Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Getting Down to the Binding and a New Read

Ah, relief! The book work is finally done and handed off to the accountant. Still have a lot of filing to do, but that shouldn't take forever. I've actually spent quite a bit of time in the evenings hand quilting just to unwind and now my Plain Jane is showing the results.
All the quilting done
Deciding on the binding didn't take long nor did sewing it onto the quilt. A bright, rich red was my instant favorite out of all I auditioned. The reasons escape me, but I often go with a contrasting color for binding fabric.
Ready for the binding to be hand sewn
Still some hand sewing for the binding work, but I'm waiting for proper motivation and time. Right now I feel like a wrung out dish rag and just want to vegg. for a couple days.
How fun is this?
Good timing with my new read. This book came in the mail yesterday--a lovely win from blue elephant stitches! It's packed with short essays from very well-known modern quilters. I do wish there was more history and/or insight from these successful quilters, but so far I'm enjoying the brief glance inside their heads.

The whole modern quilting movement has been very interesting to me from the start and I've avidly followed along with some of the uh, contretemps shall we say! I'm curious to see where it all ends up because anything that brings people into the world of quilting is something to be celebrated in my mind. Fresh viewpoints should equal innovation plus inspiration and then we're all winners in the end. Right?

Here's a link to a post I read the other day that addresses one of the main things about this trend that I've (personally) struggled with all along though: Quilters taking classic traditional patterns, making it with very current {modern} fabrics, and then calling the entire quilt 'modern'? Or not! Apparently 'modern' is more than just the fabric. I did wonder about that! And why are people so quick to be divisive anyway? Can't we all just be quilters? Gotta laugh 'cuz in my 'About Me' tab I slapped a label on myself. Yep, it's a crazy world we live in....

18 comments:

  1. Yup the red was the right choice. Turned out great.

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  2. Congratulations on your win! And the red is perfect. I agree with you, let's just all be quilters!

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  3. The red binding looks fab!! I wonder why Modern vs Traditional has to be devisive too. Lets all just quilt and be merry!

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  4. what a nice win you got! I love looking at all the quilting books be they "modern" or "traditional" so many quilts now have a "modern" look to them and I think it is the fabric that does it!

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  5. Congratulations! On the beautiful finish and on the book work. Your quilting and binding are perfect for this quilt.

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  6. Lovely hand quilting on the baskets! and the red binding will be perfect. Always interesting to read how other quilters work - looks like a good book.

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  7. Oh how I love your quilts. I always look forward to seeing a new one. Hugs,

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  8. I checked out the link and the post was wayyyy too long for me to read about her interpretation of modern quilts. (I got about 1/2 way) The bottom line, imnsho, we are all quilting and if we all liked the exact same patterns, with the exact same fabric we'd all get very bored very quickly!
    I'm a traditional non modern quilter and proud of it! :)

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  9. como siempre tu edredón es precioso !!!
    me gusta
    voy a visitar el enlace
    saludos

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  10. I like a contrasting binding, too. And that red was perfect! The quilt is simply gorgeous!

    I'm not a fan of labeling quilters ... there's enough divisiveness in the quilting world already (hand quilters vs machine quilters) without adding more. I know the styles I like and I stick to them, but that doesn't make me any less or more a quilter than the next gal (or guy). Just my two cents worth.

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  11. Love the red binding! That's my favorite thing... a quilt just waiting for the binding stitching :)
    Interesting post about 'modern'...I don't really know anything about this... better do some research!

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  12. Love your point of view - we are all quilters! A quilt is a personal creation that brings some fun into the lives of the maker and the user. I think modern or traditional, all quilts are great.

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  13. Well there's certainly nothing too earth shatteringly new about Modern Quilts. Looking back through history, recent or otherwise, there have been lots of quilt makers and quilts presenting the aesthetic now claimed by the Modern Quilt movement. Bold, graphic, abstract etc. I don't think it helps to get too analytical about it. I shocked my friend Pam Rocco when I told her she was a Modern Quilter - she'd been making these types of designs for years! Now go back and look at the Amish quilts, Nancy Crow, Gwen Marston... you get the picture.

    At any rate, I'm just happy to see younger folks get charged up about quilting, in whatever form. New ideas (or old recycled ideas) are never a bad thing.

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  14. Your quilt looks wonderful! congratulations on getting your books done, that is hanging over my head right now...
    I love all quilts and don't really feel the need to define my style. I just love making them!

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  15. Your "Baskets Beautiful" are so homey and I love the little twinkles that the red gingham gives to the HST sashings. And the bright red binding is marvelous!

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  16. Jane is looking fabulous! I totally agree with the red binding as your final choice, It adds a gorgeous visual pop of colour.

    Im not sure what makes a quilt "modern". Is it the use of unexpected non traditional fabrics , is it different techniques ? But I whole heartedly agree with you that we are all quilters no matter what our style is!

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  17. I have been wondering about the "modern" quilt movement myself. There are modern quilt guilds even. I wonder if you can only show modern quilts at their show 'n tell.

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