Saturday, July 30, 2016

Bound and Finished - One Monthly Goal for July

folded quilt with Sister's Choice block variation

I'm so pleased to have this quilt finished to meet my One Monthly Goal for July.  I finished the quilting a few days before my husband went to the emergency room on July 12 (then stayed at the hospital for the next two weeks awaiting open heart surgery).

This is the quilt that was too long, the topic of a discussion about proportions, sizes, symmetry, etc.  That first night my husband was at the hospital and I was home alone I made the drastic decision to cut 8" off one end.  That night I also cut and sewed binding strips together, then stitched them to the quilt so I would have hand work while sitting with him at the hospital.

This quilt and I had an interesting experience at the hospital.  One of the PSAs (Patient Support Assistants) asked what I was working on.  When I told her I was stitching the binding on a quilt she told me that she was a quilter and did all her work by hand.  She wanted to know how long I'd been working on the quilt and whether I'd stitched the blocks by hand or machine.  The next day she asked me whether or not I was going to show her the quilt.  I'm happy to share my quilts online because there is that element of separation created by a computer monitor and some distance between me and viewers -- I don't see whether the viewer has an adverse reaction to the quilt -- but I'm not one to show off my quilts in person.  Even so, I opened the quilt for her to see.  She immediately looked closely at my hand quilting and evaluated it but she barely looked at the quilt and made no comment about it at all.  I was a little surprised.  When I see a quilt in person my first observation is never of the stitching.

quilt with Sister's Choice block variation

The photo above shows only part of the quilt: the top is folded over the fence.

I began making the blocks for this quilt in August, 2013.  It was a slow evolution to decide whether each block should have sashing and if so, how it should look.  Then I decided on the center white stars and played with sizes and colors for sashing, then did the same for sashing between blocks.   Little by little, all the decisions were made.  Perhaps the best (or worst) decision was to omit a border around the edges:  I had to redraft those half-blocks along the sides so they would have straight grain along the edges.  I finished the top in November, 2015, quickly layered and basted it, and immediately started quilting it.

I used Soft & Crafty 80% cotton / 20% polyester batting.  It quilts easily and washes well.  I have used it before but this time it seems slightly less thick than in previous quilts.  Still, I love how it crinkles and makes the fabrics puff up.  The quilting is not dense.  I think the places for pockets of air are part of what makes a quilt warm.

quilt with Sister's Choice block variation

Measurements (blocks finish at 9 1/2"):
99" x 65 1/2" - top
97 1/4" x 64 3/4"- after quilting
89 1/4" x 64 3/4" - after cutting off 8"
86 3/4" x 62 1/4" - after washing and drying

When I look at this quilt I see other ways it could have been sewn together and wonder how it would have changed the overall appearance of the quilt.  I'll get to try out some other layouts because I have fourteen more blocks, a dozen of which are finished and two that are yet to be sewn.  I probably won't get around to playing with them for a while so you won't be seeing layouts too soon.  (Any of you who visit my blog very often must be getting tired of seeing this quilt!)

I'm linking this post to;
OMG It's Finished: July Linkup! at Red Letter Quilts
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Thanks for hosting, ladies.

--Nancy.

P.S.  For those who may be interested to know, my husband came home last Sunday evening.  It's been a little rough but he's slowly beginning to feel better.  Thank you for all your kind comments, encouragement, and prayers.  They mean so much.
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28 comments:

  1. So glad your hubby is better. What a relief!! You should be thrilled with this quilt. It is a beauty. I love the way the white stars sparkle so subtly.

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    1. Hi, Jennie. I hope my husband's road to recovery continues as smoothly has it's been going. I'm not ready for any more detours!

      I am pleased with the quilt and appreciate your kind comments about it.

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  2. I am NOT tired of seeing this quilt - I absolutely love it and am looking forward to seeing what you do with the other blocks! And I'm ecstatic that your husband is home and doing better. I'll be praying as he continues to recover.

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    1. Thanks so much, Kathy. You are such a great cheerleader! I'm so pleased at my husband's progress, too. I hope things continue to go smoothly. Thank you for your prayers.

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  3. Recovering is not easy and it may take longer than you both would want but hang in there. Stitching can be such a comfort in such times. I also am not tired of seeing this quilt. I love star like blocks and the overall effect is just beautiful.

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    1. I'm beginning to get a sense that recovery will not be quick or easy, Jocelyn. I'm okay with that; I just hope there aren't detours along the way.

      Thanks for your kind comments about this quilt. I appreciate them.

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  4. Your patchwork is gorgeous and the quilting has enhanced it beautifully! The red binding is a perfect finish. I hope your husband is recovering well & you are taking good care of yourself as well:)

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    1. Hi, Heidi. Thanks so much for your generous comments about this quilt. I appreciate them.

      In some ways it's easier to take care of my husband than myself. I'm grateful to have had my daughter home for a few weeks. She is a great support.

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  5. It is a lovely quilt. It looks so soft and inviting with all those warm colors. I like that you describe your process-making decisions as your quilt dictates.

    I am so glad your husband is home and on the mend. Both of you have been in our thoughts. I hope he is not a cranky patient but, really, you are probably he is home and getting better that crankiness hardly matters.

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    1. Thank you for your kind comments about this quilt, Pam. It's been fun to make.

      I'm chuckling that you mentioned the possibility of my husband being cranky. As a matter of fact, he sometimes is, but then I remind myself that I may have been a cranky patient at times, too, and just count it as part of the healing process.

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  6. The quilt is stunning Nancy. The colours and pattern work together so well. Shame the PSA was too fixated on hand stitching to step back and enjoy the whole quilt! Glad your husband continues to make steady progress. Best wishes.

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    1. Thank you for your kind and generous comments about this quilt, Allison.

      Yes, I'm pleased that my husband's making progress. I know he would like it to go faster but it is what it is. It won't be too long before he realizes how much better he feels. It seems like those first weeks after surgery go so slowly.

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  7. I think that is a gorgeous quilt! I hope the stitching you were doing on it helped calm you as you waited for your husband to come home from the hospital. That is a tough time, but glad to hear he is slowly getting better. I'm also thinking that PSA person needs a little bit of sensitivity training on how to interact with people whose husbands are having heart surgery! I'll keep you and your husband in my thoughts.

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    1. Hi, Diann. Thanks for the compliment about the quilt. Yes, the stitching was very calming as I awaited the outcome of surgery. I'm not sure what I would have done without it because I probably couldn't have concentrated on reading.

      And about the PSA.... I find the participants in the online quilting community so supportive and encouraging which may be why I was surprised at the PSA's response to the quilt. It will make me all the more hesitant to show my quilts in person, even to someone who asks to see them.

      Thank you for your kind thoughts for my husband and me. I appreciate them.

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  8. It is a beautiful quilt just as it is!!! Pooh on that PSA, it's a bold and innovative design. Glad to hear that Hubby pulled through and is home. Prayers going out to you both.

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    1. Thanks for your kind comments about this quilt, Vic. As for the PSA -- I guess we each gravitate to different things when looking at a quilt, or anything else for that matter. At least she was accurate about her assessment of my hand quilting.

      Thanks for your prayers. I appreciate them.

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  9. Congratulations on a beautiful finish. The quilt has already served one purpose in giving you comforting hand work while you waited and prayed. So glad your husband is home and I pray he will continue to improve.

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    1. Thanks, Paula. You're right about the quilt already serving one purpose. I hadn't thought of it that way until now. Thank you for your prayers for my husband. I appreciate them.

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  10. Your quilt is a beautiful expression of your creativity. No doubt you will remember this quilt for a long time and hopefully be using it yourself. I enjoy sharing my quilts with others but I can understand why you don't based on the impression the PSA left you with. Most of us aren't quilting for others or for judged shows -- we quilt because we enjoy it not because we are trying to impress people. So glad to hear hubby is starting on the long road to recovery.

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    1. Hi, Bonnie. Thank you for your kind words about this quilt. Maybe it will become the "open heart surgery quilt."

      I'm generally happy for others to see my quilts, too, but it's usually family and friends who see them. The PSA's comment didn't offend me because she was accurate in her assessment of my hand quilting. I guess I was just surprised. For me, the pleasure of creating with fabric and finishing something useful is part of the joy of quilting.

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  11. Lovely quilt. I like how you explained your decisions for color placement and design. It's always fun to see the creative process. It is a surprise that your stitching was commented on only. She must have already admired the design (in her mind) from seeing you work on it and was concentrating on what she hadn't seen before.

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    1. Hi, Robin. Thank you. I enjoy reading/hearing how others make their creative decisions but I find that not too many bloggers discuss that aspect of their quilts.

      I don't know what the PSA was thinking or how much of the quilt she saw. I had it folded front side together so I could stitch on the back easily so she probably didn't see much of the front. It's not a big deal, I was just surprised. (And at least she was accurate in her assessment of my hand quilting.) People are just so interesting.

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  12. People are funny. I don't know how I would have reacted, but I DO know that that your quilt is stunning and I hope it is in use at your home. What a fabulous finish!
    Thank you for updating us on your husband. I'm behind in my reading, but keep you both in prayer daily.

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    1. I think I was surprised into silence, Karin. But at least her assessment of the quilting stitches was on target. Ha ha. Thanks for your generous compliment about this quilt. I like it a lot but I'm looking forward to creating another variation with those leftover blocks.

      Thank you for your prayers for my husband and me. I appreciate them.

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  13. You know how much I love this quilt! I still think it would make an amazing Quilt of Valor! I may have to try and make a version! Glad to know your husband is home and doing better!

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    1. Hi, Kevin. I think it would be a great pattern for a Quilt of Valor, too. I didn't see it as red, white, and blue while I was making it, and that's still not the most obvious impression I have (I see reds, neutrals, and blue), but I know it could be made with lighter lights.

      Thanks for visiting and leaving such kind words about this quilt.

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  14. Such a beautiful quilt - but I think the biggest whoop whoop for you must be having your husband home and recuperating! Congratulations!

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    1. Hi, Sarah. Thanks for your compliment about the quilt. Yes, the biggest "success" is having my husband home!

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I appreciate your comments and look forward to reading what you have to say. Thanks for stopping by.

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