Since this quilt has become more of a celebration quilt, lets just get to it and revel in the joy of it all!
I sound like this is a finished quilt! It is not! I have a top, a flimsy...the finish won't happen for a couple months yet!
Much like my last quilt, this one kept growing. In fact I think it is too big! Last time I shared my progress I was wondering how I would deal with the edges. As you can see I added more black triangles. As for the top and bottom, well I ended up adding an extra row so that I could trim it to have full black stars.
After today there will only be one more post about this monster! You can check out my adventures with diamonds in these posts:
August 2017: Star Light, Star Bright
October 2017: Diamond Hexie Stars
November 2017: Diamond Hexie Stars 2
December 2017: The Real Work Begins
October 2017: Diamond Hexie Stars
November 2017: Diamond Hexie Stars 2
December 2017: The Real Work Begins
April 2018: Hexie Diamond Update
I was left with a big pile of templates, yet it doesn't reflect the actual number of triangles and diamonds in this quilt. I would make my hexies stars and take out the center templates so I could reuse them for the next batch of stars. After a while some get pretty messed up. I would print off sheets of them on an as needed basis.
The template/triangle/diamond reality is this:
78 - Hexie Blocks
936 - Diamonds
199 - Triangles
Now that's a lot!!
I've been calling this quilt 'Michaels Garden' after my brother. The gray star represents him...front and center, loud and clear!
All the fabric is Kaffe Fasset, the black is Kona Pepper and the gray is Kona Steel. The bright solid diamonds are a combination of everything...whatever was on hand and I could get six diamonds from it was fair game!
I cannot believe I actually hand stitched this entire quilt! One thought that crossed my mind, besides me thinking I had lost my mind, was back in the day that was how things were done! Imagine having to cut each piece of fabric, hand stitching the pieces together, and then finishing it off with hand quilting. I think my current productivity would be cut by 90%!!
Not every point is lined up perfectly perfect. Then again perfection is in the eye of the beholder. It doesn't bother me, not even in the slightest!
I had fun cutting out prints for each star! At first I had to have three exact matching diamond groups, later on when my supply was dwindling, I ended up being much more flexible.
The back is a mine field of seams, dog ears and threads! I used glue to hold and fold the fabric around the templates, which meant that some of the fabric was hard to pry loose! There's a lot of fabric threads that ... don't judge ... I don't care about and I'm going to leave as is. Seriously, there are hundreds, thousands or more! Plus, I'm keeping the quilt for myself and picked Kona Pepper for the backing for added camouflage!
It was bitter sweet when I finished the last stitch. This quilt became a part of my nightly routine for so many months and frankly, I wasn't ready for it to end! It was time though and I can always start another EPP project!
This quilt will end up being about 60" x 90" and weighs a ton! I first thought I'd quilt it myself, but I came to my senses pretty quickly! How could I spend all that time hand stitching every piece and then mess it up with basic quilting?! I could not! A member of our guild will take on the challenge and work her magic! September will be the magic month for a real, total and complete finish!
Would you take on the challenge of making an entirely hand stitched quilt? I might again...one day!
LINKING:
I was really moved reading about the cathartic journey this quilt took you on, Jayne. It’s incredibly beautiful and such a wonderful tribute to your brother.
ReplyDeleteI’ve always found it quite hard to fussycut with Kaffe prints because of how big the scale is - I seem to need them in vast quantities to get enough identical cuts - but they work so well. I loved seeing the close up stars - your brother’s star is exquisite. Kaffe prints have so much vibrancy and life in them that I imagine they must have been a real balm to your sadness. x
This top was quite the journey! A long and winding road that resulted in a lot of healing. I did have some problems with the scale of the prints, but worked around it by taking a portion of a flower or circle. In the end I had to cut pieces that were similar to each other because my large cuts of fabric were looking a lot like swiss cheese! I think this quilt will end up being my security blanket for many, many years to come!
DeleteThat is so sweet. An adult sized security blanket-I absolutely love the idea! Prayers for continued healing.
DeleteNever in a million years will I hand stitch an entire quilt!! I would never get it done. But I am glad you found therapy in it and it is beautiful. Sounds like an appropriate name for it too.
ReplyDeleteVicki…you know better than to say never!! LOL! I understand! Hand stitching isn’t for everyone. It was one of my greatest therapy sessions…actually my only therapy session!
DeleteThis is so lovely, Jayne. It is an exquisite combination of celebration and mourning. I hand pieced an 800+ piece Broken Star...only took me 24 years to finish, including the hand quilting! It is my “Anniversary Quilt” :)
ReplyDeletet’s been said by many that quilting is therapy and I’m here to attest to that! It was a journey, but one that I needed to take and immerse myself in at the time. You did what?! 24 years?! That is kind of amazing, very amazing actually. I am sure I would have never picked it back up even after a couple years. Kudos to you and I bet its stunning!
DeleteIt's stunning. A wonderful memory for you to have. I would not hand quilt an entire quilt.
ReplyDeletethat is a wonderful quilted memory! I have lost 2 brothers over the years and it is difficult and they pop in my head with memories off and on still and one is gone for 43 years now and the other 10 -- it gets a lot easier though and memories bring a smile and sometimes an outright laugh!
ReplyDeleteYour quilt top is wonderful in so many ways, Jayne! I love that the making of it helped you get through the losses. The bright prints are beautiful against the dark backgrounds, and the gray star representing your brother is so special. Even if it isn't finished - finished, it should definitely be celebrated!
ReplyDeletethe quilt is fantastic! I love Kaffe's fabrics. I am still working, together with 9 other women from the Quilting Bee Sparta on an EPP star quilt. We have the top ready, all from scraps! We can't decide on the colour of the border. The decision has to be made in September, because this 2 months are too hot to get together.
ReplyDeleteMemory quilts are very special. I lost my brother a month ago, difficult!
Isn't it wonderful to have such a creative outlet to channel your emotions? The process of quilting, whether it be hand stitching or machine, is very cathartic indeed. I'm very thankful you found that outlet and will have such a wonderful piece of work to cherish always!
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful! I just finished my first hand stitched quilt (a new Hexagon) and it was a healing journey much like your own. I didn't think I was anxious to start another, then the teenytinytriparound the world came around and.... well you know how that goes.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear you will be keeping this quilt as I think it holds a lot of great time, thought, and certainly has been a good companion through the past year. It's stunning, Jayne! I wouldn't worry about the thread on the back, either, and the seams look nice and tidy. What a fantastic quilt top.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! Beautiful use of fussy cutting and EPP. Such a large hand-pieced quilt in only one year - you rock! Congrats on getting the flimsy finished. I'm looking forward to seeing it all quilted and finished.
ReplyDeleteMy epic hand pieced project is over a decade in the making, sigh....
Definitely a keeper! The colors are amazing and the healing captured in every stitch makes this one extra special. Thanks for sharing it with Oh Scrap!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard for me to get my head around the fact that this is hand stitched and you did it in just a year's time. It is so pretty Jayne. I like the subtle tribute to your brother - that gray star is perfect. Thank you for sharing your journey with us through this quilt - it will be a comfort to you for many year.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful quilt, Jane. I know every stitch has a memory in it and so keeping it is the right thing to do. Quilting is therapy and I've used it that way through some of the same times you have. Would I do it by hand? Definitely not. There wouldn't be a finished product!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a stunning quilt and truly a labor of love!! A ton of stitches all by your hand makes this even more special!
ReplyDeleteGosh that's beautiful, gorgeous, stunning. And I have to say I'm impressed with the back of it too. Michael's Garden sounds like a wonderful name for it with all those emotions and memories stitched right into it.
ReplyDeleteHOw wonderful that making this quilt helped with your healing. I'm sure there is love in every stitch.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize it's been a year since you started on this. It is stunning.
ReplyDeleteThis gorgeous quilt is a fitting tribute to the love you have for your brother. Your story of healing while you hand stitched it is very moving; thank you for sharing your journey.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful quilt, a lovely tribute to your brother, and to be all hand stitched makes it very very special.
ReplyDeleteJayne, I love the name of your quilt! I definitely relate to the quilting process being important in my own healing. Your quilt top is so striking! I haven’t done anything with the diamonds that I glue basted in March. I’m concerned that if I ever pick up this project in the future that I won’t be able to get the fabric off the paper templates! Take care, Mary.
ReplyDeleteA very stunning quilt and such a nice tribute to your brother. I am sure he is looking down and smiling. I have only hand qulted a table runner -- don't know if that will ever happen again (I'd have to buy BenGay by the gallon!). We all have something to help us get through our times of sadness. Mine is deep cleaning and my current room to clear out is my spare bedroom/junk room/ don't know where else to put it room. And that is what I am doing this week for sure so my mind will relax. Take care. Nadine Willis N. California
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your finish Jayne. It's great when something can help us heal - and will then remind you of both your brother and your four legged best friend
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful, I love the vibrant colours. I am glad that it has helped you, and will continue to be a joy to you as you use it. I am just sewing together the last of my hexagons for an EPP quilt myself, it has be an on/off piece of work for a few years. I don't even want to look at the back of mine!
ReplyDeleteWow, Jayne! What a beautiful way to channel your sadness. The outcome is a wonderful celebration indeed. It amazes me how therapeutic quilting can be. Bravo!
ReplyDelete