Monday, December 30, 2013

Christmas Week Happenings

I have one quilt that I can now show.  It was a gift for my mom.  I started piecing these 20 scrappy blocks in late October, right before heading to Houston.  I think people think that just because blocks are scrappy, that they are fast to piece.  Not so much true.  I still cut strips off of nearly every pink fabric I own!  My niece pointed out that one of the seams looked crooked.  I had to gently tell her that they all were :-), intentionally!  It finishes at about 58"x 72".  It is fun for me to see all the different fabrics that I have used somewhere, or dreamed of using! 
My mom has had 3 of 4 of her chemo treatments for breast cancer.  We are lucky, as it is believed that it was really caught in early stage, despite it being in the lymph node.  It is hard to see, but the setting stones on the sashings is a subtle use of the breast cancer ribbon fabric.  I didn't want it to be "in your face", but that gentle reminder of why we must believe all will be fine was a requirement.  It is backed with a soft pink flannel.  This is just one of the many reasons why I have been on the blog less this fall.  Too many things to do, or to think about.  I will do better in 2014.
I tested out a plan and some dimensions for a faux piped binding on this quilt.  The brown "Believe" is from a Buggy Barn older print that I have intentionally hoarded.  It looks nice with the pink.  I love the subtle touch of the piping.  I will share the recipe for this later, as it is part of an article I will have published later this year.

Just before Christmas, I worked on a client's custom quilt.  She has a larger version of this Patchwork of the Crosses block which I have made a dozen or more of.  Her's are not fussy cut, but are of lovely bold prints. I won't show the entire quilt, but here are a couple snippets.  I love the colors in this block in particular.  If you know of the print at the corners (blue/green), or better yet have any to sell me, let me know.  I did have some, and really want some.  I believe it is Philip Jacobs.
This particular quilt was challenging.  The oddly-shaped white spaces were perplexing to design for.  I sort of ignored the piecing to some degree, and just quilted.  It was requested that the quilting be non-traditional and more edgy (like the modern, lively fabrics).  I hope my "outside the box" approach to the quilting fits this request.
I found another perfect quilt for the Aurifil thread I got last summer - who knew?!...it is the one below with the variegated colors - I used this predominantly on the printed areas.  There was some white thread and some aqua as well.  That Aurifil 40wt poly quilts like a dream, yes a freakin dream.  I wish it came in many more colors than it does (hint, hint!!).
So, tomorrow is NewYear's Eve.  No big plans here.  I have started on the client quilts again.  I have a couple early January finishes for some nice, patient clients of mine.  All others are being done, trust me.  I'm getting it all done... :-) I worked on my own quilt (the one I showed a week or so ago) a bit lately.  When I have kids home and knocking about, I hate to put a client quilt on the machine. I just don't have the attention span a custom quilt needs.  So...I put my own quilt on.  I am doing the ever-so-slow finishing touches to this show quilt, in hopes of having it done to enter in 31 days.  Fingers crossed.  For everything I finish, I discover something else that didn't get done right.  What a vicious cycle!  It's been too much work to settle for "good enough".  It will be finished right, or not at all.

7 comments:

Vicki W said...

What a fabulous gift for your Mom! I hope her last treatment goes well. I think your quilting on POTC is perfect and am looking forward to the piped binding tutorial.

Rebecca Grace said...

The "believe" quilt is such a wonderful, loving gift. How cute that your niece was playing "quilt police" and telling you your seam was crooked! Hah!

I think you absolutely rocked the custom quilting on that customer quilt. Sometimes the head-scratching challenges are the ones that really get the creative juices flowing.

Finally, great sentiment there about getting it done right or not at all. I am half an applique medallion and one pieced block away from finishing a BOM I've been working on all year, but now that I see everything together at the end, there are a couple of blocks that I just really don't like. Then another block or two where I have an "oops" or a regretted fabric choice, but I couldn't bear to take the seam ripper to them yet. I also can't envision my blocks looking good if I set them according to the designer's finishing instructions, again mostly due to differences in personal taste and fabric choices that I made... So I'm going to set it all aside, make the cornice and window seat that I promised my son, and then come back to the project with that "finished right or not at all" attitude.

Happy New Year!

Bev said...

Oh wow! That is the most beautiful quilting design I've ever seen! You are a master! I wish I could afford you! Have a Happy New Year! XO and cheery wave from Bev

Quiltdivajulie said...

Happy New Year to you and your family! Your work is so beautiful and that quilt for your mom is GORGEOUS! Wishing her well, too.

Judy said...

Another stunning design!

Unknown said...

gorgeous,,
Clipping Path

Anonymous said...

Prayers for your mom. I am a 4 year survivor this month.

Question: when you have more than one smaller quilt, do you ever load two at once?? Sometimes I get bored with the one I am working on or need to come up with a different quilting pattern and I wish I could work on something else for a while....