It was this little sweetheart's third birthday today. Thank goodness for video calls and a thoughtful daughter: we saw the little one opening her presents this morning. I wish we could have been there, but it's so much better than nothing. Thank you, clever technological inventors. Imagine lockdown before Skype etc. Imagine it even before any kind of phones. How awful that would have been.
I've finished my Zambian fabrics quilt. I'm sure it's not at all what a Zambian would have done, but on the other hand it's for my half-Zambian, half-Scottish friend, so I'm telling myself it's a sort of meld. Fusion. Or something. It's TERRIBLY bright, but I've surprised myself by almost getting used to it. I hope my lovely young friend will like it. She gave me the patterned fabrics, which her mum had bought in Zambia, and I added the plain ones because I thought they would tone it down a bit, but I'm not sure that they did, much. She wanted stars in the design and also some big strips of fabric, so this is what I came up with. I wish now that I'd chosen a paler yellow for the stars. I thought it needed to be bright to compete with the other brightness but actually, I think that a cooler yellow might have been better. Too late now!
I'd never done a medallion thing in the middle of a quilt but it was fun, and easy - no pesky corners to match.
I enjoyed quilting round all the different patterns.
Even this one, which tended to make me feel motion-sick (and I really don't like orange).
As usual, I made it up and just did what seemed fun. I'm sure a proper quilter would have done it quite differently.
The quilt's got thick fleece on the back, which my friend also wanted, but it was quite hard work to quilt through and impossible to do very dainty stitches (my excuse).
Anyway: I have a Christmas stocking (for Small Grandson) and two cot quilts for impending babies (of friends) to make, so I'm not going to run out of projects any time soon. This is just as well, if this virus is going to keep us all pinned down in our separate houses for much longer.
Which I suspect it is.
I absolutely LOVE that quilt; I think the brighter stars were the perfect choice. I too am thankful for FaceTime, long distance photos and videos, and phone chats. It's not the same, but it is something. I think we have about another year of this, give or take a few months in either direction. I'm preparing myself for that possibility anyway. :(
ReplyDeleteAnd HAPPY THIRD to your darling granddaughter!!
ReplyDeleteYour granddaughter is lovely! The quilt is great and the brightness is entirely appropriate. I know you said you didn't like orange but, as a long term quilter, a touch of the right shade of orange will lift most quilts beautifully, better than most other colours. And your quilting is just fine!
ReplyDeleteWell... thanks!
DeleteThe quilt is just fabulous and so is your Three. Impending babies??
ReplyDeleteOh, not ours, sadly. Friends.
DeleteYou ARE a proper quilter, and a very creative one too! I love it; yes, it’s “in your face bright”, but that was well balanced by your choice of solids. Congratulations! I’m glad you have more projects, winter needs a good ‘sit by the warmth’ activity .
ReplyDeleteHow kind!
DeleteDear little Grand daughter. What a lovely photo.
ReplyDeleteI never say I like something if I don't so I will say I like parts of your bright quilt. We don't always end up loving every quilt we make - or I don't...but we learn from that. I think your friend will be thrilled with it. Stay safe Dear friend and all you family.
Wow Pam. WOW!!! You did an AMAZING job! I think the yellow is perfect -- I love that you chose some solids to tone it down. And I LOVE LOVE that you incorporated the traditional stars (one of my favorite quilt blocks) to sort of tie traditional to modern. VERY VERY Well Done!!! {Major Applause!}
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting a photo of the Zambian fabric quilt. It is FANTASTIC! The design is exactly right for the fabric. I think you choice of yellow is perfect. Any less bright would have looked faded.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!