Wednesday 2 September 2015

Straight Line Bow - it's finished!

Ta-da!  I have finished my current quilt ........




What an experience it has been.  It feels like I have been making it for a long time and there were several occasions where I would have folded it all up and put it on the shelf if I hadn't been making it to a deadline.  When I actually looked back I started cutting it on 08 August and put the last stitch in the binding on 27 August.  So that's under 3 weeks with some days when family life took precedence and I didn't even enter my studio!
It developed as I stitched and was my own design, although design makes it sound like I had it all mapped out before I started - I didn't!  I knew I wanted to make a quilt containing all the colours of the rainbow but had never been sure whether to have white or grey as the background.  The choice was taken out of my hands when my LQS only had white!  And what a story that turned to be .... but one for another post.  This post I am concentrating on enjoying my finish!
It was a bit nerve wracking cutting the pieced top in two along a random angle ...
but I liked the result.


I then did it again to incorporate the flying geese ...


and liked the result even more.



I added plain white borders and then it was ready to be quilted.  In July I bought a Handi Quilter Avante longarm quilting machine and this was my first attempt at custom quilting a top I had pieced.  I have been playing practising on some Project Linus tops but the majority have been an edge to edge all over design.
So there were straight lines, which are more difficult than I thought and took far longer to do ...


pebbles .......



some type of feathery design ....


and some simple stippling ...




It is now up in Harrogate waiting to be hung at The Great Northern Quilt Show.  It's the first time I have ever entered a quilt show so I am very excited but also nervous.  My husband took it up there yesterday and I have the official receipt - so it is really happening!  It will be interesting to see how I feel when I see it up there at the weekend .........

Quilt Stats

Size: 48 1/2" by 79 3/8" - random size but perfect for a single bed

Design: Abigail Sheridan de Graaff

Top: machine pieced from various fabric both from stash and bought as fat 1/4s from the Festival of Quilts

Wadding: 100% cotton white

Backing: white on white extra wide backing from my LQS

Thread: white was Fantastico by Superior
              coloured thread were Glide both top and bottom

Start: 08 August 2015

Finish: 27 August 2015

Issues: for another blog post methinks!

I am linking up to Let's Bee Social over at Sew Fresh Quilts today.  It's been wonderful linking up there these last few weeks and receiving such encouragement as this quilt has progressed.  Go check some of the other blogger out - you will see amazing work! 

19 comments:

  1. just seen your question re walnut shells on craymom Creative grids sell them but they are pretty pricey of course I cannot find their catalogue though I was looking at it earlier today! I have used fine sawdust which is brilliant, have had my pin cushion for years and never a rusty pin.Hope this helps

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    1. Thanks Margaret for that info. I haven't used sawdust before - did you line the pincushion at all to ensure nothing comes out?

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  2. Wow, three weeks for a quilt... that is how much time I need for just one row! Congratulations on your finish - it really is a lovely quilt and the quilting is amazing! As the Germans would say "we're pressing our thumbs" for you for much sucess at the quilt show!

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    1. Thank you Allison - I do have part done quilts sitting on my shelves that are over 4 years old - on my to-do list - so it was good to get it started and finished so quickly. I certainly wouldn't always want to work like that!

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  3. This is just amazing! Such a beautiful quilt and love the geese. Congrats on the finish. Hugs, Heide

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  4. Amazing quilt! The rainbow...the quilting! Beautiful from top to bottom!

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  5. Your quilt is so beautiful! And you did a great job on the quilting. I hope you win a ribbon!

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    1. Thank you Tricia for your kind comments. I entered the show with no expectations - just for the fun and experience of it!

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  6. It is terrific, I love it! The fabrics are great and the quilting is, too.

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  7. I love the strip in your quilt, it's so fun and unexpected.

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    1. Thanks - and it looks so simple sitting there doesn't it?!! Without lines to match it up it was somewhat harder than I anticipated but I am happy with the result.

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  8. Fab quilt! I love the perfectly sorted colors and lovely quilting! Well done!

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  9. I bet it gets lots of attention in Harrogate, it's really fresh and exciting! Lovely quilting too. I can't believe you did it all in less than three weeks - in the school holidays!

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  10. Just beautiful! Thank you for taking us through the detailed journey on this!

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