Monday, July 6, 2009

My first (finished) quilt

Camille over at Simplify and Carrie over at La Vie En Rosie have had a very cute idea.

Quilters share pictures of their first quilt and most recent quilt and tell about something they have learned along the way.

Well, my first quilt is yet to be quilted. I pieced a queen sized quilt top BY HAND!!!! And now I hate it so much I can't bring myself to quilt it .... or even photograph it to show you.

So, I tought I'd show you the next quilt ..... the first one I actually finished .... in September 2000.

This used to hang right in front of our bed and my partner found the kaleidoscope pattern quite meditative so it has been named "The Meditation Quilt".

Even though it has lots of mistakes (see inner border, bottom-left, as a classic example) and the fabric choices are no longer my 'pick', I still love this quilt for its richness of colour and its place in my quilting history.

More recently, I completed this quilt:


It was created in honour of the Old Red Barn Co's recent quilt along.

The fabric choices have changed, the stitching is more precise (having discovered the joys of a quarter inch foot) but one of the biggest differences between these 2 quilts is that the second one is quilted by ME!!!

In recent years I have learned how to quilt (both by hand and machine). I really love it.
There is something so special when every stitch in a quilt is stitched by you.

If you haven't tried quilting and are addicted to machine quilting services (like I was), please have a go at quilting your own work. Find a great teacher or mentor to show you the ropes and enjoy the satisfaction of sewing every stitch .... yourself.

Andi :-)

33 comments:

Hedgehog said...

I just love your kaleidoscope quilt! Great colors!

Now everyone's dying to see that first quilt. Please?

Camille said...

You can't JUST show beautiful quilts! These are both fantastic, you are so talented!

Carrie said...

Ditto to what Camille wrote ~ both of those quilts are gorgeous! Of course, with all the red, I was going to love both of them. Thank you!

Frogdancer said...

I'm with Hedgehog. We all NEED to see that first quilt...

... really.

Anonymous said...

They are both lovely! I'm going to use your most recent quilt as inspiration for a wedding gift I'm about to start. I hope you don't mind!

Cathy said...

thanks for sharing your 'quilting journal'lol!!! Wish we could see your first one! It is amazing how much you learn and the different styles that you make. I love all your quilts - they are always very bright and vibrant!

Lisa D. said...

Wow - your kaleidoscope quilt is really beautiful. What a brave attempt tof a beginner!

beth said...

I love both quilts. Wish we could see the first too :) I agree with the quilting comment...machine quilting is doable and enjoyable.

Victoria said...

I never finished my first quilt either. A full size bed quilt which I almost finished hand quilting 11 years ago... just mostly the border is left to do. Problem is I can not stomach the colors. Red, yellow, white and lots of green... which was on sale, (but not a good green). My stomach turns when ever I look at it.
Live and learn!

Your second quilt is a beauty, as is your latest!

lissa said...

Great job! Isn't quilting the greatest therapy?

Cath said...

Show off. Both look great. At first I thought the first one would be too busy to be anything like meditation....a full 2 minutes later, I shook my head and came back to reality. I was deliciously lost in it for ages. Spot on.

Helen said...

Those are both lovely quilts. I love the colors on both. The first one isn't perfect, but it is still charming. Look at how wonderful the Gees Bend quilts are--frequently they are not perfectly square.

Thanks for sharing!

dokiquilts said...

what great quilts! i think a lot has to be said for the wonderful fabric choices we have now. i'm with the other commenters--i want to see that _first_ quilt! :-)
(thanks for visiting my blog)

Nephi "Sowing" Friends said...

I was so impressed with your first quilt. It looks like you just jumped right in!
I love your recent on too. I've been wanting to do a quilt with those colors. Now I'm REALLY wanting to do it!

Stacey said...

Beautiful quilts...i'm impressed with your first for sure!

Julie @ Jaybird Quilts said...

what an ambitious pattern for your first quilt!! so what was your first quilt?... and i know what you mean about quilting... i do all my own work since i got my frame and i love being able to finish my own work!

heather said...

That's a great idea. I'm going to post mine too. Love your quilts.

dutchcomfort said...

That’s a very difficult pattern for a first quilt and I think it’s gorgeous!

The last one is contemporary and beautiful! I loved it at first sight!

Busy Little Quilter said...

Both quilts are gorgeous!

Gigi's Thimble said...

Both quilts are beautiful. The first one is very impressive. Good job!

Kim Brackett said...

I love the Meditation Quilt. Even for a second quilt, that's not an easy pattern to construct. And your fabrics are great.

The recent quilt is great, too. Fun colors!

Donnelly said...

I love them both! Wow! I can see why your first quilt is used for meditation. Have a great day.

Lucy said...

Wow lots of detail in the red one -- I wish I was brave enough to tackle one like that.

I love the simplicity of the Red Barn pattern.. I should have joined that quilt a long. So fun looking.

I'm just getting the hang of doing my own machine quilting -- I'd love to give hand quilting a try someday.

Great job -- thanks for sharing.

Deborah said...

I love hand quilting and it's hard for me to go to machine quilting because of it. Great work.

Katie B said...

Your quilts are lovely! I need to try the Old Barn quilt. Yours turned out just great.

Thanks for the encouragement with quilting myself. I'd love to give it a try. Maybe you can come to Alabama to mentor me! :)

Lisa said...

I super love your second quilt. You've almost convinced me to hand quilt my next project!

Cindy said...

Your quilts are just gorgeous. I'm so glad you tried quilting that one yourself. I teach quilting and so many people are so afraid of it. Really anyone can machine quilt if they just put in some practice time!

rachel griffith said...

both are SUPER cute.

Catherine said...

Yes I agree, you can proudly say you created the quilt when you have stitched every stitch including the quilting.

Anonymous said...

Both are wonderful quilts!

Victoria Findlay Wolfe said...

that red one is your second quilt? Wowza! When the rest of us were doing 9 patches you were cranking out that beauty! nice job!
love the color combo on your latest. and straight line stitching!

Dana said...

:)

Jodi Nelson said...

Love your "Old Red Barn" quilt! It's fantastic!