Sunday 26 October 2014

Bloggers Quilt Festival

The time has come around again for this fantastic festival.
AmysCreativeSide.com
It is always so inspiring to see all the amazing quilts people make.

Welcome if you're visiting from the festival- hope you enjoy having a look around.

My entry is a quilt I have just finished for a friend's 50th birthday.  


SPOILER ALERT!! 
Nigel, if you're reading this and you want any element of surprise, discipline yourself to look away now!

The decision process on what to make was quite protracted, then it took even longer to make it; mainly because I was slow and we were in different countries. Throw in an international move and time goes by so fast so now I'm nearly a year late! Making quilts for friends and family can be quite difficult because of differing tastes, but we had a lot of agreement on this one.

We pinned inspiration photos on a shared Pinterest board and had thought we'd come up with a plan; but then I just didn't feel inspired about our first decision which involved loads of narrow stripes, which would have looked look amazing but been quite tedious to do.  The colour palette emerged quite early: an ochre theme being common to many of the things Nigel pinned. I also decided that using shot cotton would give it the colour depth I was after. 

In the end we were inspired by this. I think it is by Tommy Fitzsimmons of Tommy's Art Quilts  so I would like to acknowledge her amazing work, very much more subtle and complex than mine.

The size of this is 47 x 68.5" so it just squeaks into the Small Quilt category. But I've decided to enter it into the Modern Quilts category.

 I wanted to make it quite improvisationally, so I cut panels in the approximate dimensions and experimented with the arrangement on my design wall. 



I wanted to have gently wavy insertions and a general sense of wiggliness, so I stacked the fabrics right sides up and cut improvisational curves with the rotary cutter.


And then just built and inserted until I was happy.



I hadn't done this kind of curved piecing before but it went OK. Long gentle curves are much easier than small Drunkards Path blocks!


I quilted it using a variegated cotton thread, in long organic wavy lines to echo and accentuate the piecing.




I backed it using good old Ikea Nummer which I bought a bolt of before we moved to an Ikea-less country!



It makes such a versatile backing and here I highlighted the relevant number with a wavy frame of the different shot cottons.



For the binding I used left over strips of the various fabrics in the quilt.


After  trialling many different methods for attaching the binding over the years I have come back to my favourite: narrow doubled binding, machine stitched onto the front and hand sewn down onto the back.



I was bit nervous about washing it as I hadn't prewashed the fabrics, but I put in a colour catcher and all was well!



Hopefully it's the perfect size for a bit of coziness when reading or to drape over a chair



Isn't it funny how a quilt never looks finished until it's been bound and washed to find all its lovely crinkliness!


Now I'm off to look at all your entries in the festival...




22 comments:

  1. Oh I love love love the colors here. So great, and the linear organic design really complements them. I feel like its a stand of trees in a desert or something. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  2. It is lovely! The variegated quilting is beautiful and the highlighted "fifty" is inspired. Nigel should be very pleased:-)

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  3. Such a stunning quilt Camilla! Really love these shot cottons and the "fifty" on the back - will have to remember that idea for future quilt backs:)

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  4. I really love this - I would like you to share it on my blog link up for art quilts - Off the Wall Friday!

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  5. It looks so cozy! I'm sure it will be loved.

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  6. Every thing is just right in this quilt! Cozy is the perfect word to describe it! Love, love, love it!

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  7. This is the perfect man quilt! I love the back too and the way you've highlighted the 'fifty', very clever!

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  8. Beautiful colors - love the little detail on the back to :)

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  9. I hope Nigel loves his quilt, because it seems to be a hit among your commenters! I too think this is an awesome quilt! I imagine it's even more beautiful in person, with all those shot cottons in there. Great job on the wavy inserts, your quilting complements the quilt beautifully, and I love that special touch on the back of the quilt!

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  10. Wow- I just really love this. The colors, the organic vibe, the backing even. Great job. Lucky friend :)

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  11. What a great quilt for your friend. Thanks for blogging about your process. Love the colors you choose and the backing is fantastic!!

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  12. Love the quilt and the featured fifty on the back is so clever. Great Job.

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  13. This quilt is fantastic! Thanks for sharing your process for making it. I love doing my binding like you do too!

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  14. I love the colors and your design! Such a great explanation of your approach as well.

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  15. This is a fabulous quilt! Love the colors and style. Wonderful.:)

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  16. The shot cottons do add a great depth to this quilt. I really think it works well for the modern quilts category. It is so much fun to find other beautiful work and quilters through the festival. :)

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  17. Stunning! Thanks for sharing your thoughts & process of making the quilt.

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  18. It's stunning and I hope Nigel loves it!

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  19. Okay - love this quilt and the backing with the Fifty highlighted made me laugh! I'm off to vote for you now so I wish you much good luck with your entry!

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  20. oh my...I wish I was called Nigel and turning 50. It would be worth it to receive this gem!

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  21. Hi!!!! Yes!!!!! I love it!!!!! I love the colors and the quilting!!!!! Yaa!!!!

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