for the top and bottom row units to be opposite to what the
units in the middle row unit would be. Experiment to find the best way
to press for you.
Hope this helps.
Wendy
I have a question about the possibility of using accuquilt dies to cut out the pieces needed for the block. Which dies would work for this block. I do have all the cubes and companions if that helps.
I am not familiar with Accuquilt. You might go through the pattern and check out the dimensions and see how that could possibly utilize the Accuquilt dies you have.
Best wishes,
Wendy
What is the date in Sapt. that Pat Sloan is going to be there..