A few of my favourite things - and a long overdue ta-dah

Well I've finally finished the orange quilt. It's taken 18 months - 18 months of being put down and picked up, waiting for fabric in the post , buying wadding, running out of thread etc. But now it's done. The photos don't do it justice and I will try to get my husband to take some better ones - here it is

Can you see the bottom of a doggy quilt model in this photo? He was so flattered to be asked to be in the first picture he wouldn't move out of the way. And here is another photo - these are the favourite things....

Wilfy the quilt model and a glimpse of the garden. It's a bit shaming that the pond you can see behind was started almost a year after the quilt!

The pattern is a half log cabin made entirely out of strips of fabric from the Kaffe Fassett collective. Its quilted in a 2 inch grid all over in orange thread and has lightweight Quilters Dream 100% cotton wadding inside which gives it a very nice drape. I haven't measured how big it is but it is made to fit a King Size bed - but not come over the pillows. Here it is in place

And here's the detail

I'm delighted to have completed it and also very pleased with the results. It has been an education in using colour and the differing effects and influences of colours when they are seen in relation to each other. It has also taught me that even though my technique leaves quite a lot to be desired in terms of accuracy the overall effect is really lovely - and a lot can be salvaged by judicious final trimming of squares. I hope you like it too!!

Homage to Kaffe's Shadow Pinwheel

Ever since I have had the book Quilt Grandeur I've loved the really bright, colour dense quilts in it. I love 'Blue Haze' and I also love the 'Shadow Pinwheel'. I toyed with the idea of buying one of the kits to re-create one of these quilts, but I decided I couldn't justify this with all the fabric I have in my stash and I thought I would give a try to creating my own. At the moment I am just at the point of selecting colours and putting them together.

First of all I dug out a pack of 20 ten inch Kaffe dots. And then I also unearthed a partly used layer cake of Philip Jacobs big flowery prints. I wanted very much not to just rely on mixing up Rowan fabrics so I have added in some that I have been saving from some Fabric Freedom fat quarters that I have by me - can you see the little fishes in the blue pinwheel at the back?

I'm not sure about the pink and white dots in the next shot - I think I have to accept that when I put everything together I may discard some combinations. I have pored over the Shadow pinwheel picture - the clearest I can find on the web is about half way down the linked page) and realised I need to repeat fabrics from the pinwheels in the triangles and also use some fabrics in different combinations in the pinwheels in order to get a sense of coherence. My main criterion for colour choice at the moment is richness rather than trying to match things. The next shot is some of the other combinations I am auditioning!

It's not a safe palette is it?? I guess it may be wonderful or a complete disaster - but I won't know till I try. I am a bit limited as I really don't want to buy new fabric - or at least only a little if I need it.

So watch this space - slow going as I am finishing quilting the orange monster and also very much enjoying making mug rugs for the quilting gallery spring swop ( I like them so much I'm going to try and make a few more for easter gifts).

I'd love to know what you think ( if you think yuk - just don't tell me!!)

Fabric stuffing!

Just a quick post with some quilty good news. I managed to get my orange and brown half log cabin quilt through my machine so that I can grid quilt it.
Here it is! And it isn't unbearably difficult either.

I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get the volume of quilt sandwich through the machine so that I could do a squared grid all over the quilt which was my quilting pattern of choice. It was a happy accident really. I love to use Quilter's Dream wadding and I went over to the Cotton Patch to buy it. I was feeling a bit strapped for cash and the lighter version was a good bit cheaper than the next weight up so I bought that. This has made the whole quilt sandwich a lot thinner. In fact I prefer it for this quilt which is not going to be used to keep warm under - more for decoration.

I also love the feel of the Kaffe materials. I splashed out on a Philip Jacobs print for the back and the whole quilt is so soft - and a real riot of colour. There's nothing subtle about it.

Quilting is slow progress as it is so big - but relaxing to do. Only problem is that I am using MASSES of thread.