'Chicago, 2007'
Quarter Square Triangle Quilt
Stats: Made from a 100% cotton mixture of
whatever was in my scraps and stash when I
started, plus a few special fabrics found just
for this quilt. Contains more than 180 different
fabrics. The final dimensions are 85"x95".
The batting is Fairfield's 50/50
bamboo/cotton blend.
This marks the first time I've entered
Nomination for viewer's choice runs
May 15-21, and voting May 22-29.
Winners are announced May 30, 2015.
I encourage you to visit, and see the
collective talent of quilting bloggers
from around the world. You can
find me in the large quilt category.
The setting triangles and pink backing are
both from Tula Pink's Acacia line. The sari
fabrics are cottons from Amy Butler.
Several years ago my youngest daughter and I
made a trip to Chicago to visit a dear friend,
Betty. A seasoned tour guide, she told us
there were a few things we must do while in the
Windy City. One was visiting the Bahai Temple.
I've visited this sanctuary many times with her,
and it's one of my favorite places. Popping up in
the midst of a residential neighborhood, it stands
like a beacon shining its light. It was my young
daughter first visit, and as she was quite taken in
with it, we spent hours there.
Its gardens are amassed in flowers,
and the colors and lights are
reflected in the pool.
Photo from the Baha'is of the United States
Another of her goals was to find a lehenga
choli for my daughter so the 3 of us headed
to Devon Avenue. Devon Avenue is a
melting pot of mom and pop stores, groceries,
and restaurants from many ethnic groups. We
and restaurants from many ethnic groups. We
sipped mango lassis, and ate Hungarian
pastries fresh from a beehive oven while the
wind whipped by us on the sidewalk. We
eyed up bolt after bolt of sari fabric, and my
young daughter tried on half a dozen little
dresses before finally deciding on this one.
That evening we sat in the garden of
their brownstone enjoying Peruvian takeout
and wine while reliving our perfect day. I
have frozen those memories in my mind.
have frozen those memories in my mind.
I believe that one day deeply imprinted
my mind and senses, and is expressed
in this very quilt these many years later.
It wasn't until I was making the binding that
it came together. My thoughts have been
filled with memories of my friend these past
months, and my longing to see her since
she's moved so far away.
she's moved so far away.
Whether we realize it or not, something in
our psyche guides our choices when we design.
I believe it is important for me to focus on
I believe it is important for me to focus on
what is good, and beautiful, and true. Our
art and creations become an expression
of our consciousness at that moment.
art and creations become an expression
of our consciousness at that moment.
This quilt started as a simple experiment in
making half square triangles, then continued to
quarter square triangles. Visit these recent
posts documenting the creative process, and
the many changes of direction.
I spent the morning with my domestic Janome
FMQ the setting and corner triangles using
my favorite pink Aurifil thread, #2425.
I turned the machine so I could work from
the end feeding smoothly through, and not
have to push the bulk up and under it. I used
a small, portable table to help support the
weight of the quilt as I stitched, moving
it as necessary from one side to the next.
This is a very heavy quilt.
The pink Aurifil shows up nicely on the teal blue.
I ran into one small problem. Although I allowed
3 extra inches on the sides of the backing, I had
only 2 on each end to spare before quilting. The
long arming took up quite a bit of that, and left
me 1/4" short on this end. I trimmed the other
end as it was a match with the pieced fabric,
and sewed it to my short end. It was a pretty
close fit, but I was lucky.
I love to machine stitch binding on. Or should I
say, I hate binding quilts by hand? I do. Here's
a trick. Sew it to the back of the quilt first, then
bring it to the front, and stitch it down. I used a
pale blue in my top thread to match my binding,
and a fushia in my bobbin to match the backing.
If you're careful to pin, pin, pin the front,
it works beautifully.
I was a little bit off where I sewed my
tag on, but I made sure to have it sewn
into the binding to make it extra secure.
I was cautioned against sewing on my binding
by machine, but it seems to be lying flat. I
always cut my binding fabric perpendicular to
the selvage, and that seems to be key.
This is a memory quilt sewn with love.
Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's have us a snuggle,
and ring a friend today.
Creative Space Tag continues with
Judy at Quilt Paradigm. She's put a
lot of time in analyzing her space,
and how she uses it. Wait until
you see her design wall!
This also is a finish for
my list made for Adrienne's
2015 Finish-Along On the
2015 Finish-Along On the Windy Side.
Creative Space Tag continues with
Judy at Quilt Paradigm. She's put a
lot of time in analyzing her space,
and how she uses it. Wait until
you see her design wall!
This also is a finish for
my list made for Adrienne's
2015 Finish-Along On the
2015 Finish-Along On the Windy Side.
Linking up with~
Blossom Heart Quilts
Val's Quilting Archives
Sew Can She
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Crazy Mom Quilts
Quilt Shop Gal
TGIFF
LAFF
Free Motion Mavericks
Blossom Heart Quilts
Val's Quilting Archives
Sew Can She
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Crazy Mom Quilts
Quilt Shop Gal
TGIFF
LAFF
Free Motion Mavericks
Thank you all for the linking
opportunities.
Lovely finish Julie, and I love your quilting. Thanks for the tip about turning the machine round; i shall have to try that too.
ReplyDeleteI love this quilt and especially the teal you used. I haven't done binding by machine, I'm one of those people who really likes to sew the binding by hand. :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous colors!!
ReplyDeleteLove the colors in this quilt! It looks so happy. And I'll have to try that turning the machine trick as well. How does it go when you get to the middle of the quilt? Must be okay, because the quilt turned out great!
ReplyDeleteAgain, Love this quilt and the beautiful colors.. it all works together so well. Good luck in the Bloggers Quilt Festival.
ReplyDeleteLovely colours and an amazing back story. Thanks for linking up with TGIFF!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous finish!!! Love all those beautiful colors together :-) Congrats!!! Visiting from TGIFF.
ReplyDelete~ Jess ~
Everything Is Coming Up Rosie
A lovely finish Julie and a lovely story to go with it. Definitely a quilt to snuggle up in.
ReplyDeleteLove the colors in this quilt; such a happy quilt!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! The colors are delightful!
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job combining all those QST's. I love Scrappy Quilts.
ReplyDeleteNice bright quilt. I especially like the piecing where the QSTs read as one from a distance. I am only now getting my machine binding stitching to where I would consider doing it on a "good" quilt. I've been practicing on crib quilts where durability outweighs appearance.
ReplyDeleteJust a gorgeous color feast for the eyes! Love the quarter square triangles. I hate to hand sew binding and ever since I found glue binding, I have never looked back. I sew the binding on the front, iron and glue to the back, and sew in the ditch on the front with monofilament. The youtube video Binding the Angel taught it to me, I taught it to my guild and am so happy with my bindings now. No pins!
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty finish! - I do my bindings this way too
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely way to sew up all those wonderful memories! I love the "frame" of blue around all the saturated colors!
ReplyDeleteFabulous gorgeous colours, Julie! This quilt looks like so much fun, with all different fabrics that you had saved up, and a whole lot of work too. Doing the free motion quilting on a quilt that size is no mean feat. Fantastic work!
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up with Free Motion Mavericks.
Love, Muv
Very pretty! I have never sewn binding by hand, with the machine it is just so easy?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Melissa. Yes, machine binding goes lickety-split compared to binding by hand. The last quilt I hand sewed binding to was a large baby quilt. While I don't regret it, it was over 5 hours of hand sewing, and I could have put those to better use. I don't have that kind of chair time anymore. Another perk is the stability of the binding. It holds up better to use and repeated washing, and also if a child is one to love and 'pick' at the quilt. I've watched little ones pick at a thread until they loosen it!
DeleteMy biggest reason: I tend not to have the level of patience by the time I get to binding. There is a thrill to realize I'm only a few hours to another finish, even with a larger piece. I love the Ta Dah! moments.
Julie
beautiful colours
ReplyDeleteThe colors are beautiful and how the quilt seems to sparkle. I often visit the Baha'i Temple when I am in the area. It is really a beautiful and peaceful site.
ReplyDeleteIts a gorgeous finish - love how you it evokes such lovely memories and how you turned your machine - great idea!
ReplyDeleteReally beautiful quilt! I love the scrappiness factor especially.:)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny, how some days have such a great impact on our minds while others fly by in a blink of an eye?!
ReplyDeleteWe share the hate of handsewing down bindings. I sew them on by machine and never had problems so far.
Love your quilt and the bold colours you chose.
Great job!
What a lovely story behind this quilt. How nice to be able to make something with such meaning. *Visiting as a member of the official 2015 Finish-Along cheerleading squad*
ReplyDeleteCharming, beautiful and lively. Such a beautiful quilt and such good memories. Congratulations to the finish.
ReplyDelete