Do you remember this photo, that I tortured you with for months and months?
Well off it went to the British Quilt & Stitch Village at the start of April, went on display at the end of April, came back here because the exhibitors apparently couldn’t read the entry form where it said where to post it back to, languished in the sorting office for 2 weeks while I was at Market, and then, finally, got sent to my dad for his birthday. 4 1/2 months late. Whatever.
Anyway, now he has it, and here it is:
The quilting on this gave me fits. FITS! It was pieced in January, but then I started quilting the centre part and didn’t like the spiral in the middle. Twice. So I unpicked it. Twice. Then I consulted quilting guru Troodles and we decided I needed to go bigger in the centre.
Having sorted the middle, then I had the triangle sections. Ugh. My first attempt at this wasn’t great. I was trying to carry across at the end of each line, but with the variegated light grey thread, black borders and dark blues, the stitches at the end of the line were super visible. So then I tried stitching all the way round in black to try and hide it (I’d done both ends in the grey thinking this would work). And then when that spectacularly failed I tried cutting the threads at the end of each line and burying the teeny ends. So I got about 3/4 of the way through that exercise when I realised that the first ends I’d ‘buried’ had started to pop out. And then I had a small temper tantrum. Feet were stamped. Toys were hurled out of prams. And then I grabbed the seam ripper and frogged every.single.stitch. And then I started again 1 row at a time. And then I buried so many more ends my hand got cramp.
Anywho, after all that, I actually got a judging sheet this year (last year as I’d had to pick mine up at the end of the show in a hurry I didn’t get one). Here’s what it said:
Satisfactory on quilting?! I’ll take it with bells on! Given that I was a little flak happy when I got to machining on the binding, I’m surprised that got a good lol.
Overall I’m happy I didn’t get any ‘Needs Attention’, and it turns out the recipient likes it, so that’s a winner on its own!
Final Stats:
Fabric: Klona solids
Thread: Aurifil 50wt for both piecing and quilting
Batting: Warm & Natural
Size: Approx 45 x 30
Piecing: All me
Quilting: FMQ and straight stitch
Quilted by: Me
Pattern: Me again. The centre part was inspired by a bee block I made for Jennie last year for Brit Bee, which my dad had admired, so I made that bigger and better and went from there. I liked the regimented sides compared to the improv centre
Bold colors, love how you quilted it. Great design
The recipient love it, you love it and I think it is stunning. So who cares what a judge says! Lovely what you made out of a rainbow!
What cheeky monkey said ! Love it!
Love it!
It's like a mental test card for the telly (are you too young?) – bravo!
It looks even more stunning 'in the flesh' as it were. A labour of love indeed from I think you can deduce that the recipients sidekick likes it too 🙂
Very cool! I like it alot!
Great job! From the pic, it looks like the quilting is more than satisfactory.
masterpiece honey. and well done you for persevering with the quilting, i'd have cried i'm quite sure!!
You're braver than I, I think I'd be too annoyed by judging comments to submit. Who are these judges anyway??? (Just my anti-authority traits coming out, I am Australian after all.)
P.S. Well done – I think the quilting is much more than satisfactory.
The rainbow stack turned into a butterfly!! This is such a great quilt. You are so good for perservering with the quilting, it looks fabulous!! I bet your dad feels like the luckiest dad ever.
I would have given it much higher marks, it is fantastic and your dad is lucky to get it!
It's fabulous Katy! Such an interesting design, and the quilting looks much better than satisfactory :o)
wow, what a stunner! It's such a perfect quilt.
Worth all the effort : ) it's stunning
I loved it when I saw it. How come I got two comment sheets and so many only got one? I would have been happy if they kept my crap one. Just saying. 😉
It's even more fab in real life! Satisfactory….hmmm, no comment.
If the recipient loved it that is all that matters. It is a very bold design.
Hugs Kay
OH yes, the recipient loves it. Only problem is which wall to put it on!
Dada
Another way of looking at 41/2 months late for my birthday is that it's a few weeks early for Fathers' Day!
It looks great. I don't envy you all that unpicking though!
Fabulous quilt, I adore it, if your dad ever tires of it send it to me!! ;o)
Not a chance. 🙂
I think it looks great, love the way it flows and ebbs.
Very striking Katy!!
Hallelujah! The last pic of that rainbow bundle! The quilt was definitely worth the wait though it is fabulous.
It is absolutely lovely! And of course your dad loves it!
Gorgeous! Love those curves! I'm a little too thin-skinned and self-critical to enter a piece in a judged show right now… Once my quilting improves… With piecing I'm getting there but it'll be a while before the rest catches up! That is pretty decent feedback! Yay – no part of your quilt needs attention! (Wait a second, that didn't come out as flattering as I meant it…)
So impressive – I am a quilting mega-novice but I love that you've used solid colours so effectively and the quilting looks beautiful to me
Clever girl – particularly love the centre and all the quilting.
I can't believe you didn't hoy it out the window during all that quilting/unpicking!! It's fabulous! And finished, hurray!!
Looks great! Not surprised your dad likes it
Looks great! Not surprised your dad liked it
It is so stunning! The design has so much energy and the quilting looks fantastic. You're awesome for making it through all the quilting frustration. It probably would have ended up eternally lost in my WIP drawer once the ends started popping out! 😀
How did I miss this page when It posted?!! What a stunner! I kid you not, I am sitting in a tearoom havin a cuppa, you know, and just gawked!! My cutie waitress asked me what I was looking at, and i showed her the pic of your dad's quilt, and she gawked, too! and then showed 20 other people. Everyone here is now happy and smiling. So see there?! Wonderful!
That's very cool! I so wouldn't have had the patience to unpick so many times. Yay for good marks on your judging sheet! 🙂