Today I am so happy to finally show you a very long work in progress that was completed at midnight one Friday night a few weeks ago. (Yeah I know my Fridays nights are crazy : p) Brace yourselves. It's a bit of a long post...
The Sampler Quilt
At the beginning of 2012 I signed up for the Modern Sampler Block Bee... Gosh have I learned alot since then! I knew nothing of 1/4" seams, rotary cutters, quilting, hexies, binding, all the gorgeous quilting fabrics, paper piecing, and so on and so forth. Nothing. Now here we are. This is the project/quilt that started it for me and it is now the 6th quilt I've completed. No that's not very many, but for me it's alot, and I've got another one in the wings and yet another that's a few weeks away from being bound! Making quilts is now part of me.
As you've noticed it's not 'my' quilt as such. Somewhere along the line I decided it would be for Anya. For her 5th birthday. She is now well over 6... anyhoos. Good things take time right? Half of the blocks in here were from other bee members - Laura, Nin, Juliet, Cat, Treena, Lisa, Kelli, Sharon, Deb... (I hope i haven't forgotten anyone? And see that Butterfly? Juliet designed and made it especially for Anya - Lucky!!) Thank you ladies for your gorgeous blocks - we still love them!
It took ages for me to find sashing in a shade and pattern of pink that I was happy with. Eventually after lots of trials and discussions (and months!) we found a winner. The top was finally put together!
In November last year it went off to Leeanne who quilted it. I still marvel at the beauty of her work every time I see it. Isn't is just exquisite and perfect?
The next challenge was finding binding fabric that I was happy with... I probably sound pedantic but after all that effort and time and cost... I was not going to blow it on just making do. The hunt lasted for a few months until we stumbled upon the patterned green fabric at Spotlight in April. Yes! The right shade, not solid, perfect!
The night after I finished the baby quilt from last week, I sat down and sewed the binding on. And once it was started, it had to be completed! Almost 2 1/2 years later, it was finished. All 70"x 84" (180 x 213cm) of it. Just like that.
Anya woke up the next morning under her new quilt. She ran into our room to wake me and tell me that: "I woke up Mummy and thought the blanket felt different. Then I looked down and saw it was my quilt! It's finished! Thank you Mummy! I love it!" and off she went, dragging it to the living room where she proceeded to use it for the rest of the weekend. I could not have asked for a better reaction. Yay!
Hooray for finishes!!
Do you have any finishes to share? Or have you embarked on any big projects? Do share, do tell!
Thanks for stopping in lovelies - always nice to see your faces : )
L xx
Some more of this quilt's history here.
My 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th quilts.
So worth the wait, it is absolutely beautiful. Something to be cherished for a lifetime. x
ReplyDeleteNow that quilt is just beautiful! Every single color and bit of detail is just stunning! And how cute is your little one telling you how much she loves it!!!! Making a quilt is on my bucket list! A job well done friend! Nicole xo
ReplyDeleteWow that's amazing!
ReplyDeleteI love that you say that quilting is now part of you- that's exactly how I feel and it all started for me with the Modern Bee too! What a wonderful wonderful way for Anya to wake up, having seen how excited she was by a single butterfly, I'm not surprised that was so thrilled with a whole quilt!
ReplyDeleteWell done Mummy! You did a grand job!!!
What a beautiful quilt. It is a work of art.
ReplyDeleteWow, it really is beautiful and I love the story and others input behind it. I can imagine it sitting on the end of her daughters bed one day xo
ReplyDeleteYou should be totally proud of yourself...you have done an amazing job...beautiful
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to think of you ever not being a quilter! You seem to have turned your hand to it so naturally. Beautiful work and I love the sense of conversation and collaboration between the blocks x
ReplyDeleteThat is so amazing, really. I am just blown away by it all and how lucky is Anya to be gifted something that is made with so much love, care and meaning. I think you did the right thing to be patient and wait for the right binding fabric to find its way to you. I can't even decide which block is my favourite, my eye keeps moving from one to the next - just beautiful. You do realise that you are going to have to make two more now as I rather suspect her sisters are going to covet that quilt.
ReplyDeleteWow, have said it before - you are so clever! Love her reaction too.
ReplyDeleteOh Leonie! It is so gorgeous and amazing! I LOVED being part of that bee. That was my first ever bee, too. You have made me want to get my blocks back out, and finish making a few more to make them into a quilt top! What a beautiful gift for Anya! And Juliet's butterfly is so fabulous. She is soo talented! What a stunning quilt. :) I feel honored to have made a block for you! xo
ReplyDeleteLove the green binding! It's perfect. What a wonderful reaction from your daughter. I enjoy quilting samplers as each block is like a mini quilt in it's self. Glad to hear patchwork has 'grabbed you by the ankles & pulled you under'! That's what I say will happen to newbies, if thy love it, it becomes who they are & a massive part of their life.
ReplyDeleteP.s you took better photo's of the quilt then I did!
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful quilt! This will be one to treasure :-)
ReplyDeleteOh wow simply stunning what an absolutely beautiful quilt Leonie - Anya is a very lucky to have such a talented Mama
ReplyDeleteGood work for getting it finished!
ReplyDeleteIt is so, so beautiful x
ReplyDeleteThat is truly gorgeous!! So so beautiful :)) and I'm so happy to see you have completed it....spotted my block ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's absolutely beautiful - I am sure she will treasure it :-)
ReplyDelete