I do not have a new quilt to share with you all today. I hope you will not mind looking at an oldy again while I talk a bit more about how this quilt came to be.
This quilt's story is pretty much a history of my indecisiveness ;) It started off as a plan to make an entire queen sized quilt by hand, English paper piecing this pattern. I still love these paper pieced circles very much. I believe originally the pattern is called an Amish friendship ring but it's most commonly referred to these days as 'Spring Carnival'.
I soon realized I did not have the determination it would take to finish an entire quilt by hand and this has been on my W.I.P pile ever since (shameful!)
I called in the help of my bee mates in Fresh Modern Bee 2. They all made some beautiful blocks with my AMH stash and I have felt very guilty that none of those blocks ended up in my quilt (again- shameful!)
It is odd really that it took me so long to come to terms with the fact that all I desired for this quilt to be was simple patchwork squares. Perhaps I fancied myself more original and creative than that, but the truth is patchwork squares are my all time favourite. They are what comes to mind when I think of the word "quilt".
To come to terms with my rather boring choice of patchworks squares I decided this quilt needed some fancy quilting. I couldn't simply get away with another favourite of mine; straight line quilting. I knew I would not find the quilting design I was after in the stencils my LQS carries, so I started experimenting with paper templates for hand quilting.
If you are interested in how I used this technique I made a little video tutorial of it (it's in the sidebar on the right).
Many, many hours of hand quilting later the quilt is now finished. I do enjoy the silky softness of the voile backing and the lightness of the silk wadding, it is pure luxury to sleep under. Now for some warmer summer nights so I can ditch the duvet entirely!
I am off to have a look at all the other Blogger's Quilt Festival entries :)
Thank you for stopping by!
x Leila
I thought you might enter this one Leila! It is such a lovely one :o)
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my all time favourites - everything about it is lovely especially the quilting.
ReplyDeleteYou are so talented! I can't believe your bed is so beautiful. I'd hate to share a photo of what mine looks like.
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful and I'd never seen it before as I'm a relatively new follower. It's always heartening to know that others have extended WiPs and changes of plan too! But you have finished it so beautifully with the gorgeous quilting- all that hand quilting certainly shows stickability!
ReplyDeleteGasp, our blocks were not used???!!! Much prefer something really lovely and simple like that to tell the truth than a lot of fussy piecing! This is wonderful
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilting! It makes the quilt!
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely. I must admit I too have an unfinished hexie quilt but I do love them. Enjoy the festival.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you showed it again because I don't believe I've seen it before, and I love, love LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteIt had to be this one with the beautiful hand sewing! Love it Leila!
ReplyDeleteSilk batting? Voile? This is pure luxury!!! I adore your hand stitching in the lovely perle cottons. Sometimes simple is what you need for true beauty.
ReplyDeleteI do love this one :-)
ReplyDeleteI really do love this one and I am glad you showed it again. Great hand quilting and you are right, the fabrics in their own right in the squares are saying enough. Only one problem with this... I have resisted buying this line for a long time now.. seeing your quilt makes that a little harder again.... sigh...;-)
ReplyDeleteyup, still loving it! The quilting is amazing!
ReplyDeletei LOVE this so much!!! LOVE!
ReplyDeleteI agree, the simple patchwork squares are the perfect style to show off these lovely fabrics and your hand quilting.
ReplyDeleteI love this Leila and am a real fan of a simple design showing off beautiful fabrics...let them do all the talking I say! And your embroidery is just to die for...LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteI love the handquilting on this so much! It's stunning!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite quilts. It's so stunning in those fabrics and with your quilting. I'm glad you linked us to the handquilting tutorial, since I hadn't seen it before. You have such a pretty voice! Do you think it matters what kind of paper you use? Would normal printer paper be good, or does it need to be something else? You said pattern paper, but I'm not sure what that is. Is it freezer paper?
ReplyDeleteIt is just perfect! Tell me more about the silk batting! :)
ReplyDeleteFabrics that stunning don't need fancy piecing, gorgeous quilt and quilting!!
ReplyDeleteSo stunning with its jewel like colours and beautiful hand quilting, simply gorgeous
ReplyDeleteLoooooooove the quilting xxx
ReplyDeleteSuch a gorgeous quilt! Simple can be so effective. I love the hand quilting pattern. Think I'll have to look out for some of those =D
ReplyDeleteLove the mix of colours and patterns in it, and the quilting is fab!
ReplyDeleteIt's dreamy! I love your quilted flowers.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful quilt! I love a simple patchwork quilt too, especially when you such gorgeous fabrics as you do.
ReplyDeleteI love it.
ReplyDeleteI certainly don't mind looking at this one - it's beautiful and I want to make one inspired by yours one day!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful quilt and I love the handstitched details.
ReplyDeleteLeila it is so gorgeous. I love reading about your process and I entirely agree! The quilting is perfect and I adore the fabrics.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on a beautiful quilt! I am a lover of this simple patch layout myself, a good way to showcase beautiful fabric. Your quilting adds so much, and I think it's very much in the spirit of Anna Maria. Silk batting and voile sounds like a dream, have to combine those two someday...
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I love it. Sometimes simple is more and better and this quilt is beautiful in the fabrics and quilting.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful! Patchwork squares with straight line quilting is also a favorite of but I absolutely love the way you quilted this. I'm going to definitely be viewing your tutorial!
ReplyDeleteWell the quilt is stunning! Such gorgeous colours. I too think that simple patchwork blocks often make the loveliest quilts.
ReplyDeleteWhen the fabric is this good it doesn't need to be complicated! Good choice! Now how about making something with the blocks and EPP!
ReplyDeleteI so love this quilt and thank you for the story. It is a nice reminder to remember to do what you love and to notice what that might be.
ReplyDeleteI just LOVE this quilt sooooo much.
ReplyDeleteLove your quilt and the quilting is just wonderful! Thanks for sharing and have a great day
ReplyDeleteLove this quilt, squares are my favourites too!
ReplyDeleteYou took the simplicity of a simple patchwork quilt and fancied it up with your beautiful hand quilting. Love this.
ReplyDeleteSquares are my favorites, too! I am right now, though, working on a shoo-fly quilt for my bed. I have about 15 done, many from my bee mates, and have to do 30 more to get it to size. I also have an EPP hexy quilt I am making for my bed. One hexy flower down, how many to go??? lol. And I cut out about 115 6 1/2" squares of different fabrics for the ultimate bed quilt. I need 224 and wanted to have very few repeats. It's going to be a while haha. The quilting on your quilt is divine :)
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