Hey there! I wanted to take a moment away from pattern writing and Christmas sewing to go on a bit about this quilt. How many lives has it lead so far? Quite a few. It began as a pattern for quilt market. Windham wanted me to write up a pattern for a collection of fabric...but I have to play with fabric in order to whip up a quilt. Frankly I can design a quilt in no time, but I have to actually see how the fabrics work together and scale of the prints...that is part of the fun. Well...one thing led to another and this quilt got draped over the back of my sewing chair...quilt market came and went (several of my other quilts and bags were well represented there so I am not a bit sad). Since there was no haste any longer on this quilt I decided to make some appliqué boarders. Obviously all 4 are different, right? Well, that is something I am wild for with old quilts. I love that the boarders are sometimes different (
Susan McCord quilts are the best in my opinion). 3 of the 4 boarders are needle turned appliqué. I really love the peace of hand appliqué. I watched most of the presidential debates while stitching away on this quilt....as I was stitching I was thinking about the freedom we have as Americans and how gloriously fortunate we are as a people. That led to the last boarder.
For some reason modern quilters shy away from boarders. I am not sure why that is. Boarders are awesome. I LOVE boarders.
Its second life was going to be as my entry quilt for Quiltcon. But frankly I don't know if it is really all that modern. At any rate I didn't finish it in time.
I stitched quite a bit at the dentist office while waiting for the kids to be looked after.
These flower were not needle turned. I did try with the first bloom, but I quickly decided that all the curves would be madness to hand appliqué...and I was in a hurry at this stage since I wanted to quilt it before the Quiltcon Deadline.
This side was dentist office and debate sewing. The kids and I chatted away about our electoral system and attributes for a great leader to have. Not a good leader...a GREAT one.
I quilted it in my version of Welsh quilting...and I went to look at new long arm quilt machines...oh what a wonderful selection is out there. When I tell people what I quilt with they look at me like I am a mad woman....My Gammill Supreme is what I know so until Santa leaves me a new Gammill in my stocking, it is what I shall carry on with.
I backed it with an old Ikea sheet. I have heard much drama about using sheets for the backs of quilts...but this one quilted up like a dream. So I am all for it.
So, for now this quilt really has no purpose, except to be bound. I really love this quilt and I love the conversations I had while I was stitching away on it.