Alas, as promised, here are the rest of the photos of the finished "Americana~Not so 4th of Julyish~Hopefully Looks Texan" ~ Disappearing Nine Patch quilt top. I sent it to my most wonderful, life-long friend and her husband, the lucky recipients. She immediately passed it on to the long armer, who will complete the project. I hope they will take and share photos. I'm anxious to see the quilters beautiful work.
I'm disappointed because I wanted to complete the quilt myself, and hopefully I can add a label next time I see her. Lisa does hair. She worked out a trade with the quilter as she is anxious to sleep under the quilt while winter is still chilling us. Works for me. I can't afford to get a King quilted right now anyway.
I love using scale and stripes in every scrap quilt. So many people shy away from stripes. I insist they be added. I won't make a quilt without them. I love the movement they add. I also like the way stripes add a more down to earth, unpretentious flavor to my quilts. I like my scrap quilts to look like grandma stuck her hand in a bag and she used the first piece she pulled out. Maybe it's a piece of kitchen curtain or maybe it was one of Papa's shirts. Grandma used what she had and she "made it work", right?
Stripes keep my quilts from looking over the top "prissy". I love, love, love feminine, but a pinch of stripe, homespun, and plaid seem to make it easier for the men in my life to cuddle up with flowers. Unless requested otherwise, when making a quilt for a couple, my quilt equation seems to be
75% girl + 25% dude = 100% everyone is happy. She gets the pretty quilt she wanted and he's not embarrassed to be seen with it.
Did I mention I love shirtings? They are my favorite. Maybe someday I'll make an all shirtings quilt. I love to mix civil war, 30's and novelties. I'll throw anything in there if I like it. It's like making a soup. You taste it and notice it needs a pinch more salt.
Pooh the Narcissist Cat saw me with the camera then ran to be in the photo. He likes to model quilts. He said he's too sexy for this quilt, but notice how he didn't get up to leave. He stayed. He must be the center of attention at all times and demands you tell him how pretty he is!
I wish I had more scripture fabric. Sometimes it's nice to throw a piece of it in.
In the first mention of this quilt, I shared how I added some browns and creams to "butter and toast" the quilt up. Here is an example in this block. I didn't want it reading too primitive or bright, electric-white-4th-of -July. I needed it to be ~ "Goldylocks and the Three Bears" ~ just right.
Goal accomplished.
I think it turned out exactly as I had envisioned it, although I didn't care for it for the longest time. I forced myself to keep sewing anyway. (...I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...). In the end, the quilt and I made amends, forming a strong friendship. I AM, however, glad it's gone. And I will NOT be sewing another King for awhile.
The very proud Texans whom this quilt will bless and cover loved it and said it was perfectly "them". It was as if the quilt was made for them in mind. Well...YEA...it was. :)
This is what Lisa said about it:
One f the many things I love about my quilt is the randomness yet clearly thought out pattern of it all. The colors are clearly mine...tattered Texas flag in a dessert Texas sky. I cannot believe how you nailed it. You get us. I've asked the quilter to keep it simple and cuddly. We are practical people so it will have to stand up to real life. I simply cannot wait.
Do you like to work with stripes?
Pooh says, "Howdy, y'all!"
“There is nothing I would not do for those
who are really my friends.
I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.”
~ Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey ~
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