Friday, October 28, 2011

Bloggers Quilt Festival

I am sure you are aware that the Blogger's Quilt Festival is this week. It is brought to us by Amy, who has done this for a few years now. I hope you have the time to look at the many quilts that will be posted at the Festival's link this week!

My entry for this fall's festival is a small-ish wall quilt named "Intertwined". Despite it being only 40" square, it is paked with details, and is made of my all-time favorite fabrics - Hoffman 1895 hand-dye batiks. It is shown below with me and my usually eager to be in a picture daughter (not so much this time!) at the Maine Quilt Show this past summer. Happily, it was one of 4 quilts to receive a 1st place ribbon!


The 14" center block was started a year before in a Karen Kay Buckley hand applique class. I should note that I am comletely addicted to hand applique, so if you have never tried, you might really enjoy it. Karen's applique pieces were challenging at first, being that they have a ton of inner points, and because they are small (grapes are under 1/2" diameter), but it is a relaxing form of stitching, and I like that I was able to drag it along with me to dance and soccer, etc. One other thing to say is that the batik fabrics are a tigher weave than most cottons, and the behave so much better for this type applique in that they are not prone to reveling when the turned under seam allowance is slightly under 1/4".


So, thanks Karen, for a wonderful inspiration for my quilt. I did design the remainder of the quilt myself to compliment the center block. The 4 cathedral windows were paper-pieced, and were intended to bring a little variety to the applique. I hand appliqued the two-tone ribbon on the twice before I was satisfied with how it looked. And then I decided that it just needed a punch of something different. That's when I pulled out my lime green batik and the orange & gold fabrics and made the intertwining vines of nasturtium (and hence the name for the quilt). I designed them to be like morning glories in shape, but somehow because they were orange, then needed to be a different flower!


I must confess, I am a longarm quiter, and I am most definitely my all-time worst client iterms of pickyness. I spent over 20 hours on this rather small quilt. The quilting features some ghost flowers in the background, and sections of feathers and other fills. Though I love doing the applique, I am a quilter at heart, and need for the quilting to take a "top" to another level. The quilting designs are as important as the piecing & applique.


The quilt received some Swarovski crystals when it was finished - white ones for the centers of the flowers and several hundred others on the quilt (even though they are not visible in the pictures whatsoever). Under show lights, the quilt twinkles beautifully. I also bound the quilt with a piped binding, which is a great finishing touch.


I hope you have enjoyed these pictures, and others you will see at the Bloggers Festival. If you find yourself ever in the need of a longarm quiter, please feel free to contact me. My business website is here.
(one last picture of "Intertwined"'s back!)

63 comments:

Ulla's Quilt World said...

Hi! Greetings from Finland! I LOVE this quilt! All of your quilts are so stunning! I am speechless!!!! I am so happy to I found your blog! It's so nice to find other quilters all around the world! :)
Yours, Ulla
www.ullantilkut.vuodatus.net

Valentina said...

thump-
that's the sound of my jaw hitting the floor...
Oh my goodness. Gorgeous, fabulous, amazing.
I cannot believe my eyes. Your quilting is exquisite...
You definitely took it up a notch or 10! Love it!
( i still cannot believe it...)
:)

Barbara said...

You did an awesome job on this quilt. Your quilting is so detailed. Pride in your work show through in all areas. Thank you for sharing.
Barbara

trish said...

Congratulations! Your quilt is absolutely beautiful! :o)

Kathy said...

Margaret, Your quilt is a gorgeous example of your beautiful quilting! It is simply amazing!!! Even the back is a work of art. Congratulations to you.

Victoria Findlay Wolfe said...

amazing. gorgeous quilting... hmmmm. I got a few here you can do fo e !

Borderline Quilter said...

Beautiful as ususal Margaret....so much detail....stunning!

Best Wishes
Kay in Scotland

~The Bargain Babe from *Zucchini Summer Blog* said...

saw your link at the festival.

as I saw your pics my thought was "oh my gosh are you KIDDING me?!" Which translated means "wow she got an extra dose of the quilting skills!"

I can barely sew a 3/4 inch seam. You my friend are TALENTED.

Thank you for sharing photos of your gorgeous quilting!

Sandy said...

OH MY! Your quilt is absolutely gorgeous! The amount of detail in your quilting is amazing!

Cheryl Lynch Quilts said...

Thanks for visiting my blog, but I am even happier that I got to see your work. Your quilting is just amazing. I am awestruck.

Stacey said...

Hi, just stopping by from my blog where you left a comment. The fellow maniac :O} Love your quilt, so so so pretty! Where in Maine are you located? I am off to add you to my blogroll now.

Sue Daurio said...

Goodness that is one truly amazing quilt. And yes the quilting does push this one way over the top. Just wonderful!

Robin said...

Oh my goodness, Margaret! The quilting truly does take this quilt to another level. It is fabulous and wonderful. Your applique work is also beautiful. Thank you for sharing its story! :)

Furball Farm Quilting said...

It may be small, but it's big on awesomeness. Amazing quilting, really eye catching. I'm glad I've found your blog, your "quilt shows" are a joy to see.

Linda at Roscoe's Ma said...

It amazes me that a human being can produce soemthing like this! Beautiful!

Mary said...

every moment you spent on this quilt was well worth it! it's a beauty.

Lonci said...

Gorgeous quilt, i love this:)

bethanndodd said...

Oh my, your quilt is absolutely stunning. I am in awe of the beautiful hand applique' and detailed longarm quilting. You have made great use your talent! Thanks for sharing.
Smiles~Beth

Jane said...

I'm just speechless...well, actually that never happens, but this quilt is breathtaking. Incredibly beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing this!

Margaret said...

My goodness-I am struck dumb by your work. Such detail, such precision! Thanks for sharing.

Rachaeldaisy said...

What an amazing quilt!! The quilting is so incredible!!

Marty Mason said...

Stunning: your work is! What more can I say - unbelievable, beautiful, awesome, gorgeous, fabulous, amazing, exquisite....okay....I'm running out of room here. But, you should be getting my drift!

What Comes Next? said...

OMG! This quilt is absolutely stunning! Your workmanship with the applique is gorgeous, but then the quilting, words cannot express what I feel when I look at something this fabulous! Thank you for sharing - and I'm so glad I found you, I'll be back!

M-R Charbonneau said...

Oh my, this is gorgeous! It's no surprise that you won a ribbon; your machine quilting in exquisite! Wow! Thanks for sharing this! And thanks for coming by my blog and leaving me such a nice comment on my entry. :)

Marjorie said...

Absolutely gorgeous! I also love to applique with batiks, but I'm far from your skill level with the machine quilting. You've given me something to aspire to.

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

Wow! This is a work of art. Just beautiful.

Editfolt said...

beautiful quilt. I love staple..

Bente-I like to QuiltBlog said...

-really a beauty and a true winner, congratulations!
Bente
I like to QuiltBlog/blogger from Germany

Unknown said...

Wow, that is a pretty amazing quilt. A labor of love for sure.

Angie said...

Beautiful, beautiful quilt and your quilting is breath-taking!

LJ said...

THAT quilt is STUNNING!! It's no wonder you won!

I'm just curious as to what part of Maine are you in? I'm on border of the tippy top of Maine in New Brunswick.

Kit Lang said...

Congrats on on winning -beautiful quilting!

Patti said...

Oh my goodness Margaret! Your quilt is stunning, as is your amazing talent! I'm so happy you stopped by my blog; your visit led me to you and your beautiful work.

Eileen said...

Honestly, that is one of the most beautiful things i've ever seen. It truly brings tears to my eyes it's so lovely! What wonderful talents you have. Thanks so much for sharing nad have a grewt day

Dirt Road Quilter said...

Oh my goodness! That is truly a work of art...and heart! I hope it hangs in a place of honor in your home! Your quilting is stunning!

FlourishingPalms said...

Wowee! Your quilt is stunning. I'm not a bit surprised to know you earned a first place ribbon. I can only dream about ever being able to do that kind of quilting at a sit-down home sewing machine. You do have a gift!

Rebecka said...

What an amazing quilt! Your quilting really makes the quilt!! Thanks for sharing your work!

Lynette said...

Everything about this quilt is just amazing! Front and back. I can't stop looking at it. :)

Sandra said...

Wow is so inadequate that is an amazing quilt -- I hope it fits the size for Paducah because I def. think it could end up in the National Quilt Museum. Absolutely stunning.
p.s. the link for my business on this post didn't work when I tried it.
Come see my entries #29 reproduction mini applique and #31 1850 antique star

Kate said...

Absolutely gorgeous quilt. I love that most of the design is yours in a "make it up as you go along" fashion. Congrats on the ribbon!

Maya said...

This quilt is stunning! I want to be able to quilt like this someday - perhaps when I grow up! ;)

Angie in SoCal said...

Absolutely beautiful - ribbon well deserved.

Karen said...

Your quilt is so beautiful. So much work and detail. Stunning.

Roos said...

It's AMAZING.....what a beautiful wallhanger, congrats with your prize, you deserve it.
Greetings Roos

Shannon said...

Margaret, Your quilt is just gorgeous. The design is really stand-out! It feels like all the elements complement each other without overwhelming. And the applique is stunning. I'm always so in awe of precise applique like yours. Superb work!

quirky granola girl said...

wow! that is amazing! the blue ribbon is well-deserved.

Lyanna L. said...

simply stunning.

CraftyGardenMom - Tanesha said...

Wow, no surprise why you won a blue ribbon: well deserved! Gorgeous quilt and your quilting is stunning. Thanks for sharing!

Hideaway Girl said...

Wow! I think you earned that ribbon. Your quilting is amazing!

Sarcastic Quilter said...

I cannot say it any better then the other comments here. Stunning, easily deserving of a blue ribbon, fabulous quiting, etc. Thank you for sharing the design process behind this beauty. I love knowing how such a quilt is created.

Katy Cameron said...

Oh wow, that is awesome, what amazing quilting! It well deserved its ribbon :o)

Katie said...

Well...if there ever was a quilt to make me feel like a beginner, yours is it! But it's beautiful and gives me something to aspire to. I'm not suprized you won first place at all, but congratulations! You earned it!

Unknown said...

From one longarm quilter to another....amazingly beautiful!! I dream of quilting like this someday.

Teresa Marie said...

One of the most beautiful quilts I've ever seen!!!

hazel said...

Oh. My. Word.

That is truly gorgeous. Everything about it is just wonderful. I can easily see why it received the ribbon--so deserved!

Hazle

Vicki said...

Gorgeous work it definitely deserves that first place ribbon. Congratulations on a wonderful job.

Kathy said...

Stunning. Gorgeous. Wow! That center block reminds me why I love applique and makes me want to get back to it. Thanks for sharing your process, too. Definitely a blue ribbon!

Jean Cheszek said...

Wow, your quilting is amazing!

Rebecca said...

Beautiful quilt and amazing quilting!

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

Wow, what a stunning quilt! I'm off to see more!

Habibti at Home said...

Amazing!!

Leslie said...

this is such an amazing quilt

Martha said...

This is a stunning quilt...so much work...congratulations and thanks for sharing.