But, this little reflection is not so much to have a whine or to feel sorry for myself but to illustrate a nice coincidence. I’m so excited to have another quilt up on the Moda Bakeshop today, it works out really nicely because I started in in the last week before we left and here it is posted on the day I arrive back at work. Truly a summer project.
Please pop on over and have a peek!
Not that I don’t enjoy making all of the quilts I make but I have found this one to be particularly enjoyable.
You see it went something like this.
-> Fabric arrived. End of the year fast approaching, and with it the need for the team I was managing it to find a new office and move, as well as all the normal end of tasks, drama and busy-ness at work and at home but the fabric washed and cut, in a couple of hours over a couple of evenings. Quilt top pieced in about the same time frame. It is a little smaller than the quilts I usually make (to fit our bed) and it sits waiting for some embroidery for the backing and basting.
->The design for the backing embroidery was sketched out as I was running out the door in the morning for work. I great move, as I found myself with a few odd minutes in the car between meetings and I was able to sew some of it, simple backstitch is so compliant and satisfying in that way.
->The backing was finished soon after and the basting completed the night before we left for our Christmas trip to Perth to visit our families. I received strange looks from N when packing the basted quilt and various sewing accoutrements into my (never lightly packed) suitcase. The second to final balls of perle cotton needed for quilting arrived as we left…just. I did have to conduct a mad dash to collect it.
Stressful as all this was at the time it is part of the story that makes this quilt. And lead to many peaceful hours quilting it, sitting with my sister after surgery watching terrible pay TV (why do people pay for such horrible programming?) in the morning light waiting for others to wake (I’m an early riser at the best of times and in a time zone removed from my own I wake at ridiculous hours!), on beaches in the northern suburbs of Perth, sitting in the car but not (by veto of friends and boyfriend alike) waiting to ring in the new year.
The back of the binding was sewn down on two separate beaches on Rottnest and on the ferry on the way home. There is probably some sand and grit sewn in there too. A little bit of WA summer to stay with it for good.
It is going to be hard to let this one go, but, despite not having a plan for it when I started I have begun to think of it belonging to another. And so it shall be.
Plus, I am plotting a four star version for our bed…
4 comments:
Your star quilt is beautiful. I love the bold colours.nand hand quilting. Di :)
Could you use a layer cake instead of fat eighth?
Kristy, I love your star quilt! It really does justice to the large prints. Uh, oh, now I want to make one... (sighs, as list grows longer!)
Lisa
Lalexander733 (at) gmail (dot) com
Loula (and anyone else that is wondering), yes, the shapes can be cut from a layer cake sheet at the same size as in the tutorial. You would need to fold the sheets on the diagonal from corner to corner and cut around the shape in the same was as described in the tutorial.
Be aware though that the diamond would all be bias edges and the bias would also run right up the centre of the diamond. This might make construction more difficult.
Alternatively it could be folded horizontally across the centre to form a rectangle and then cut from that, but in this case the diamond could end up smaller and you would need to adjust the setting squares and triangles (the blue in the quilt)
Hope this helps!
Post a Comment