Tuesday, February 3, 2015

look, I made a quilt!


My throw quilt. After listening to me whine and gripe and obsess about it for months, here it is! A little anticlimactic for you probably, but a triumph over adversity for me. Oh, my ever lovin' fancy word. I bow so lowly to you, quilters everywhere.


If you remember, I changed my mind at least twice about the design of the quilt top. I settled on this very simple half-square triangle composition. The fabrics for the quilt top are from a bundle of beautiful AMH fabrics I purchased many moons ago.


OK, so the back. I decided on a wonky double cross, which I adore. I'm not sure the turquoise is working but it's on there and I'll learn to love it. I had a limited choice of solid cottons locally and it was either this or a burnt orange. You wouldn't believe (or perhaps you would) how long I spent just staring at them both against the other fabrics and weighing the decision. This one. No, that one. Nooooo...This one. Think I might've loved the orange better. Gah. (closing eyes, raising arms and letting it go. whoosh)


I do really like the binding fabric. It was a cotton I found in the aisle at Jo-Ann. Hand sewing that binding on the back kinda took forever. Lots of TV time.

In hindsight this process makes this gift, already so well-loved and appreciated by all of us, look even more sacrificial. Thanks again, Robyn. And now your quilt has a buddy hanging right next to it on the quilt rack. We use them every day.  

32 comments:

  1. Definitely the turquoise. Gorgeous quilt. I have been wanting to make one with all the batiks I've accumulated... soon, very soon... Sure, just as soon as I'm blessed with a white Christmas !!!!! ;o)) Romona

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    1. Oh, thanks so much, Romona! Batiks would be very pretty too.

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  2. WOW! I've been trying to decide on a quilt pattern for the longest time, and yours inspires me to finally go for it. SOmetimes the simplest shapes are the best solution. I love the contrast of the white against the rich colors, and the way the front of your quilt is off-centered. And the turquoise looks amazing! Great choice. :)

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    1. Hey, Kitty Crafter. I'm glad I could nail it down for you! Half square triangles present many possibilities! Thanks so much!

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  3. YES!! I love it. AMH makes my heart sing, so anything that incorporates her fabrics I will pretty much love no matter what . . . but honestly, I really do like this design! Did you use a pattern or just make it up?

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    1. Thanks, Skooksie! Yes, anything designed by that woman is right up my style alley. I just made it up. You just make 48 half triangle squares and lay them out so they make concentric squares. I put it on my living room floor, then numbered them by rows so I wouldnt get them mixed up when I sewed it together.

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    2. Question: How much fabric did you start with? I'm trying to come up with a design for a quilt for my sister using the fabric she used as an accent on her wedding day. She bought a bunch of fat quarters, not sure how many.

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  4. It is beautiful!! And the turquoise looks great!

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  5. It's gorgeous, Larissa! I love the design on the front, and the turquoise is perfect (even though Jess might not agree with me - ha!). Wonderful job!

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    1. I'm so glad you like it, Grandma G! Haha, yes, Jess would say I should have gone with burnt orange. I do love the turquoise, just not sure it works with the whole quilt as well as I'd like, front and back.

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  6. Gorgeous - can't go wrong with AMH either. Love your backing too.

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  7. Absolutely beautiful! I love the contrast of the white and the prints! And the back is gorgeous! The pattern is great and I love the blue (my favorite color)!

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    1. Alison, thanks! I love me some white. I always think a quilt needs lots of white. I do love the back too, but keep envisioning that burnt orange there instead. haha. And turquoise is my fave too, which is how I ended up with it. :-)

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  8. That is beauuuuutiful! I want it.

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    1. Erm...ummm...well...I'm kinda going to keep it. Which seems especially selfish after you gave ME a quilt, doesn't it? Heh heh. Umm I have a bunch of the half square triangles leftover though...So you like these colors? Kinda thought you were more warmy goldy reddy blacky.

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    2. Yes, they're gorgeous. I actually just bought a rug for my front room with most of these colors. Kidding about you giving me the quilt, though. Remember, envy is the highest form of flattery.

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    3. OK, then I'm definitely bringing the rest of the half square triangles with me when I come.

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    4. Sweet! I'll add them to my unfinished project pile.

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  9. Wow, it's beautiful! Well done!

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  10. Its so beautiful!! I'm sorry to ask this- I feel like its the question bloggers get asked alllll the time, but what is your wall color? Your house is just so lovely :)

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    1. haha! No problem whatsoever, Elonie!
      http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/2011/03/happiness-is.html

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  11. I love your quilt! Can you share your pattern?

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    1. Hi, Barbara! I didn't use a pattern, just winged it. The finished blocks measure about 8 inches square in the completed quilt. They are all identical HSTs turned in different directions. The wonky cross on the back was another invention on the fly. As near as I can remember I looked up a tutorial on wonky crosses and just super sized it. It would look even nicer if the interior cross had thicks and thins too. 😜 HTH Thanks!

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