Thursday, January 26, 2017

A Quilt Top Finish and the Current Improv. Play on the Wall

It's AHIQ time again and I've been stitching and stitching, trying to get Chunky Crossroads to a quilt top finish. I sewed as much of the applique as possible before attaching the borders to to the main part of the quilt. So much easier to deal with these smaller widths of fabric, rather than have huge wadded up balls of quilt top to deal with.
Just a little more work to do...
Hard on the hands holding that much fabric in place and out of the way. Plus it's a risky thing when it comes to keeping track of all those pins {or the needle?} if you're constantly mauling the bulk of the quilt for any length of time! {Still not using glue....} My kids already make a habit of checking the couch cushions before sitting down, but I don't want them to completely avoid the living room. Those late evening visits are just way too interesting to miss out on!

It was a simple matter to come back and applique those smaller sections onto each corner after sewing the lengths of the borders into place by machine. And yes, I measured and cut the borders to proper length before adding the applique, only adding approx. 1/2 " extra length for applique shrinkage. So glad I went ahead and added the fat flower buds too! They add a much needed bit of spark to the green and help cut the effect of the sharp green on that primitive vine.
And we have a completed quilt top!!
I wondered for awhile if the vine was overkill on this particular quilt, but once again, the power of simple applique prevailed. I'm a huge fan, as you no doubt have noticed by now? lol
Looking at Chunky Crossroads before I fold it up to put in the drawers!
It's hard to get a proper representation of this quilt as the light wants to scatter across it, light up the greens until they're almost florescent and bleach the lighter looking fabrics until there's no real print to see. In shadowy light, the quilt gets a moody sort of attitude and starts looking kind of sulky. {In a good way because it's not a pushy teenager.} I love it to pieces.  All during the many, many, many hours of applique stitching {would it never end?}, I didn't once tire of the colors and/or fabrics in the chunky crossroads blocks.
Loving this border
That feels like success! The block 'formula' is from Sujata Shah's 'wonderful Cultural Fusion' book and the border design is adapted from one I found in an oldish book called  'Mad About Folk Art' by Gerry Kimmel.

On another note, I've barely touched my Patchwork Doodle quilt. Added a few half log cabin blocks and played with some improv. circles. The funny thing is, my oldest daughter has already claimed this quilt as her own. Hello? It's not even finished! I literally have no idea where it's going, what it will look like or shhh... have any confidence in the general outcome.... {Wouldn't want to discourage the quilt from blossoming.}
Patchwork Doodle
No matter. This is the one she thinks is really cool and since I'm mom, she's quite positive it will have a happy finish-up sort of ending.*sigh  No pressure! Ahhh... My brain is so fatigued these days from attacking the end of the year bookwork. All I want to do after dinner is curl up on the couch with some mindless hand stitching or hand quilting--soothe away those tension headaches. Maybe by next month's AHIQ I'll be able to see it more clearly and know how to go forward. No harm letting it hang out on the design wall for now!

26 comments:

  1. Loooove your beautiful Chunky Crossroads quilt!!๐Ÿ˜
    And admire the Patchwork doodle; I understand that your daughter already claimed it as her own! ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ‘
    Best wishes!

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  2. I love the play of light on this quilt and that green and the overall color scheme...it's just a magical combo and it'll be fun to see your daughterss' quilt grow ! :)

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  3. Cooling its heels on the design wall is sometimes the best cure for quilty indecision, but the fact that your daughter already loves the quilt is super inspiration. Love those crossroads too!

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  4. Your flower buds are charming; one of my favorite aspects of this quilt.
    Funny; I'm having the same trouble with light on photos of my spiderweb. Overexposed backgrounds, dark corners, not at all what the quilt really looks like.
    Don't we love it when a quilt-in-progress strikes one of our kids? Thrills the heart.

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  5. I love it your funky style i would so love to be able to achive, but first i really need to master quilting, so for now I love seeing all of your charming quilts thanks for allowing us into your world.

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  6. Love, love, love that chunky applique border. As usual, your addition of the buds really makes it pop. And I am not surprised that your daughter wants the doodle quilt. It would be right up my daughter's alley too. I need to step out of my box and do some improv!! Enjoy the evening hand work. It is the only thing that keeps me calm.

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  7. The border the border on your lovely quilt is a lot like a pre-Civil War rose quilt of mine. So nice to see the tradition carried on. No wonder your daughter wants the improv quilt. It's so colorful.

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  8. Loving your border, it really frames the crossroads nicely without overpowering things. It looks like quite a large quilt?

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  9. That border really is awesome! And as far as the design wall project, I have no doubt it will be wonderful. Here's to the reduction of tension headaches and a resurgence of hand work!

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  10. It was your review of Cultural Fusion Quilts that made me go out and buy that book.....love it!! And your quilt interpretation makes me want to grab a stack of fabrics and start another quilt....love it also! On the good news front have just fallen over the line on the 365 circles....it was tough, nearly stopped short, almost gave up...but a month behind schedule I did it. Thanks so much for your inspiration and link up with more inspiration. Here's to new excitement in the new year.

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  11. chunky crossroads looks splendid and the applique lifts it to a higher level, must have a look at the book it is on the shelf somewhere! Good to know your daughter loves the second quilt too so it has a home to go to when completed and will be well loved

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  12. Love this Chunky Crossroads, block, colours & border. XXX

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  13. Wauw what a beautiful quilt, I love the pattern and the vine you've added. And the colors you've used for the chunky crossroads are so warm, I just want to wrap myself in that quilt! Greetings

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  14. Some quilt parts demand to hang around awhile!
    Love the applique border. Nice work.

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  15. Your applique border is perfect for this quilt and makes it truly your own. I like what's happening with the improv piece. Will look forward to seeing the progress!

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  16. Love the colors in Crossroads and glad you added the fat buds in the border. It's funny how just "one more thing" can really add a lot.

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  17. Chunky Crossroads looks fabulous! The border is just perfect on it and the colours are wonderful - love the fat buds. How good is it that Patchwork Doodle is claimed before its finished! And love your daughter's confidence in you. I'm sure it will talk to you before too long.

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  18. As ever Audrey your appliquรฉ border is inspired. I love this quilt, there's a lot of colour but it still has a quiet mood - nothing jumps out and punches you in the eye! Oh and your daughter is right to have dibs on your doodle, it's fantastic. There's a wonderful sense of balance and rhythm, with just the right amount of 'quirky' style that makes it totally you :)

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  19. Chunky Crossroads is lovely - the mean, moody colour scheme really speaks to me right now and the border was not applique overkill (you should trust yourself, it always works). It was interesting for me too to see how you went about doing the border - tucked away in my head for future reference. The doodle looks promising and I'm betting your daughter's faith is not misplaced.

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  20. I don't like to hold a bunch of fabric in my hand for applique. Often I avoid making a quilt design if it is going to involve a big wad of fabric in my hand for hours and hours in the creative process.

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  21. Congratulations! That cross block is a great one, and your chunky vine is a perfect match. I like your new header, too!

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  22. I really love the colours you've used in your cross block quilt. The applique border adds a wonderful frame to the blocks. It's just right. Your patchwork doodle quilt is a beauty too!!

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  23. I LOVE your chunky applique border! It contains these busy crossroads blocks in an artful way.
    Is your patchwork doodle from a class? It looks wonderful. Funny how kids can claim the quilts while they are in progress!

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  24. Your border is just perfect and seems to be in your signature folky colorful style. I love it when a child claims a quilt! Makes the quilt take on sentimental meaning before it's even finished.

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