Saturday, January 16, 2016

Confectionery


After all that talk about taking your finished quilt out into the world for a snazzy photoshoot, I really struggled to make this one happen. Basically, due to the size of the quilt (80"x80"), it was too wide for either hubby or I to hold out straight, so we had a grand plan to use the new photographer's background stand that I'd gotten for Christmas. That was a good news/bad news plan that I'll tell you more about later, but let's just say things didn't go as we'd anticipated. Anyway, on with the story....

This quilt which I've dubbed "Confectionery" has been in the making for over 12 months! That's way longer than I usually spend on one quilt, but when it's a block-of-the-month, that's what you do! This BOM with SMQG was unique in a variety of ways":
  • Rather than make a standard block quilt, we started last January by each making a 12.5" unfinished block of our own choosing. 
  • Each of the following eight months, a quilt member would design and post a new border
  • Then for the last three months of the year, as I've mentioned before, I posted finishing technique round ups for the group. 
Overall I really enjoyed making this quilt, though before long I started to seriously doubt my fabric choices. Not that I didn't like them all. I did, alot. But this riot of color on such a large scale overwhelmed me! I persevered, though, and I'm glad I did. I had pulled as much as I could from my stash of prints by Alison Glass, using a variety of low-volume prints as the backgrounds of each border. 


For the backing, I echoed two elements from the front - the churn dash center (etc. etc.), and the 'brick' border. I pretty much figured it out as I went, and have been asked to go into more detail about that, so I hope to also do that in a separate post soon.



Honestly, I wasn't in the mood at that point to do a complicated quilting pattern. My original thought was a diagonal grid, but after marking and sewing just a few lines, I realized I didn't want to go that route, specifically the marking part. Rather, I unpicked and restarted in the center, doing a square spiral using seam-lines as guides and sewing 1" to 1 1/2" apart, depending on each border. I can't say it's overly impressive, but it did the job, works with the quilt design, and I survived to tell about it.


For binding, I used the text print from Alison Glass' Sun Print and Carrie Bloomston's Collage newsprint stripe. My intent was to echo the pair of dark purple corner borders within the quilt, but neither my fabric choice nor the width of the binding contributed to pulling that off. Oh well, I know the little detail is there. 


So mission accomplished. Whew. And I did get to spend a nice afternoon at the beach.


This finish is on my Q1 FAL list! Oh joy.
Linking up with Fabric Tuesday.

35 comments:

  1. I like how you balanced the colours; the eye travels round constantly from side to side; I think the aqua does it.

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  2. Your quilt is stunning, both the front and back! Love the pictures you took in the great outdoors too!

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  3. Your photos are beautiful, I hope you were able to enjoy the beach too. I love the quilt and want to make a medallion quilt of this style one day soon.

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  4. Beautiful photos and an amazing quilt. Girlfriend, you have a lot of time into that and it shows. I am truly impressed.
    Have a happy day!
    Your blogging sister,
    Connie :)

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  5. Such a lovely quilt! I've followed your progress and would like to design my own medallion someday. Regarding the stand - was wind perhaps an issue (my own experience...)?

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  6. I love this quilt & your photo shoot is superb!

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  7. This quilt is gorgeous! I'm glad you took it out for a walk so we could admire it too, and your beach.

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  8. Stunningly beautiful! Always love Medallion quilts and this one has so much going on and glorious colours. I love the last border and the back is glorious into the bargain!

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  9. What an exquisite quilt in every way. A controlled explosion of colour and so well balanced. I love it. Great start to 2016.
    Jo x

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  10. It's always so fun to ready a quilt's journey :o) I've never taken my quilts on an outing - I need to do that as it lends to such inspiring pictures.

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  11. A beautiful quilt Debbie, and lovely pictures too! Love all the different colors and "layers" surrounding the center. I can't imagine trying to quilt that one on my machine, turning it this way and that. What a job!

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  12. It is really spectacular!! I love all the color!! Great finish!!

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  13. I am so impressed with your double sided quilts Debbie- two-for-one is such a treat!

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  14. Such a beautiful and inspiring quilt. And I love the photographs... I hope to make a modern medallion quilt one day.

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  15. It's gorgeous and I'm impressed at how you managed to line up the front and back when layering it! Love the photos, too!

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  16. Great quilt and awesome staging for your pictures!!

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  17. Love your pictures! I think it is gorgeous...all that color! I like to think of myself as a binge BOM'er! I usually wait for 3-4 months of blocks and have a catch up session! It's hard to take a year on a quilt, actually it drives me crazy...but I keep signing up!

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  18. Looks great! I'm intrigued by the background stand! I don't know how I'm going to photograph mine either! But these pics show it off lovely!

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  19. Great finish. I always enjoy your location photos. Especially like the one with the rounded railing.

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  20. This really is a sweet finish! I love all the beachy shots too :)

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  21. Such a beautiful quilt - really love your beach photoshoot!

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  22. Well I think the riot of color is wonderful, it truly is a beautiful quilt Debbie, though I have to say I cringed seeing it laying on the beach! LOL don't get it dirty.

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  23. Bravo--another amazing finish from your sewing studio. I love the whale with the quilt draped over it; much more interesting that a photographer's quilt stand, which always blows over anyway.. This is a beautiful quilt, a lovely medallion to add to your collection of lovely quilts.
    Elizabeth

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  24. A wonderful finish that deserves celebration, Debbie! Great fabric and design choices. The colours are just wonderful together!

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  25. The quilt is beautiful as is the setting of your photo shoot!!! Looks fabulous!!

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  26. Love this quilt Debbie! Gorgeous finish and photos, too!

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  27. Wow!! I LOVE your quilt! I hope to make a medallion quilt someday!

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  28. A fantastic quilt and great photoes.

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  29. Love this quilt!! Would love to make it!! Grats!!

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  30. I love this quilt! Congratulations on your finish and thank you for participating in the FAL, on behalf of the 2016 global FAL hosts.

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  31. Not only a great quilt top but the backing is such a cool way to repeat themes from the front. Inspiring.

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  32. Mind blogging beauty x 2. Congratulations on such a beautiful quilt.

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