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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Make It or Break It

So, here it is.  My left over block quilt.  Finished.  Done.  I'm sad actually.  It was fun to put this one together ~ from start to finish! 

There is a lot of talk about how quilting makes or breaks a quilt.  It can enhance your design or detract from the over all feel of a design.  I find that to be true to some extent.  I also find that if I don't care for a quilting motif, then to me, that can spoil a finish.  Let's face it, we all have our preference.  So, quilt what you love.  Its all a matter of opinion.      

32" x 43"
In my last post about this one:  LEFT OVERS, I was trying to decide what border color to add.  Blue, yellow...suggestions!  Kim from Ties That Bind Quilting suggested gray.  Hmmm, I thought.  (just like that)  I pulled some grays and decided to go with it.  Love it.  Great suggestion.  Sold!  

Now, its been a long, long time since I have added a border on any quilt.  This one I knew needed one.  When I first began quilting I thought every quilt needed a border to be complete.  As the years went on, I knew that not to be true!


  
The quilting is 1/2" wide.  So much fun and I love how it came together.  I divided the quilt into 4 sections quilting continuous 'V's' in each.  After it was finished I couldn't wait to throw it in the wash!  Crinkle Baby Crinkle!



See, not so bad.  Really, I don't think you can go wrong with straight line quilting.  I love it, use it all the time and my machine loves it!

This little quilt has inspired me to finally, finally, finally quilt my first quilt of the year...the mama to this little one!  (Here:  FRESH START ~ FIRST PROJECT)



Tell me what you think about quilting a quilt.  Do you think it makes or breaks it?  Do you have designs you love and others that aren't 'your cup of tea'? 


Linking to:
I QUILT THURSDAYS @ Pretty Bobbin
SEW SOLID SUNDAY @ Esch House Quilts

29 comments:

  1. I subscribed to your blog a few weeks ago and I have enjoyed your posts so much. I really like how you use color. Just beautiful!

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    1. Thank you so much! It thrills me to know that my blog is enjoyed!

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  2. The gray border is perfect--puts the focus on the quilt body more than blue or yellow would have. As to quilting design: i think it can make a quilt. Not sure it can break it, though it can leave it flat.

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    1. The gray did work out very well! Yes, quilting can leave a quilt looking flat...good point!

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  3. I think that quilting can really add an extra dimension to a quilt if it is well thought out and well executed. Sometimes the wrong quilting can really 'kill' a quilt. Some quilts call for something simple - your quilt in this post is a perfect example, keeping it simple allowed the design and colours to shine.

    I tend to do more FMQ because I find straight line quilting more difficult with a bulky quilt and I've worked hard to improve my skills to avoid just doing a large meander over everything! I'm at the stage now where I sometimes plan a patchwork pattern to allow me to do a particular quilt design!

    My least favourite quilting is the modern trend for quilting a short distance from each side of a seam over the entire quilt - I guess it's stitch either side of the ditch instead of 'in' the ditch. Occastionally it works, but mostly it looks like the safe/boring option.

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    1. Helen, Thank you for your comment. I very much enjoyed you thoughts, which have made me think a little bit more. I wish I was a skilled FMQ'er, but haven't even master it a little bit! You are so right about how dimension can be added!

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  4. I love it. The colors are just beautiful.

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  5. This quilt is just gorgeous! The straight line quilting is perfect, and it enhances the design!

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    1. I was hoping the quilting would bring a new dimension to this one!

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  6. I think the grey border was just the right call. Your little quilt is so modern! I love it. The quilting of the V's is such a compliment to the design. What size stitch length did you use, Jayne?

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    1. Thank you Lorna! Sometimes you just never know! I used 2.8 on this one.

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  7. The grey makes all the other colors come together beautifully! The quilting is SUPERB and highlights the whole quilt!!

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    1. That makes me very happy to hear...quilting something sometimes takes me weeks and weeks to figure out!

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  8. I have at least two quilts that are not yet quilted because I'm sure I'm going to "ruin" them by choosing the wrong quilting design or just not doing being good enough yet to do them myself. But, with two finishes this month, my confidence is growing. The only way to get better is by doing it ...

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    1. I do that too! All of the sudden I get an idea and go with it (after staring at it for weeks on end)!

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  9. The inner border with HS blocks is perfect with the gray outer border. It really brings the eye to the inner quilt blocks which are incredible! Thanks for sharing this geometric beauty.

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  10. Beautiful quilt! Great colors and layout, and I do love the grey (always do though). I think every quilt has many ways it can be quilted that work wonderfully. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so what might look awesome to you won't to me, etc. So...generally, no I don't think that quilting can break a quilt...though I have seen a few quilts that I thought the quilting looked terrible on! The straight lines on your quilt work really well! I do a lot of custom FMQ on my quilts, so I see how that would have worked well too (not better, mind you). Anyway...I think the biggest thing is doing what will make you (or the recipient) happy!

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    1. Bottom line...it's subjective! Thank you for a great comment!

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  11. Love how this turned out! The quilting I feel--enhances your quilt! :) You did a lovely job, and I am glad you chose the grey border! Love it!

    Thanks for linking up to Fabric Frenzy Friday
    --Lindsey

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    1. Thank you Lindsey! And thanks for the new linky!

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  12. Beautiful quilt - I love the colour and the grey border frames it nicely!

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  13. LOVE the quilting - makes the quilt!! The border color is perfect!! I love this quilt!

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  14. This quilt is SO stunning! I love the design, the colours, the quilting... everything is perfect!

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  15. This quilt is beautiful! Thanks so much of linking up and sharing your thoughts on quilting :) I ink quilting is an integral part of the quilt design, sometimes it can overshine the piecing and I don't think that's a bad thing, but it shouldn't always do so :). Quilting should be fun. That's the main thing :) thanks for linking up!

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  16. Jayne,
    Your quilt is just beautiful! I love how you quilted it - it really lets the beauty of the hand dyed fabrics shine through while adding just the right texture. Thanks so much for linking to Sew Solid Sunday!

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  17. Jayne,
    This is lovely. I love the little wings popping out and the straight line quilting just adds to the beauty!

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  18. A very nice finish and the quilting definitely made it! I agree quilting can make or break some quilts. Can be a hard decision after all the work put into making the top. Maybe that's why I have a few too many tops. What color thread did you use? It's hard to tell in the picture.

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