A batik wall hanging and a winner

(Find the winner of last week's giveaway at the end of this post... )

Back to the Beginning

- Recently, I have been asked a few times about my start in quilt making. It made me realise that not many of my early (and less early) quilts have ever appeared here in my "Studio". Here is another quilt from some years ago  -

This quilt started with a range of batiks and a guild exhibition with the theme "Branching Out". The exhibition was to be held at the Botanical Gardens in Dublin, so the theme was plant related, right up my street! I decided to try and reflect the importance plants play in cheering up our surroundings.

I started off with an improvised centre showing buildings in quite dull colours representing sombre city living. Then borders were added in plant-like batik prints:

The original idea was to add green plants around the city to liven up the piece, but when I placed the leaf shapes it didn't have the right effect. I changed tack and added on pink leaves instead with needle turn appliqué:

In one corner the leaves took on grass-like shapes:

Hand quilting followed:

Quite random straight lines in and around the buildings:

More pink leaves quilted in perle cotton to add to the appliqué:

 

And subtle swirly leaves filling the remaining border areas:

And there you have it, I called this one "Urban Jungle":

Stats:

Size: 38.5" H x 37" W
All cotton materials:
    batik fabrics for the top; cotton wadding; cotton threads; quilting cotton backing; batik binding
Finished: March 2011
Exhibitions:
- Southern Branch of Irish Patchwork Society "Branching Out" exhibition at The Grainstore, Ballymaloe, Cork, in March 2011,
- 30th Anniversary Exhibition "Branching Out" of the Irish Patchwork Society at the National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, Dublin, in July 2011

Winner

No, I haven't forgotten!

Last week I showed you what I made using Lara Bucella's method of crafted appliqué as described in her book "Crafted Appliqué" (of course). Thank you all for your comments on that post, there must be such diverse appliqué projects out there, I hope you show them off to inspire others...!! 

I have picked one lucky commenter who will receive Lara's book directly from the author:

 ... which is Anna:

I have contacted you, Anna! Enjoy your new book!

And I am off to do some sewing now... of course!

Sandra

My First Quilt - A Sampler

Back to the Beginning

- Recently, I have been asked a few times about my start in quilt making. It made me realise that not many of my early (and less early) quilts have ever appeared here in my "Studio". So I am starting a new series today, "Back to the Beginning". -

I first started quilting in 1995, and my very first finished item was a Monkey Wrench block that I turned into a cushion. Unfortunately I cannot show it here since it was used into oblivion around the time I started this blog.

What I can show you is my very, very first quilt. Immediately after the cushion I progressed to making a sampler I called "First Star" since many blocks in it have a star like appearance (and some of the fabrics have star prints):

While making this quilt I was taught how to draft blocks, colour different options, choose fabrics, make templates, prepare fabric, hand piece and hand appliqué, accurate sashing (technique described here), as well as layering the quilt sandwich and tacking (thread basting), hand quilt, and attaching the binding.

I had never seen a rotary cutter or ruler when I first started, and being in The Netherlands at the time, all measurements were metric...

There are six different blocks (24 x 24 cm):

Gardener's Choice, a Dresden block with different points

Log Cabin block

Don Quichote block

Starburst block

Tulip Garden block coloured to be more star-like than originally meant

Finnigan's Wake block

All blocks were hand sewn, the sashings were attached by machine. The (continuous) binding was also attached by machine, and hand stitched to the back.
The whole quilt has been quilted by hand. I'm not sure if I could even quilt so finely these days!

quilting on the Log Cabin block and sashing/border

quilting on the Don Quichote block and sashing

To finish it off, a label and a sleeve were added. Making this small quilt set me up for a quilt-filled future, all the basics covered!

By now, the quilt is more than 20 years old, and some fabrics have slightly faded. In most of the places I lived I have had it hanging somewhere (though never in the sun), and still today it has a place on the wall.
Over the years I have been tempted by several of the blocks and made plans to make a whole quilt of one block or another, but in reality it has never happened. Maybe one day...

I better get sewing, of course!

Sandra

Linking up with Throwback Thursday at A Quarter Inch from the Edge