This is such a non-accomplishment compared to the intricate creations of some of my bloggy chums, but in my humble way I'm quite chuffed to have finished the quilt I've been working on, intermittently, for most of this year. I decided to make a tumbler quilt because it's just as easy as an all-squares one and thus suited to my status as a beginner. I chose to do it in stripes of white, green, yellow and blue with two borders and then Daughter 2, for whom it was destined, chose the actual fabrics from my stash. And then she had a bit of a loooooong wait.
It's not for a bed - she's an architect and architects tend to be somewhat minimalist in their home décor - but it's quite big enough for two to snuggle under while watching tv.
It includes unused bits of fabrics from our kitchen curtains (made 26 years ago), Daughter 2's bedroom curtains (17 years ago) and the upstairs bathroom curtains (17 years ago). The former two lots of curtains are still in use (yes, the Scots are a thrifty race) though the bathroom ones faded so much that I replaced them. I'm astonished that the kitchen curtains (Laura Ashley fabric, like the bathroom ones) used to be this bright. Maybe the time has come for some new ones.
Don't look too closely at the quilting, which is probably not done as a proper quilter would, since I just bashed happily on with what I felt like. But it's got hearts and flowers and little houses, because I love her and we both love gardening and she designs buildings. It's all hand-quilted because I like hand-sewing when I'm watching television and anyway I don't trust my machine skills (or my machine) for doing anything but the piecing together of the patches. This is why it took me some months to finish.
Look! - it works!
Thanks to my advisors, Anna http://www.thimbleanna.com/ and the rather alarming - in a firm-but-fair-schoolteacherish way - Jenny Doan of the Missouri Star Quilt Company, who posts really helpful videos on YouTube.
I finished the quilt yesterday morning so that Daughter 2 could take it back down to London (sigh - not that the quilt's gone, but that she has) and now... I feel... at a bit of a loose end.
What next?
Oh, Pam......that's lovely! Well done you! It suits your daughter beautifully. As for what's next, you do have some lovely new fabric.......
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful, I know your daughter is going to treasure it. Did your hand quilt it or do all those hearts on your sewing machine. I really like the soft colors of it.
ReplyDeleteI think it's gorgeous and WAY ABOVE anything I could ever do. I adore the colors and the wonderful photos of your daughter wrapped up in its comfort and love.
ReplyDeleteYIPEE!!! It's wonderful -- and you forgot to say -- it's all HAND-QUILTED!!! (That's very important in this day and age where we all cheat and have them machine quilted.) And, having seen it in person, I can tell your readers that it's perfect. Very Well Done! Next??? Another quilt, of course. Dive right in -- it will solve those loose end issues right away!
ReplyDeleteHugely impressive, that quilt. Go on, make another one! I managed a tiny machined pram cover in patchwork recently, but it was so wonky I couldn't take a photo of it. Luckily, my DIL doesn't sew at all (not even buttons) so she didn't notice.
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! I think it is my favorite of the quilts you have shown us so far. Lovely color and I like the little birds a lot, but more importantly, what a wonderful gift for your daughter with all your work in it and fabrics that mean home to her.
ReplyDeleteAnd the little house quilted in the corner is just a joy!
ReplyDeleteIt is very lovely! It has been keeping me and Son-in-Law 2 very cosy on the sofa for the last couple of nights - very handy as the nights are getting chilly (and we don't own any other blankets, obviously). Other details of the carefully considered design which I'd forgotten during the quilting phase (but have now noticed): it has a border in each of yellow, green, blue and white and a corner piece in each colour too. You also haven't really pictured the binding - made from chevron fabric folded down the chevron so that the stripes go one way on one side and another way on the back. It's also got a cosy blue brushed cotton back. It's very lovely. xx
ReplyDeleteWill you stop? No more comparisons, please....you did a great job, though not convinced that tumblers are as easy to do as squares. I love that you've used fabric you had, with nice memories. Well done, Pam, and onto the next one....one each for the littles?
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