I had planned on detailing my every step on this quilt along the way, but, um, yeah… But I can share now!
2 years ago, my Julia was baptized.
At her party, I had everyone sign a “flower” signature block. I knew I was doing square flowers, but didn’t have much of anything else planned out. And really, they ended up as square flowers because cutting anything else out was too much work the night before her baptism. (No, I never get anything done early!)
I think everyone thought I was nuts that these squares were “flowers” — well, everyone except my Mom and sister who helped me with the idea. But everyone else has learned to humor me since this is like the 3rd signature quilt I’ve had them all sign for me.
A few months later, I ran into this picture on the Internet and TADA! Inspiration!!!
By the way, if anyone knows whose quilt this is, please let me know! I would *love* to properly credit the maker as my inspiration for my own block-setting. I obviously went a completely different direction with colors and shapes of the flowers, but this quilt did greatly influence mine. Thanks for any help!
Anyway:
*signature blocks written? Check!
*decision made about setting of signature blocks? Check!
*Quilt made? Ummmm, 2 years later and we’re getting there!
A month ago I finally pulled out the blocks and started getting down to work. I decided that I will be entering this in my local quilt show, so I needed to, um, start it!
First, I debated the backgrounds. Do all blue and green backgrounds?
Or a rainbow of backgrounds?
I really liked the blue & green backgrounds, but it lacked some pizazz. SO, rainbow it was. I really thought the orange added something that the quilt really needed.
And then I started making the blocks. I had decided on a 11″x14″ finished block size. But then my first attempt at the wonky block ended up a bit smaller than planned, and instead of reworking the block I decided to just change the size to 10″ x 14″ finished size!
This part took forever. The first 8 blocks went quickly but then I decided I needed to really think about what else the quilt needed. So I’d mock-up a new block on the board and there it’d sit for hours days while I thought about whether it truly belonged.
Straight or tilted? Straight or tilted? Decisions, decisions… Tell me, how did people quilt before the advent of the digital camera???
Here is where we stand this morning:
A maybe-finished quilt top!!!! YAY!!! ALL the flowers and butterflies are satin-stitched down, and ALL the blocks are sewn together! YAY!!!!
By the way, I only noticed last night after sewing all the rows together that all my butterflies landed on blocks with green backgrounds! Totally NOT planned! And tell me how much you love the butterflies, because I LOVE the butterflies!
I’m now trying to decide whether it’s done and just needs a nice pink binding (as can be seen on left), OR whether it needs some sort of border (a sample border mocked-up on the right). It is 40″x56″ currently, so is fine size-wise but has room to grow if needed. Ahhh, decisions decisions. Any opinions??? HELP!
Filed under: Quilting
I'm nanann! I am a 30-something mom to 2 beautiful girls (6 and 4) living in Austin, Texas. I LOVE quilting and have recently taken up sewing clothes since it is just too much fun to do for my girls. This blog is a little bit about my quilting (or making of “woogies” as they’re known in my household) and other crafts, and a little bit about my two girls.
1. Hooray! You got some sewing done AND blogged! Way to go, nanann! Wish I could say the same for myself : P
2. I love the butterflies! I like how they are in different stages of flight.
3. How did you get the orange squares in the center of your flower squares?
4. I think it would look nice with a narrow border, but I think the green fern fabric is too dark for it. What about a blue green combo like the background of the third flower from the right on the top row? Or just a blue? I think pink looks nice for the binding.
5. That yellow daisy fabric in the upper left is so cute!
1. It helped that my MIL came over and watched the girls in the morning while I blogged. HA! 2. Thanks! 3. The orange squares are simply little squares of fabric with lite steam-a-seam on them and ironed then satin-stitched on. 4. I’m pretty sure I’m going to add a border now, and the background you mentioned is definitely at the top of the running. Still not completely sure yet (and don’t know if I have enough of that anyway — might have to go shopping!) 5. I like that one too — very happy!
Sad you can’t come tonight! Will see you for crafting again soon!
I love it! I’d go for the border. I think bigger quilts are more versatile and borders bring together the quilt.
I agree about the fern green print being a bit to dark though.
Thanks so much for the advice! The more I look at it the more certain I am that it really isn’t looking finished yet. *sigh* — I liked thinking it was done but the quilt does demand more!
That green really was too dark of a surround — I guess that’s what happens at midnight. I’ve got several other borders auditioning for the part right now. I might have to post more of them because I am just getting stumped here!
[...] quilt really did need borders. It just wasn’t finished. But the border I mocked up here just wasn’t doing anything for anybody. It was *way* too [...]
[...] anything better. I detailed that inspiration and some other thoughts on making this quilt in posts here, here and [...]