Hand-Pieced Hexi Quilt!
I have watched this beauty grow for years, block by gorgeous block. The fabrics are so YUMMY, and every block was fussy cut and stitched with care.
My client (friend and guild-mate, Margaret) requested a spirographic, freehand flower on each hexi - a perfect choice! Combining flowers and continuous curves would secure the piecing without weakening hand-stitched seams the way ditching would.
Plus, I could continue the flower motif into the hexagon-shaped filler blocks for a cohesive look.
The borders had been added by machine, so I ditched 'em and filled them up with feathers and "ladyfingers"
(aptly named by Margaret - as I stitched, I'd thought of them as U's, but I like ladyfingers better!).
There were some triangular shaped filler blocks along each side of the quilt, as well. They could have been awkward, but turned into one of my favourite details once they were echoed along the seams (to avoid ditching over the hand stitching) and filled with feathers, too.
Couldn't resist this shot as the quilt came off the frame. So pretty!
My quilting is all hand guided, and --- since I am not a machine --- my freehand quilting is never perfect.
I generally embrace the handmade, "organic" look of my work . . . but sure needed a few deep breaths when starting this quilt. (Hand pieced? Four years to make, you say? No sweat. Ha!)
Thank goodness for a happy result!
There was no time for a daylight picture of the finish here, but Margaret has one on her blog. Click here to pop over for a look - and enjoy her latest knitting and piecing adventures, while you're at it!
Doggone Cute!
These two adorable lap quilts went on the frame together. They shared a backing and batting, and before long I was thinking of them as "the twins" - doggone cute twins, at that!
Their muzzles, noses, and doggie bones were layered wool - quite thick in places.
To keep them from being "ploughed" into lumpy messes by the hopping foot, I had two choices. I could either raise the height of the foot (which might cause problems elsewhere on the quilt), or baste the muzzle area. I chose to baste.
Imagine how these little guys will look with button eyes and tiny dog tags!
If you look closely you will notice dogs in the quilting, too. (My son would call them meta dogs!)
My Little Project
Just a little peek to prove things are moving along!
This post is already crazy-long so I'm calling it a night.
Perhaps more frequent posts would equal shorter ones --- but then I'd have to think up even more catchy titles. Soooooo......nope. Not happening. ha!
(Title suggestions happily accepted! What would you call a post such as this?)
Linking up With:
Finish it up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts (quilts fresh off the frame are my finishes!)
Try, Learn, & Grow!
Carole
I have watched this beauty grow for years, block by gorgeous block. The fabrics are so YUMMY, and every block was fussy cut and stitched with care.
 |
| Before quilting FreshofftheFrame.com |
My client (friend and guild-mate, Margaret) requested a spirographic, freehand flower on each hexi - a perfect choice! Combining flowers and continuous curves would secure the piecing without weakening hand-stitched seams the way ditching would.
 |
| An overview of the quilting before the final border was filled FreshofftheFrame.com |
Plus, I could continue the flower motif into the hexagon-shaped filler blocks for a cohesive look.
 |
| A tiny dot marked the center, and barely visible lines marked imaginary seams FreshofftheFrame.com |
The borders had been added by machine, so I ditched 'em and filled them up with feathers and "ladyfingers"
(aptly named by Margaret - as I stitched, I'd thought of them as U's, but I like ladyfingers better!).
 |
| Feathers and ladyfingers fill the borders FreshofftheFrame.com |
There were some triangular shaped filler blocks along each side of the quilt, as well. They could have been awkward, but turned into one of my favourite details once they were echoed along the seams (to avoid ditching over the hand stitching) and filled with feathers, too.
 |
| Feathers fill the triangles along the edges, too. FreshofftheFrame.com |
Couldn't resist this shot as the quilt came off the frame. So pretty!
 |
| Pretty! FreshofftheFrame.com |
My quilting is all hand guided, and --- since I am not a machine --- my freehand quilting is never perfect.
I generally embrace the handmade, "organic" look of my work . . . but sure needed a few deep breaths when starting this quilt. (Hand pieced? Four years to make, you say? No sweat. Ha!)
Thank goodness for a happy result!
There was no time for a daylight picture of the finish here, but Margaret has one on her blog. Click here to pop over for a look - and enjoy her latest knitting and piecing adventures, while you're at it!
Doggone Cute!
These two adorable lap quilts went on the frame together. They shared a backing and batting, and before long I was thinking of them as "the twins" - doggone cute twins, at that!
 |
| Two similar quilts share the frame FreshofftheFrame.com |
Their muzzles, noses, and doggie bones were layered wool - quite thick in places.
To keep them from being "ploughed" into lumpy messes by the hopping foot, I had two choices. I could either raise the height of the foot (which might cause problems elsewhere on the quilt), or baste the muzzle area. I chose to baste.
 |
| Basted muzzle FreshofftheFrame.com |
Imagine how these little guys will look with button eyes and tiny dog tags!
 |
| Dogs on dogs - look closely! FreshofftheFrame.com |
If you look closely you will notice dogs in the quilting, too. (My son would call them meta dogs!)
 |
| Cozy and sweet! FreshofftheFrame.com |
My Little Project
Just a little peek to prove things are moving along!
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
This post is already crazy-long so I'm calling it a night.
Perhaps more frequent posts would equal shorter ones --- but then I'd have to think up even more catchy titles. Soooooo......nope. Not happening. ha!
(Title suggestions happily accepted! What would you call a post such as this?)
Linking up With:
Finish it up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts (quilts fresh off the frame are my finishes!)
Try, Learn, & Grow!
Carole
Thanks so much Carole! I love my hexie quilt and I am quite sure my girls will love their "doggies"!
ReplyDeleteThese are just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about needing to take a deep breath before you start. What a great solution for keeping off the seams!
ReplyDeleteI have to laugh I looked at the ice skate at an angle and thought it was an axe. I thought it was a Halloween quilt.
ReplyDeleteI had to go back and read again and look closer. Then I realized it was ice skate. LOL.
You really do beautiful work. I love the dogs.
What gorgeous quilts. Margaret's hexie quilt is wonderful and what great quilting designs you used-so apt for this quilt. Love the 'ladies fingers'-a lovely variation to piano keys.
ReplyDeleteI love how you explain your choices of quilting designs, the hexie quilt has come out beautifully. I never thought about ditching possibly weakening EPP seams but of course it must.
ReplyDeleteukcitycrafteratlivedotcodotuk
I love how you quilted the hexie quilt! I guess you sort of dot-to-dotted it? The doggie twins are very cute and yay for progress on your own project!! Ok ~ so did you perfectly position the ice skate so that it looks like a spray of snowy ice *right* where the heel hits? or was that serendipitous?? Either way - it's brilliant :-)
ReplyDelete(I think post titles are trickier the more you cover.) (It cracks me up that you think this post is crazy long, but I'm great with you posting more often ;-)
I've been thinking about how to quilt a hexagon quilt, and I love how you did this one. I may just copy you. :) Your quilting is beautiful as always.
ReplyDeleteThose hexies are just perfection! Good choice for quilting! Well done both of you!
ReplyDeleteFrom stunning hexies to a wonderfully whimsical dog quilt. It doesn't get any better than that.
ReplyDeleteWow , beautiful quilting on all these quilts . The hexie quilt is amazing and I can imagine hand sewing this . Love the dogs and how you quilted bones , so cute .
ReplyDelete