Friday, October 2, 2015

Another Experiment With Both Machine and Hand Quilting

So here it is, my Happy Geese quilt! It's been through a lot of changes since I first started it almost ten years ago, blocks completely un-stitched and reset etc.. I was also experimenting with a wonky placement of geese, but wasn't quite as successful as it could have been. I'd do a lot better these days that's for sure!
Happy Geese
The applique is all my own idea, dreamed up from somewhere inside my crazy brain and influenced by my {leftover} applique bits and pieces tote. This quilt has a sewn together, chopped off style {something not everyone appreciates}, but it warms my heart once in a great while. I like to call that my Gwen Marston influence.
All quilted and bound
I machine quilted around all the geese, along the edges of the borders and around those quarter triangle patched squares. Then I left the pointy rectangles alone. Which makes for a sort of puffiness in the quilt after I washed it. In fact all the plaid area in the quilt ended up looking puffy. Hmm.. I guess I could go back and hand quilt those areas, but why? This quilt is going to get sooo much use from my kids. I can already see the hand writing on the wall.
The top dogs (er.. birds)
It just has that sort of informal I'm-begging-you-to abuse-and-misuse-me look doesn't it? Like mom won't notice or care if this one has Cheeto stains on it.... My daughter do love to make sure all their friends have a quilt to sleep with whenever they have a sleepover and some quilts are just more fun than others.

Big stitching around all the applique with Perle Cotton. And wowsers did that go fast! But it adds just a little bit 'more' to the quilt. Glad I took the time. There's just something about that Perle Cotton that gives instant texture. Instant yummy texture I might add.*wink
A primitive look....
One of my daughters told me she loves everything about the quilt except for the plaid fabric which she said was hideous to her. And no, she wasn't being snotty, just honest because I put her on the spot and asked her to critique my quilt. Personally I adore the plaid element as it was one of those fabrics that was given to me years ago instead of being dropped off at the Goodwill. In fact, all the background fabric in this quilt were those sorts of fabrics. Gotta love that thrifty little thrill we get from using them up, challenging ourselves to make something good with them! And too, I think the quilt would be boring without the sparky plaid. Isn't it funny how we all have our very different opinions?
Want to see the stitching on the back side?
Here's a picture of the back of the quilt. You can see where I wrestled the quilt around to machine quilt around the geese. First one half of the triangles in a long row, and then the other half. If the quilt would have been any larger I'd have given up after the first try. I hurt my elbow earlier in the year and it was complaining instantly from all that back and forth stuff. You can see the plaid border where there isn't any stitching. Good thing it's not going into a show where the judges would complain about uneven quilting throughout the quilt. lol  It's all good. I used some leftover dark brown binding and found the same fabric to add the length I needed to finish this quilt. It's done, it's done, it's done!!! And I wanna snuggle with it already.....

32 comments:

  1. This is a fun quilt for sure and I love the hideous plaid fabric!!

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  2. Love your quilt. I like to be thrifty so your quilt instantly appeals. Really enjoyed all the different elements: flying geese, applique, and the plaid too.

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  3. Congrats on a beautiful finish. Whoever gets to sleep under it at the sleepover just might get a little sleep. Ya right!

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  4. It DOES look like a snuggly quilt. The kind of quilt you don't have to be careful with and can just enjoy to death. The quilts you make and the way you describe them have given me all kinds of courage to make things with my own quirky sense of beauty. I have a score of quilts tops from my previous self to quilt up before this new free unencumbered me will have anything new finished, I'm a work in progress.

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  5. I like the plaid (well, I guess that is no surprise, actually). But, I do think you need a little edginess to keep it interesting.

    This one seems more puffy than usual - why is that? Different batting or backing? It really is very inviting, and the machine quilting didn't make it flat at all. And the perle cotton details really work. Great finish! And only 10 years? I am feeling better about a couple of mine...

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  6. This quilt just has that yummy mix of texture and color that says cuddle up with me! Machine quilting can be so successful and the quilt remain soft and keep its loft if not over quilted, and this is such a perfect example. The pearl cotton big stitch hand quilting is the icing on the cake. Yeah, this one will get loved to death!

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  7. I love the plaid! I love it all! I love picking up the pieces of a quilt in progress from years ago. You've done a grand job! I think cuddle quilts are the best!

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  8. I love it, too. You can definitely see the "Gwen" influence! I love that you made this for you (and your family) and not to please anybody. I like that attitude!

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  9. I love the plaid, but I'm smitten by plaid in any quilt at any time, so I'm probably not objective at all. I think Gwen would be proud and I'm glad you did the quilting your way, not for a judge. Adds to the charm and personality of the quilt. Good for you!

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  10. Great job in combining hand quilting with machine quilting. It's a great way to go.

    Your hand quilting with the pearl cotton is beautiful. It really does add the "yummy" (and comfy) factor to the quilt. Lucky girl who gets to sleep under it.

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  11. I'm so glad you finished a vintage top. It is interesting how family members have different viewpoints. My daughter always hated my 'cobbled together" backs. It took a while but I finally decided she can make hers the way she wants and I'll return to my style. ;-)

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  12. Beautiful finish, congratulations to this gorgeous quilt.
    Greetings,
    Sylvia

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  13. My first thought was that I'd love to cuddle up under that on the couch! :)

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  14. My first thought was that I'd love to cuddle up under that on the couch! :)

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  15. That is really great! And if it gets used a lot, then even better!!

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  16. You know, just thinking, but I don't think there is any fabric that I would call hideous. It's a problem when I go places where fabrics are sold -- nothing is too ugly or weird to add to my stash.
    Your quilt I another charmer. I love the combination of geese & appliqué.

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  17. You have the most amazing style - I adore this quilt, the perfect snuggle quilt, and yet it would look so gorgeous hung on the wall. It does remind me of Gwen in how it flows so organically. You have a great design eye!

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  18. Snuggly as usual. Everything blends so well together that at first I had no clue as to where the "hideous plaid" you mentioned happened to be. I like how you add your initials to the front of the quilt.

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  19. This may be your happiest quilt yet. It's pretty much demanding to be snuggled!

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  20. It's beautiful. And it's a snuggler---what more, really, should we ask of a quilt. I think that is the highest ''blue ribbon'' a quilter can earn.

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    1. PS I too would like to know wht it appears much puffier than your usual style?

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  21. I am a big fan of plaid fabrics. I remember the first time I visited a quilt shop. My mother went with me. She hated black in quilts. There were a couple quilts hung in the class room with black backgrounds. She was very verbal about how she disliked them and said she would just throw them away if they were hers.

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  22. It's a very cozy and inviting quilt. I like the plaid. I think it adds a little spice to the quilt.

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  23. I love your quilt and I absolutely adore that plaid fabric! But maybe you have to be a quilter to appreciate that...Great colors, great texture.

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  24. It does look so snuggly and cosy. Enjoy your gorgeous creation.

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  25. Cosy is right! I love everything about it, even (or maybe especially) the plaid. I think I need a nap!

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  26. What a lovely, happy, snuggly quilt! I like the plaid additions a lot, especially in the triangles, just adds a little bit of the unpredictable.

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  27. You created another beauty, congratulations!

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