Thursday, 7 September 2017

All at Sea: done and dusted


The good thing about not being quite able to get all your binding stitched down before you go on holiday is that you're really, really close to a finish when you come back and pick up a needle again.  All at Sea is finally finished, probably two months after I first thought the end was in sight, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

This is a long quilt and I nearly despaired of getting a picture of the whole thing in one go; even my trusting washing line wasn't quite up to the job.  The two best shots I've come up with are on kitchen floor,


and this one, behind which lurks a husband, balancing on a stepladder and telling me to hurry up because his arms hurt.


Here's the back...
...the binding...
...and a couple of close-ups.



Details:
48"x 72".  
Quilt and backing made from stash fabrics.  I think most of the prints that leap out at you are Janet Clare (some Hearty Good Wishes and some Nocturne).  As a side note, Janet Clare is one of the designers whose fabrics I particularly miss while I'm just buying organic.  

Wadding is Hobbs wool.  Handquilted using Aurifil Lana (again) but also Madeira Lana, which was new to me and is pretty much like the Arifil but came in a couple of pleasing variegated threads.  I'm not sure anyone will notice that, but I know and it pleases me.

I pieced this between 9th May and 22nd July 2016.  

Quilting started 14th May, finished 5th September 2017.  Now that I see those dates I am thinking, 'blimey, this one took me ages' but the previous quilt got done really fast, so I guess it all balances out in the end.

I should also mention that this quilt would never have been made without the inspiration of Julie's book, 'The Free Pieced Barn Project.  It has it's own blog, so if you want to learn more, you can check it out here.


Linking up today with NinaMarie for Off the Wall Friday and TGIFF at Devoted Quilter.

29 comments:

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl said...

It's a beautiful quilt and a fantastic finish! Larger quilts can be such a trick to photograph, and I'm often appreciative of my husband's willingness to hold a quilt for the camera, too. I personally look at the dates and think it is fast knowing how much handwork and time went into just the quilting alone!

gayle said...

I adore this quilt! I really loved watching you work through every step of this process, from the piecing to the quilting. Absolutely stunning quilt!

Ann said...

Such a beauty. The fabrics glow and the topic is personal and pertinent. So many details to admire: wording, quilting, stamping. The horizontal piecing unites the quilt but also makes the words appear/disappear as if in fog. Very striking.
Hooray for you!

Libby in TN said...

Every time I see a lighthouse quilt pattern I think of your quilt. I'm amazed at your creativity.

LA Paylor said...

oh my gosh. It's just fabulous. I'm going to send the link to my sewing group in Annapolis... they love their ocean quilts! LeeAnna

Robin said...

What an amazing finish! It is just so fascinating to look at and pick out each fabric, each word, and especially the light houses. I did notice some of the Janet Clare fabric. I love her lines. I have some stashed away waiting for just the right project. I

Janie said...

Congratulations, Kaja. I'm in love with the colors and the hand quilting.
Thanks for sharing the progress.

Robin said...

PS I love the back!!!

Julierose said...

This has to be one of my favorites of your quilt projects (but i like them all really!0 The colors just sing...beautiful work hugs, Julierose

Paulette said...

That's fantastic! It turned out beautifully. Thank you husband for his help; the one where he's holding it really gives a better sense of scale. I didn't realize it was that big!

Cathy said...

Wonderful! Fantastic! Congrats! (and welcome back).

Quilting Babcia said...

I love this quilt! We'll worth all the time you spent on it. B

Mystic Quilter said...

You have a beautiful quilt Kaja! Congratulations, it is a delight to see. I love your pieced backing, very much indeed and so good to read of the time scale involved in All At Sea and threads and batting used.

helenjean@midgetgemquilts said...

I'm in Malaga and was looking at the lighthouse here yesterday and talking about your very quilt! And here it is finished ! It looks really well, the whole thing came together really well. Doesn't feel like 2016 you were piecing it . Husband's are useful but do tend to complain when holding up quilts !

patty a. said...

Good job! What a beautiful quilt. You quilted on it about as long as I was embroidering the R.E.M. quilt so I feel your pain on how long it took!

Quiltdivajulie said...

I am so happy to see All at Sea finished -- and I love that the ideas in Build a Barn triggered a thought that you followed to create this beauty!!

Lesley Gilbert said...

I've loved watching this quilt come together. I was wondering why you picked all the UK names for your lighthouses? I zoomed in, trying to work some of them out. I live 17 miles away from WITHERNSEA, a small town I've visited many times over the past 60 years. I went up to the top of the lighthouse for the first time in 2011 and took photo's of lots of artifact's on the inside walls and small museum -(album on my FB page). I live in HULL on the east coast of England, 28 miles from SPURN POINT and 35 miles from FLAMBOROUGH HEAD - I've visited them both a few times but not been inside. Is the lighthouse at PLYMOUTH, SMEATON'S TOWER on your list?, another I've been to. It was so lovely seeing names of places so near to my home - you've made my day :)

Sujata Shah said...

Kaja, your stripy background is beautiful! It literally looks like waves in the background of those light houses! Julie's book is inspiring indeed!

Lisa J. said...

This is a fantastic quilt Kaja. It has so much life to it and I even love the back.

Leanne Parsons said...

This is so beautiful! I love the detail of all the names and the wonderful variety in all of the lighthouses. Congratulations on a fantastic finish :)

cspoonquilt said...

I think your finish time is impressive especially since you hand quilted it! I checked out the link to the barn book. What fun! Thanks, and congrates on a great finish!

Kathleen said...

Congrats on finishing this long tall lighthouse quilt! It looks great.

Sherry VF said...

What a very special quilt! Thank you for sharing.

Ruth said...

Fabulous - great to see all of it like that - still my favourite of yours!

Monica said...

Well, it is just wonderful, Kaja. I agree with many of the others, it's one of my favourites!

Ariane said...

Wow! Another beautiful quilt!!! It looks amazing! Congrats!

Soma @ inkTorrents.com said...

I so looked forward to seeing this one finished. It looks fantastic, Kaja! Definitely one of my favourites. So many wonderful details. I am amazed that you pieced and quilted this completely by hand in such a short time. Our poor husbands! Mine helps me out too. Yours did a great job with holding up the quilt, I can’t even see his hands :)

-Soma

Mary Marcotte said...

I have one of those husbands. :) He is such a wonderful support.
Yours did such a great job that I can see the quilting perfectly. I've loved this one since the beginning. It's been a fabulous trip watching this one come together. I'm thrilled for you that it's finished, but I'll miss seeing the occasional picture of it. Beautiful, beautiful finish!

Unknown said...

awesome quilt! any idea how many pieces? looks like a million! Have a question. With all the seams on the front and the backis there any issue when Long arming as the needle goes over the seams? I am new to long armng and have not done any with multiple pieced bacings.