Ha, so there I was yesterday telling you all that I didn’t have a single quilt finish since the Spring Bloggers Quilt Festival and then a kind soul reminded me I had made this in June (it had slipped through the net having been filed under ‘pressies’ rather than ‘finished quilts’ in my photo archive):
The story behind this is that I made it for my parents’ ruby wedding anniversary at the beginning of July.
I started by grabbing a ‘Ruby’ bundle from Oakshott, which seemed rather appropriately named, not to mention the fact that Oakshott cottons are woven in India where they’ve enjoyed 2 recent holidays.
Then I grabbed some flip chart paper (the perks of being the child of someone that does a lot of presentations in their day job) and drew out a heart shape, then created the outer borders and cut out my ‘inner’ and ‘outer’.
Splitting my fabric into warmer and cooler wefts, and using the paper as a foundation, I started to improv piece the heart first. I started off with the entire heart, but then realised it would be easier if I cut it down some and then joined those bits together afterwards. Having learned from the heart, I split the outer into 4 sections right away.
Once both the inner and outer bits were pieced, I then took a bit of yardage I’d bought of one of the middle red tones, and created a ‘porthole’ with the outer bit. I used both blanket stitch and straight stitch to hold it in place, partly from a decorative point of view, and partly because as it was a big shape, I was a bit worried that at the straight stitch part any small movement out of place would lead me to missing a bit!
I then grabbed 5 different shades and weights of Aurifil and did a star burst type effect with the quilting, since I didn’t want to do any heavy quilting on it. I promise the whole thing is both straight and flat, it’s just that it had been folded up for quite some time in its wrapping before this, because I forgot to take a pic before I handed it over…
I’m entering this into the Original Design section of the festival, as that’s where I thought it fit best.
The Stats:
Fabric: Oakshott Rubies throughout
Thread: Aurifil 50 wt for both piecing and quilting, plus some 40 wt, 28 wt and 12 wt for the quilting
Batting: EQS Sew Simple Supersoft 100% Cotton
Size: 24″ square approx.
Piecing: Me, myself and I
Quilting: Straight line starburst effect
Quilted by: Again me
Pattern: From the deep, dark, recesses of my mind
Yay for remembering to show this awesome quilt in the festival. It was a great decision to make it in oakshott fabrics , they really make it glow!!
And very well it looks on our bedroom wall:-)
aaah, what a beauty. Just gorgeous.
Loved this when you first made it and love it now too…definitely an original!
Superb – isn't it great to have friends to remind you?
Yes, great choice! Glad you remembered this one.
Really stunning! I'm glad you remembered this one. 🙂 It's a beautiful mini!
Lovely to see this again- really gorgeous! x
It's beautiful and how nice to see it again. I am glad you remembered it in time for the festival.
A special gift indeed. Even on the screen, the colors are fantastic.
Loved it first time round and that hasn't changed. Glad you remembered it
Fancy forgetting that one. It is so beautiful.
beautiful!
Really pleased you found a quilt to enter! I don't remember this one either but it's very pretty.
what an amazing design – it is gorgeous 🙂
That is Gorgeous!!!
This is wonderful! So glad you rediscovered it to share! A super sweet gift for your parents, too 🙂
Love the colors, and the pattern is great – very creative!!
That's such an awesome present! 🙂
Bestest quilt, EVER!!! XX!!!!
It's stunning!
P.S. You're not the only one who needed reminding that they had an eligible quilt!!
absolutely gorgeous, I am sure your parents were dead chuffed
I absolutely love this quilt! It is just so incredibly stunning! The colors, the design, the quilting, there isn't anything I don't love about it!
Brilliant entry, good to see it again and I reckon it'll get my vote.
Hi Katy! As my mother language is not english, I often run out of good positive words but now I remember exactly the right Word: STUNNING! This is my absolutely favourite quilt in this festival! Super Super idea, gorgeus colours and amazing piecing! Thank you for a fantastic inspiration! x Teje
I love your design.