Monday, February 23, 2015

This Quilt Top Finish Feels Like a Good One

Lots of traveling the last couple days for the District girls basketball games. We won District champs! Yay! So on to Regionals for the next round. My niece is on the varsity team and my youngest daughter is swing, mostly sitting the bench for varsity. Still, we do like to support our kids even if it feels like there is NO time for the other important things in life--like quilting? lol
My Tree of Life quilt is a finished quilt top....
I did get the chance to sew the border fabric onto my Tree of Life quilt. I am really, really happy with the way it turned out! Such a leap of faith to work on those particular background fabrics in the blocks and think they might actually come together in a pleasing way! There are those that will probably feel that the dark print in the border dulled the rest of the quilt down, but I think it adds an almost old fashioned-like charm. It looks pretty fabulous draped over a bed too and that it the way it will likely get used the most around here.
Tree of Life sort of laying flat....
It's obviously a larger quilt as I couldn't find a place to get it stretched out on the floor properly. I'm always bumping up against the dining table legs these days and also, we have stuff sitting in every corner of our living room as we are still in the middle of our bathroom remodel. My husband moves very, very slowly with anything on 'my' list so I just hold my tongue best I can manage and do a little more hand quilting in the evening to happy myself up.*wink
A little closer look....
I also managed to squeeze in the binding on the quilt below late last week (shown with the binding sewed on by machine, but not yet hand stitched). It's a quilt an older cousin of mine made for a granddaughter just before she had a stroke. I volunteered to do the binding for her as recovery is going to take awhile and the granddaughter wants so badly to be using it. It was an easy bit of hand sewing one day while I sat with her to keep her company and help out in other ways.
My cousins very lovely quilt that I was helping out with...
It's sad to think of all the quilt projects we would be absolutely pining to work on if something happened to us, so it was a joy to work on. This week is shaping up to be as busy as the last, but for some reason I'm having trouble letting go of the idea that this project is one that I really want to jump into. I don't have the book {yet} and honestly, I'm almost having to slap my wrist to keep from ordering it....

26 comments:

  1. I have the 1718 Coverlet book and am trying to resist starting on it! By the way, I think the border fabric on your Tree of Life quilt looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am eyeing that project too..you know, the one you slapped your wrist over, LOL!! Lovely tree of life quilt...just love it! Sounds like your hubby and my hubby are related...at least cousins!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love your Tree of Life, and the border...you have a great eye for color.

    ReplyDelete
  4. :) our husbands sound the same - my husband has been remodeling our house for over 20 years now! Love the quilt

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think the outside border looks great. It repeats the color of the trunks of the trees It goes together really well. The coverlet that you want to make looks like an orphan quilt. I wonder if it was planned ahead of time or just assembled from what the quilter had.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh the nightmare.....the remodelling nightmare. My father took 30 years to try and finish the remodelling of my childhood home.....he didn't finish, at least the kitchen was done just after I moved out of home. Your hubby may be slow but I bet it won't take him decades. Your quilts and that of your cousin's are lovely as usual. What a wonderful thing to be able to complete for your cousin. I wish her a steady recovery. And go the basketball team! Well done to get to regionals...that is mighty!! Well done to you too Audrey keeping it all in balance, kids, husband, family and quilting.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't think the darl border has dulled the quilt in anyway, it's framed it perfectly so the trees glow. It so lovely that you could bind your cousins quilt and especially nice that you did it while spending time with her. It would have meant a lot to her. The coverlet would be a wonderful quilt to make!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love the finished quilt top. Looks great with the dark border. It draws the eye from the dark tree trunks out to the border. Good balance! You are so sweet to finish that quilt for your cousin. I am sure it will mean a lot to her and her granddaughter. Now nice to have two family members work on it for her. I often wonder what would happen to WIPs. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Two beautiful finishes! I can see those trees coming to life with some quilting. I have the book and even have some fabrics in mind for 1718 ...just got to find some time! It is a beautiful project and I do hope you will give it a go :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, I love your Tree of Life. You inspired me to start one but I'm using a different pattern - not the one you graciously shared.

    In re 1718 coverlet...I've had the book for a while,and started on an easy block. I'm doing it the old fashioned method...all by hand. I thought it would be a nice summer hand project to work on when it is too hot to quilt in this old house w/o air conditioning. I also wanted the experience of making an entire quilt by hand (but not by candle light). I see they are having a sew along but I like doing my own thing and don't belong to Facebook.

    And, how nice of you to help out your older cousin with the binding. And how nice that granddaughter wants to start using it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I agree the darker border does give it an old fashion feeling. I used that on my peony quilt and love the effect! Still hoping to do a tree of life sometime soon.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Beautiful finishes. What a nice thing to do for your cousin. Quilters are good hearted people.

    ReplyDelete
  13. One of these days, I am going to make some of those tree blocks. I have been so tempted by seeing yours each time you share progress.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Your quilt looks great. And so is your cousin's quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your tree of life is lovely and wonderful you are working on your cousin's quilt. I had the book ever since it came out, a friend of mine brought it back from the UK for me shortly after it was published there.... and have been carrying it around with me around the house ever since the Quiltalong was announced. I do not need another project.................... I really do not need another project.................

    ReplyDelete
  16. Three delights. It's always fun to see what you're doing and planning. Your cousin and her granddaughter must both be pleased to see the quilt bound. The quiltalong looks so tempting. I have too many projects but will "lookalong" while you work.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Gosh Audrey, you continue to inspire me every time I visit here. Your quilt is beautiful, and I'm loving the teal blue(?) side setting triangles. That coverlet quilt book looks amazing! I just received my pattern for the Sweet William quilt by Susan Smith. I slapped my wrist hard on that one, but it didn't work. You may have to just go for it :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Congratulations audrey for the victory and the fantastic quilts!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I like the border on your tree of life - it frames it beautifully. So good of you to finish off your cousins quilt. My best to your cousin.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I think the border fabrics are perfect...make the trees pop! :) It's good that you are able to finish your cousin's quilt for her! :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. I'm with you in that your Tree Of LIfe has a lovely old fashioned charm. When I saw it I instantly thought how lovely it would be to snuggle up in it... that's the acid test in my book... a snuggle! Your quilt passed with flying colours. What is it with men! When it's something they want to do it's done right away while anything they 'have' to do can wait... and wait.....and wait! I swear I grew a beard waiting for Mac to get a move on! So nice that you sewed on that binding to help your cousin out. Hope she makes a good recovery and can find a way back to sewing. Good luck with resisting the coverlet!!! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love all the pink and orange trees! They really look great. And the trunks look quite satisfying en masse like that. Success all around!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Congrats to the girls on their basketball win and all the best for the next level. Congrats to you too for finishing your quilt top -it looks great! Hmm, "that" project is very tempting isn't it.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Your tree of life quilt looks great with the blue border. I had a to do list for my DH on the fridge for quite some time with no success so I just finally took it down. I shudder to think about not being able to do the things I enjoy, I feel for your cousin. It’ was nice of you to lend a hand.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Just beautiful the tree of life quilt, it is a pattern high on my wishlist.
    Greetings

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting! I love getting comments and always try to respond via email. Please leave an email in the comment to ensure a return reply! {Many of you are popping up as Anonymous for some reason, so I have no idea who it is.} Regardless, I appreciate all the comments and read every single one.