Years ago when I was learning to quilt my tutor recommended a book called Quilting Makes the Quilt by Lee Cleland. At the time I didn't have surplus funds to purchase the book but I loved the cover which showed how different quilting designs could make a huge difference to the look of a quilt.
This past month, I've discovered that the author knew what she was talking about. I still don't have the book (maybe I can change that) but I pulled out a quilt that I had long been unhappy with and decided to add more quilting to it.
What a difference even just straight lines of quilting made:
This quilt had been special to me because it was made out of a tablecloth that I found amongst my maternal grandmother's possessions after her death. I had a few things of hers that she had made but this tablecloth was precious because my mother suspected it was one that my great-grandmother had made as a wedding gift for one of her daughters or granddaughters. If so, the craftmanship was superb. If not, it still has a connection with my beloved Nana. However, it was coming apart at the seams, someone had cut out a piece from one corner, and some of the embroidery was starting to unravel. I decided to preserve it by making it into a quilt, but not, again, having an abundance of funds, I used plain homespun, and, as a result, had never felt that I did the tablecloth or the quilt justice.
However, because of its sentimental value, I still hung it in my room (in a darkish corner where it never saw sunlight in order to preserve its fragile fibres) but it wasn't something I particularly admired.
And then this summer I decided to add some more quilting and approximately ten hours later I had a quilt that I am pleased to display - not that it's going to be displayed for a while yet given current renovations and DH's reluctance to hang any quilt until all the painting is finally done (light years away).
Hopefully not light years away is completing the quilting on this quilt:
I began this one during Lockdown 2019 but just before Christmas undid the quilting that I had done because I felt it didn't show the top off to advantage. I'm happier with the quilting now and will likely finish it once the weather turns a little cooler. (Winter being more conducive to quilting than summer.)
Now that the latest wedding quilt is done and dusted I've had fun playing around with my fabric (think scraps not stash) making cushions ...
and throwing two quilt tops together. The first is a pattern I have long admired but had never had time to execute. I'm hoping that quilting will also make a big difference to the look of it.
I played around with different ideas for borders but in the end decided not to have one (although there is still time for me to change my mind). The blue blanket on which I laid out my pieces actually gave me the idea for the corner treatment.
I still had some scraps left - and some spare time - and so I once again began playing - this time with a huge pile of 5cm/2.5" squares that I had begun sewing together to make four-patches which I then sewed into strips ...
Then joined together with white strips. It was pretty uninspiring at this stage ...
but I hoped that some applique would change that. This is is how far I've gotten ...
The applique is going to be a lengthy process but, hopefully, will be worth it in the end. (Note that the quilt is not centred on the bed.)
Meanwhile, if I ever get bored, I still have another two tops packed away to quilt one day. And if we ever go into Lockdown again, well, I won't have to look far to keep my hands busy.
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