Wednesday, March 12, 2014

The Waiting for Craig Quilt



Another finished quilt and another learning experience.  I do start each quilt with the hope that this will be the “perfect” one.  Perfect points, perfect color combinations, perfect seams, perfect everything.  I think that is what keeps me going despite my disappointments.This is not that quilt for me.  
56" x 71"
The things I learned from this quilt:

Lesson #1.  I don’t like sewing with pre-cut packs.  These blocks sprung from a layer cake I had won and a Missouri Star Quilt Company tutorial for making church dash blocks.    I just don’t like the hodge podge of matching prints.  Same prints, different colors.  Different colors, same prints.  Solids that are the exact colors of the prints.  So booooooring.  I added black sashing to try and give it a more cohesive look and I think that did help a little.   
 
Lesson #2.  I don’t like big blocks.  These blocks finished at over 13” and they just seem so bloated and large.  Ok … I'll admit that’s how I feel most of the time so maybe a little transference was going on there.  
Bloated.  Right??  Quilted with Perle Cotton #12

I did take the time to hand quilt and gave each center a different look (that's actually kinda cool).  It involved twirling the large quilt around in a circle on my lap all night while dodging a dog head that wanted to lay on it constantly. 
Is it my eyes or is this blurry?
If you're wondering about the name it's because I had the layer cake and the five inch solid squares sitting by my machine and every time I was all-dressed-up-and-ready-to-go-but-waiting-for-Craig I’d work on a block.  It’s an OK quilt and I’m leaving it at that.  I feel a little sorry for it now that I’ve downplayed its appearance so much.  Craig loves it and it’s his now, he thought it was worth the wait :)

I love how Craig is always up for a photoshoot :)

5 comments:

  1. I like your quilt :) I'm a "fall" color person so these colors suit my taste. Perfect?? No, but none of mine are either and I've been quilting about 17 years. I just finished a churn dash and it's far from perfect but no one notices my "mistakes". Each antique quilt has plenty of mistakes but that's what gives them character. I don't hand quilt any more so yours is extra special. I'm sure Craig doesn't care (or notice) that there's imperfections. He's just happy to have it. Don't be so hard on yourself :)

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  2. The black sashing is a wonderful addition! Really great looking quilt especially with the stitching texture--yum... I agree with you about working with pre-cuts and fabrics from the exact same line though. I know it saves people time and it's easy, but wowsers does it take the creative thrill right out of making quilts, at least for me.:)

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  3. Hahah! I hear ya girlie but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do and Craig loves it and that's all that matters. I think it looks great!

    Big blocks do lend themselves to some fun handquilting. And one good thing about collections....I think it's brought a load of people into the quilting world because before they lacked the confidence to pick fabrics on their own so now as a beginner this makes the process easier and once they start they are hooked and can start picking and choosing from ALL THE FABRICS IN THE WORLD!! Haha!!

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  4. love this quilt. love your hand quilting as well. SOmething I want to learn how to do.

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  5. Oh my goodness, Molly, this quilt is so strikingly lovely...or should I say "handsome", since it's Craig's after all. It looks like it all flows so well together, and your addition of the black sashing to enhance and tie-into the black dashes and backgrounds "makes" the quilt. I know why Craig loves it. You did great work on the hand quilting too. A perfect finish. Personally, I really do LOVE big blocks...part of my later in life love of the much-less-complicated-simplicity of bigger - rather than teeny-tiny pieces! Well done...very well done...feel proud!

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Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with me :)

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