Single Girl Quilt In Chicopee

I finished this quilt in February (I think?) and I don't know why I've kept forgetting to share it! Yes, I know I'm a dumb dumb... No, I don't know what's wrong with me...

Please, let me introduce you to The Beast (as its owner Patrina and I affectionately call it). It is by far the largest quilt I've ever made... I believe it was 114" x 122". Yep, you just peed yourself. I can tell.

Patrina had wanted this quilt for a while but she didn't want to ask me because she thought I would be all FRIENDSHIP OVER. But she underestimated my level of crazy. Not only did I say yes, I also suggested we do 25 blocks instead of the 20 blocks Denyse had written for the king size pattern because 25 seemed like the perfect number of blocks for me to gain entry to the nearest asylum the dimensions would suit her bed better.

I thought it'd take forever to make. I kept telling her that it'd be a long time before I get this shipped off to her. Well, forever turned out to be a few weeks. Teehee! I pieced this sucker in record time. I think it had to do with being able to fondle my favourite fabric collection of all time, Chicopee. The colours are just magnificent, and because of that, we used a very light background, Bella Porcelain, so that we didn't fuss with it.

As you can see, I also made Patrina a pillow. Masochist. That's what I am. I'd sent the quilt off for quilting, and I had a few scraps left over, so I thought why the hell not. I hand quilted it too, just echoing the rings.

Patrina decided she wanted the baptist fan pattern, which I always love. I think it's such a lovely complement to the rings. Just look at all those curves and gorgeous pops of colour. Sigh :)

The backing is a Kona Coral, and I'm so glad we went with it. We had to think for a while about what should go on the back, and whether or not the Coral was too bright. Then we figured, so what if it's bright!? It's gorgeous. I love the unexpected colour on the back, but then again, I have a penchant for bright colours :)

The binding is Bella Porcelain, same as the background, because we didn't want it to stand out... the rings needed to do all the talking on the front.

Look at Patrina, laying under a quilt I made her, reading a quilt pattern that I designed. Now THAT'S a friend hahaha!

Damn dog is so freaking cute, I want to bite her. 

Patrina, I'm beyond ecstatic that we collaborated on this quilt. Your excitement and utter thrill over this quilt is why I do what I do. And I'm just grateful I get to call you my friend :)

Now the both of us have to go punch things because that's just too bloody mushy. Ahem.

All photographs were taken by Patrina. Because she's an amazing photographer and this quilt deserved to have beautiful photos taken of it.  

Quilting was done by Laura McCarrick.

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Single Girl Quilt

My entry for this Blogger's Quilt Festival is my precious Single Girl Quilt that I worked on during the first half of the year.

This is probably my favourite quilt I've ever made (I know I say that all the time but this time, it's true, dammit!!) because it took a lot of patience, I learned new things, I worked with one of my favourite collections, and I finally made a quilt that I've been wanting to make for years!

I had my friend and boss Laura quilt it with the baptist fan pattern, and it came out so beautifully. I washed it and the quilting showed up even more... and you know I sat there for the longest time just running my hands over it!!!

If you'd like to look over the process that went into making this quilt, click here.

Thanks for taking a peek, and if you're new to my blog, I hope you take a bit of time to have a look around. I apologise for my sarcasm and corny sense of humour in advance.

And major thanks to Amy for once again hosting this amazing festival!!!

Single Girl Quilt... DONE!!!

Look! It's my Single Girl quilt ON MY BED!!!

I had it long arm quilted by Laura and I AM IN LOVE!!! It's beyond beautiful and better than what I thought it'd looked like. You'll have to excuse the odd light... our bedroom gets pretty much NO light and the bulbs are yellow. Boo. Anyway, I went with a baptist fan pattern because I didn't want to distract from the rings too much. So happy with my choice!

(Please ignore the headboard-less-ness... we haven't gotten round to choosing one)

I used a Moda Dottie in grey for the back and it's really the perfect backing. Dots? Check. Beautiful hand? Check. Wide back? Check check check!

The binding is Kona Coal, just like the background, because I didn't want to take away from the rings. So it kind of looks like the rings are just 'floating' there without a frame.

The quilt kind of matches my current nail colour... dark grey. Total coincidence but I like it! :)

I highly recommend this pattern as a long term project. Do a little here and there, and it'll be done in no time. Mine would've been finished a lot sooner had I not left it on my shelf for months on end. Thank goodness I worked on mine with Shannon because I don't know if I'd finish at all otherwise. So that's another tip... maybe work on it with a friend, if only just to keep each other on track.

Speaking of Shannon, look at hers!!! She very unselfishly gifted it to her friend as a wedding gift (hmm there's something ironic about a Single Girl quilt as a wedding gift lol). The quilting is spectacular and I honestly am in awe. LOVE!! :)

Single Girl Quilt... DONE!

Well, the top's done anyway. I've decided I'm not going to attempt quilting it because I might want to set fire to it. With the borders, it's about 90" square. There'd be too much wrestling and swearing, so I'm having it long arm quilted. 

I hadn't touched these blocks in months and I couldn't remember at what point I was. I had one row put together, three more to go. Doh. But they came together pretty easily... I marked the sewing lines to keep things straight because there's a certain amount of wonk that accompanies curved piecing. Or at least when I do it there is.

Please excuse the state of my studio and fabric stash. There is no organisation whatsoever. I can sense my mother's disappointment.

I'm quite annoyed that sometimes the greys look different, but they're cut from the same piece of fabric! I don't get it. Stupid fabric.

After dinner, I put the rows together and slapped the borders on. My back hurts a little but I almost don't care. The quilt top is done!!! Now to figure out how I want it quilted. Bishop's fan immediately comes to mind. Hmmm... suggestions are welcome, of course!

In other news, look at my hydrangeas!!! I love them... so cheery and pretty :)

Unfortunately, our other hydrangea plant has gone to plant heaven. I haven't a clue what went wrong because I treated both the same. Oh well. Brown thumbs win again.

The hubs has mown the lawn and it's all nice. For a few days anyhow. Doesn't it look like a jungle behind the benches? I would've walked down there to take pictures but then I heard a rustling nearby and made a mad dash for the door. There is a squirrel on the bench on the far left, so there's your wildlife.

Single Girl Quilt Project: Update

Heehee! Look how pretty! 

Shannon and I had another sewing playdate last Sunday, and I put together all 16 of my rings! Well, truth be told, I spent the actual playdate ripping seams because it was pointed out to me that I am a moron who can't read instructions very well (she did not use these words but I'm pretty sure she meant to say them). I'd sewn the quarters together with the wrong seam allowance. This is why I don't make quilts from patterns, people!!! 

But I was very grateful that I found out before I'd put too many of them together! By which, I mean I'd already done four rings and was working on the fifth. I know. I have the dumbs. 

I've sewn the first row together. I looooove it! I can't wait to get done with commissions so I can finish this quilt top and start tearing my hair out about how the heck to quilt this. Hand quilt? Free-motion? Straight line? Check into an asylum?

Single Girl Quilt Project: Update

I'm beyond thrilled with how my Single Girl quilt's turning out!

I had all the 64 quarters finished a few days ago. It sounds like a lot, but it really isn't bad at all. And remember when I said I still wasn't a huge fan of curved piecing? Well. I think I've gone insane because I quite like it now. Whaaaaat?! Yeah, you heard me.

I'm now toying with the idea of making Kaffe Fassett's Pickle Dish quilt. The one on the cover of his Quilt Romance book. This is either a brilliant idea or the beginning of my mental illness. Either way, stay tuned.

Alright, back to the Single Girl quilt... I put the first ring together quite apprehensively because the edges got kind of wonky with sewing and my very horrid ironing method. But the good thing is that you're given a half inch seam to work within, so the quarters go together perfectly fine.

The only thing I did differently here was to press the seams open because I wanted them to lay flat instead of having bunching in corners.

I have two rings done, 14 to go. I had to get back to quilting the Kelly green quilt so everything got put away. Booooo!

By the way I just ordered a bunch of Single Girl patterns, and Denyse's new patterns, so pop into the shop if you're interested! I still offer free US shipping :)

Single Girl Quilt Project: Update

Still happily plugging along with my Single Girl quilt so I thought I'd give you an update!

Oh the cutting. I'm making the queen size, so there seemed to be A LOT of cutting. And as always, I made a chart of what fabric went where because I tend to lose track of what I'm doing halfway through.

The first thing I did was to sew all the arcs together because I hated all the little bits floating around individually. Sewing them together ensures you won't lose them. Because I'm NOT cutting them out again!

I did about 16 of the quarters and then ripped out half of them because I didn't like how they didn't meet at the ends. See how they don't meet? I couldn't stop staring at the ends, so it was just easier to redo them than go completely bananas.

SO much pinning. But worth the effort because you'll have a pretty tough time of it if you don't.

I started this quilt not liking curved piecing at all. It's still not my favourite thing, but I've made my peace with it and we're now friends.

Right now, I have 44 of those quarters done with 20 to go. It really doesn't take long at all... the cutting takes the most time and effort.

And see how all the ends meet now? Ahhhh bliss!

A bit of puckering here and there... I'm so fighting the urge to rip it all out and make it not pucker but that's just psychotic.

I have quite a few more of these background pieces to cut out, and I have to say if you're going to start this quilt (or any quilt with a lot of cutting by hand) to please get yourself a pair of scissors with spring action. Unless you want a claw for a hand, then more power to you.

I'm so glad Shannon and I started this quilt together. I don't know what I was afraid of, to be honest. Sure, it's more tedious and involved than a lot of quilts, but it's worth the work. And if you're afraid of curved piecing, don't be. The beauty of sewing is that you can just rip out your stitches and redo them if you want to.

Oh, and it's Shannon's birthday today, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHANNON!!! :)

Single Girl Quilt Project

My friend Shannon and I decided last year that we're going to tackle the Single Girl quilt together. I've had my copy of the pattern even before I started selling them in my Etsy shop, so I thought it was about bloody time I actually make one.

This is Shannon's pile of gorgeousness. I think it's a pile Denyse herself would be proud of. She's selflessly making it as a wedding gift to a friend. I told her she'd better like her friend lots, because giving this up is going to be preeeetty tough! 

Me? I'm not that big a person so I'm making one for moi! Err and the hubs gets to share it, I guess. But it'll mostly be on my side of the bed. Heehee.

I was initially going to use the fabric that Denyse gave me from her first line by Fabric Traditions with Kona Snow, but at the very last minute, I changed my mind. Not just because I'm a mega dork, but I realised that Hope Valley would probably work better since it had much smaller prints.

(Apologies for the shoddy pictures of my fabric picks... by the time we confirmed both our fabric placements, the sun had decided to go nighty night. Bleurgh.)

So I'm finally using some of my Hope Valley stash, with Kona Coal as the background. I threw in a few Konas I had in my stash to fill in the blanks, but I have no idea what they are hehe

I spent the better part of today cutting out the template pieces, and half the fabric pieces. My hand is now a claw. I don't know how we'd manage without rotary cutters!

Anyway, I don't know how long this is going to take me, but it's going to be my selfish project for the year. After I toyed with the idea of not doing custom quilts for a while, I was suddenly inundated with many, many requests. But I'm going to go at a slower pace lest I burn out, and having something to work on that's for me is going to be a good thing, I think.