Clamity Cloud Cluster Coverlet

My Clamity Cloud Cluster Coverlet is my May finish for the CT Dirty Dozen UFO Challenge. Like the other quilts which I’ve finished so far since July, 2021 for this challenge, this one has a story to explain how this quilt came to be or more precisely this pattern. BTW, since finishing Clamity Cloud Cluster and if I already wasn’t set on this name, I’m thinking Feedsack Fundae would have have been a good name also. The clouds are starting to look like scoops of ice cream now.

Back in 2006, I purchased a set of clam shell freezer paper pieces which I first had to cut apart by hand and then cut hundreds of feedsack fabric squares which then an individual clam shell was ironed to it and then trimmed and basted in order for the clam shells to be sewn together to make rows. Back then I didn’t have an iPhone so I have no pictures to show for this long and laborious process. The above coverlet was finished in 2014 and this was what I considered a forever project which I worked on during many road trips. Would you believe after I made this, I then made one with 30’s fabrics which has been waiting for me to add the borders for at least eight years now. After I made these, my good Quilt Peep Linda asked me if she could borrow my clam shell freezer paper pieces which were still useable so she could make one.

After she was finished with her clam shell top in 2015, Linda returned the freezer paper pieces to me along with the extras she made with feedsack fabrics as well as 40’s and 50’s fabrics. Not wanting to let these clam shell blocks lay idle, I came up with an appliqué block which I thought was different but fun.

After that, I had to separate Linda’s clam shells either by two or by one for the clam clouds and then appliqued them to rectangles of Springmaid Natural Charm muslin. Once these were finished, I then sewed strips of black/white gingham to feedsack rectangles and made around 81 of these blocks. This was an on and off project for almost seven years. Last year, I decided to add this to the UFO challenge since I hated seeing these blocks laying around my studio.

I needed to trim all of the blocks to 7” first before laying them out on my design board. I initially was planning on a 9x9 or 66” square layout with one vertical row of clouds going up and the next row going down. 

After I sewed two rows together and they were laying on the table ready for me to press the seams, I noticed that I liked the look of the clam clouds and feedsack rectangles butting up against each other. I thought the new layout would look better as a 7x10 rectangular layout which meant removing two blocks from the two rows already sewn and eliminating the blocks which contained mostly brown fabrics.

Once the blocks were sewn together, I knew I needed to add a border and didn’t think I had anything in my stash. Luckily, while I was looking at photos in my Clamshell album, I saw the Clamshell Coverlet and knew the border I used would be perfect for Clamity Cloud and I still had a length of it leftover which was enough for a 2.5” border and binding. I was planning on quilting Clamity Cloud but decided against it and made it a coverlet by just sewing a fabric backing (no batting) like I did with the Clamshell Coverlet. (FYI, when I just back a quilt top with just fabric, I call it a coverlet and when I back it with a plush I call it a throw). Because I used Natural Charm muslin for the appliqued portion of the block which was thin, I could not use a print for the backing since it would show through. I had yardage of Kona Snow in my stash which I ended up using and am pleased with how it looks backing the appliqué. I quilted in the ditch along the vertical rows and in the borders with a 50 wt. Aurifil thread in Natural. The binding was hand sewn and because there was no batting, it was slow because I had to make sure the stitches did not go through to the top which can easily happen. The Clamity Cloud Cluster Coverlet measures approximately 52”x 70”.

And now I have a couple of Clamshell Coverlets. Despite not having any batting in the middle, the first Clamshell Coverlet folded up nicely and did not have any deep creases from sitting on the shelf for the past eight years. After finishing the Clamity Cloud Cluster Coverlet, I pulled out the 30’s clamshell and decided it is time to finally pick a border fabric. I’m thinking green. If I participate in the 2022/23 CT Dirty Dozen UFO Challenge, this should be one I list.