I can't believe I haven't written a blog about this quilt! I have always loves this pattern. Looks so complicated but it's only one pattern piece. Before I started working on this I figured it would be simple enough. Boy was I wrong. First of all, I decided to make this quilt for me since 
I normally make quilts for everyone else. I wanted to make it for our bed and for some silly reason my husband had to get a kingsize bed. (He claims I have restless leg syndrome and kick him all night. However, I have yet to see that first bruise!) Anyway, of course I had to piece this beauty by hand. I know a lot of people use the paper piecing method, but not me. The more flowers I made, the more it seemed I needed. Finally after many months, I had it all pieced and ready to quilt. I tried it on my bed and it fit! Next came the quilting part. Now I am truly afraid of machine quilting. I have only dabbled in it a little bit. Of course I had to hand quilt this bad boy. First, I hand basted it. I know of lot of people like to baste with pins but for some odd reason, I still do this the old fashioned way. With needle and thread! Next came the hand quilting. I love to hand quilt. When I do this I do it in my lap. No frame, no hoop, just my lap. After months of quilting it was time for the binding. Some people may call me stubborn, but I prefer strong willed. I figured since I had pieced and quilted the entire quilt by hand, I should make and add the binding by hand too. I finished it and put it on our bed, and let me tell you, I slept really good under this quilt. A few months later, I decided to enter it in our state fair. So again, I added the sleeve to the back. (by hand) The fair is later this month. I'm kind of excited and certainly proud of this accomplishment. My fingers have developed lovely callouses because, once again, I am strong willed and do not use a thimble. I would say this quilt took me well over a year from start to finish. Of course there were many periods of time that I put it done and didn't pick it up for a while. Now, I'm getting ready to take it to the laundromat to put it in one of those triple machines to get it ready for the fair.
I normally make quilts for everyone else. I wanted to make it for our bed and for some silly reason my husband had to get a kingsize bed. (He claims I have restless leg syndrome and kick him all night. However, I have yet to see that first bruise!) Anyway, of course I had to piece this beauty by hand. I know a lot of people use the paper piecing method, but not me. The more flowers I made, the more it seemed I needed. Finally after many months, I had it all pieced and ready to quilt. I tried it on my bed and it fit! Next came the quilting part. Now I am truly afraid of machine quilting. I have only dabbled in it a little bit. Of course I had to hand quilt this bad boy. First, I hand basted it. I know of lot of people like to baste with pins but for some odd reason, I still do this the old fashioned way. With needle and thread! Next came the hand quilting. I love to hand quilt. When I do this I do it in my lap. No frame, no hoop, just my lap. After months of quilting it was time for the binding. Some people may call me stubborn, but I prefer strong willed. I figured since I had pieced and quilted the entire quilt by hand, I should make and add the binding by hand too. I finished it and put it on our bed, and let me tell you, I slept really good under this quilt. A few months later, I decided to enter it in our state fair. So again, I added the sleeve to the back. (by hand) The fair is later this month. I'm kind of excited and certainly proud of this accomplishment. My fingers have developed lovely callouses because, once again, I am strong willed and do not use a thimble. I would say this quilt took me well over a year from start to finish. Of course there were many periods of time that I put it done and didn't pick it up for a while. Now, I'm getting ready to take it to the laundromat to put it in one of those triple machines to get it ready for the fair.
4 comments:
I love this quilt, but I love all the work you do, you are so talented!! I wish I had the talent to sew as well as you do!!
A beautiful quilt and I love how you did it all by hand. I prefer hand to machine also. Hope my Grandmother's Flower Garden turns out as lovely as yours.
Beautiful colours, a beautiful quilt. I know how much work it is, because I also do hexagons. Now I'm working on a new one with 1/4"-hexagons...really small ones.
Love, love, love your quilt! That truly is a work of art and you have done an amazing job. I only dream that someday I will make a quilt that is all handstitched. Congratulations on the ribbon!
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