Some time ago I gave up trying to think of clever names for my quilts and just started numbering them, so this finish doesn't have a proper name; it is just #4.22, which is to say the fourth quilt I pieced in 2022. At least the numbering lets me place it easily but if anyone wants to suggest a title, do feel free.
You will see that this is not a top that had to languish for long before it was quilted (unlike the one in the previous post). I used to work steadily through in a chronological order, but now I am mixing the older quilts and more recent ones. Some tops I am just keener to see finished than others.
This is the second in what turned out to be a run of four quilts playing around with quarter-circles. The spikes were an addition to stop me getting bored with the piecing and represent the "why do something nice and easy if you can make it fiddly and complicated?" school of quilting. At least I felt quite Christmassy as I was making it, both because of the colours and because the spiky circle-shapes reminded me a bit of baubles. And also because it was actually Christmas!
There's a lovely mix of patterns in these shirts, including the Indonesian-style one, which adds to the festive feeling for me, a slightly subdued Hawaiian one, with blue and red flowers, and that red tartan, which I had pretty much concluded I was never going to use. Just goes to show every shirt has its home, in the end. I often fall out of love with something as I work on it, but that never happened with this top: I liked it then and I like it now.
I quilted the horizontal bars with straight lines and the photo below shows how I approached the baubles.
The backing is one big piece. This is unusual for me but I found a few good duvet covers second-hand recently and there are so many seams in the top that it felt like a good idea not to add more on the back. Binding is from stash. I think it is a Charley Harper fabric from years ago. That's how the bindings go now - it's mostly a question of what's still in the boxes. Not much left now, then I'll be making binding from shirts, I guess.
This was started right at the end of last year, round about 22nd or 23rd of December. and piecing was finished on 15th February this year. I have lost track of when I started quilting - some time early summer - but it was finished on 5th September.
The wadding is organic cotton, the thread was from stash. Next time I start a quilt I will be buying thread as I am almost out, but it's been years since I've had to do that, so it's probably about time.
It's not the biggest quilt ever- about 60" wide by 70"long, but it's big enough to wrap up in, which is what matters most.
13 comments:
Just a lovely finish on these spikey circles!! It looks like Christmas to me, too...something about those circles looks festive....;)))
Nice work! hugs, Julierose
The process wasnt inspiring to me but love the finish!
Delightful with the fun, wacky randomness that I love about your quilts. Congratulations on another finish.
Tartan baubles is what came to mind after reading your post. This is so much more than circles and spikes. It gives off the feeling of sitting in front of a crackling fire in a large fireplace with a dog resting at your feet and rain falling outside.
This quilt is so beautiful! It makes me think of the crown of the Statue of Liberty and looks quite patriotic to me. You are going to have to move here if you keep being patriotic like that! I fully understand the "why keep it simple when you have an opportunity to make it harder" mentality. I mean, I don't understand it, but I have it too.
Your fabric selection always intrigues me. I wonder how you get such a good mix of fabrics from thrift store finds and wish there were as many resource stores here. The spikes make this quilt, especially where they "fall off" the quarter circles.
It's a great size to snuggle in and you finished it at just the right time.
I actually like your quilt naming/numbering system. Oh, this is such a lovely and interesting finish! The mix of spikes and curves, plaids and prints and straight line and curved quilting give the senses a feast of delights!
Big enough to wrap up in is certainly what matters most for a quilt, and this looks like it is going to be a delightful one to curl up with. Also, I'm likely to remember this finish as you completed it on a rather memorable day in my world (my birthday).
Lots of happiness and excitement going on in this quilt, lovely. The Indonesian and Hawaiian patterns bring everything together superbly.
And great idea for the back. Your hand quilting is the icing on the cake.
Congratulations!
I really love how fun this quilt looks! Such a lovely cozy vibe and I adore the random spike units--the different ones. Really makes for such an interesting looking quilt!
A lovely quilt! There's a great mix of fabrics here, those Indonesian/Hawaiian shirts add an interesting quirky contrast to the plaid!
Kaja it looks as if I missed this post - I did see the quilt on Instagram but have been so behind on reading blog posts! However, I do like this quilt, especially the spikey bits! Lovely tiny quilting stitches too.
Here I am, in a whole new year. I love the quilt, though, and had to tell you. I think it's all of the small things, circles, baubles, colors and the tartan, that make it sing. We must have attended the same "fiddly and complicated school of quilting."
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