Tuesday, September 2, 2014

new one for me.

My master bedroom at my house, was renovated 10 years ago. I bought this lovely indian cotton quilt and it's been everyone's favorite quilt all these years...It's soooo soft!  I have not even been able to put one of  my own quilts on the bed, because, like Goldilocks, none have ever been "quite right."

But now, after ten years, the very thin soft indian cotton is tearing each time you touch it... and it's very faded... It really is time to do something about it...

I've tried several times to make quilt that would feel like this one... I love the color palette! It's warm,  soft yummy colors go nicely with the peachy color on my walls, and chocolate linen covered headboard...

I did a post not to long ago about trying to make the right quilt for this bed...  After that post, well, things fell into place by a series of events...
**

One, back when I was in Naperville teaching, Catherine Redford was in my class, and she was given a set of giant dahlia templates by Marti Michell, she handed them to me and said, 
"Here, you try it..."
I said, "Sure I'd give it a go!"

Then two:  I went on to QBL, (quilting by the lake) and my friend Lisa, was trying to use a fabric yardage that was given to her by another friend Karen, who also didn't know what to do with it....
Well, Lisa found a way to use it, 

By dropping it into my suitcase!  

So now I have the "hard to use fabric", by way of three owners...

I have everyone's hand me downs!  ( just like when I was a kid with all male cousins, and I still got all the hand me downs.) haha

So.... I get to my house after all the summer travels, I'm home, I'm happy to be home, I'm happy to be in my studio, I should be working on other stuff, but instead I find the templates....


hmmmmmm, well that was fun! 
(I was cutting up new fabric I bought on the road this summer)

 hmmmmm, well if I just cut a few more, then I will get back to my work....
(sound familiar to anyone?)

 Yeah, but I really like yellow, so where are those other yellows I bought....

 But it needs more red...
yeah! Cool! I love it...

Now what...

Well, I love that cheddar gold...
Love that brown polka dot, wish I'd bought 8 yards of it...
Purple? Lavender? Love lavender... Nope...
What else do I have around here....


Hey, where's that weird fabric that Lisa gave me...
hmmmmm, not bad!

Wonder what it looks like on my bed?

yes, I like it!!


I also had a striped border fabric in my stash that is at least 9 years old... 
A fabric that every so often I'd think I should donate to someone else, too!
But alas!
It found it's home on the border of this quilt top!

I'm considering adding more appliqué design work around it... but frankly I really like
 how simple the shape and color is... 
I didn't center the dahlia on the quilt top, I centered it the way the design lays on the bed,
 just before the pillows start to cover it...

I also won't feel to bad if the dogs jump on the bed with a simple quilt...
That makes me say "o more appliqué..."
just call it done.

Next, a good ironing, and...

...a good backing fabric!

 I wonder if I have any more hand me downs?

Then quilt it!

(then I need time to make new sheets and pillow cases, too!)

;-) See how my friends are quilting instegators?
hehe
(see how easily I chomp at the bit?)

But hey! I finally have a quilt for my bed!!! Yahoo!



Here's a tiny video of the quilt being Kinetic art...






13 comments:

  1. this has worked wonderfully, as you are thinking whether to add any more applique i wonder of maybe a few small ones on the border fabric, one at the bottom and maybe 2 on each side, just a thought

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  2. Great new quilt, love the story behind it too! your post just made me laugh, yes blame it on the friends!
    kathie

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  3. I like it simply as is. Nice story behind it. :-)

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  4. It's a lovely quilt, and sounds like it was fun to make. We put more than one quilt on our bed, especially as the days get colder.

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  5. I had to keep looking back at the pictures to understand how this was the progression of making of one giant block. I kept thinking that each picture was a different block until I really looked. It turned out very cool! You were just meant to have all those odd gifts come together and make this quilt! I need to make a quilt that fits my bed. It seems like I don't think about that part and they are always end up a bit small.

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  6. That didn't take long... I knew those templates needed a new home! Looks great.

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  7. It looks fabulous Victoria. How perfect to be able to use all those "hand me downs"!

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  8. Absolutely lovely! You have the BEST color sense! I was thinking if you have scraps left over (hahahaha I crack myself up!) you should do a 'made fabric' strip to act as an accent on your new pillowcases.

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  9. Love it, and the gift fabric works so well! You have such a great sense of color. The artist in you always shows up for work, doesn't she? Can't wait to see the quilting.

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  10. Love it.......great story too. Yeah, blame it on your friends, that's always good! ;-)

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