Wednesday, May 23, 2007

My favorite quilt


Update: I've just found out that this pattern was designed by Suellen Wassem from Ohio.

The Stashbuster topic of the week is our favorite quilt - one we've made and/or own. This is an easy question for me - I know right away which one it is. I've shown it to you before but not for a LONG time. The hard question is why it's my favorite. I'm not really sure - I just know that it is.

In 1992 I started teaching quilting for Daisy Kingdom in Portland, Oregon. I also started working there in the Home Dec department. Very dangerous, as it was right next to the quilting department. When this pattern came in from Kindred Spirits I immediately fell in love. I asked them if I could make it up as a sample for the shop. They agreed - which meant that I picked the fabrics and they paid for them. I sure liked that! I thought I was picking fabrics similar to those in the picture on the pattern. The following year I got to see the original in the Kindred Spirits booth in Houston and theirs was nothing like mine!

I fussy cut some of the fabrics for the stars - you can see that if you enlarge the pictures. Elly Sienkiewicz had just come out with the first reproduction of the "fondue" fabric you see in Baltimore album quilts - fabric that shades from dark to light and/or from one color to another across the fabric. I used that in two of the stars - you can see it in the close-up of the blue star. On other stars I tried swirling the design or having it expand out from the center of the star. The colors of the quilt are very different from what most everyone was using in those days. I think that's one thing that appealed to me - I always liked to be a bit different from the crowd. This is a challenging block to piece, which I've always relished. It was pieced entirely by machine using my featherweight.

I love the quilting on this quilt also. I quilted it "to death" - probably about 1/2" apart all over the quilt. This was before the arthritis in my hands made hand quilting painful and difficult. The quilt talked to me as I went, telling me how it wanted to be quilted. I tried something new to me on the border, inspired by Gwen Marsden's book about hand quilting, and I liked it so well I've done it on several quilts since then.


I entered this in the only judged show I've ever entered and it won two ribbons! Two of the very few big ribbons I've ever won. It was judged first place in the small pieced category (though I don't think it's all that small!) and best pieced quilt in the show. You can't imagine how very excited I was when I turned the corner and saw those ribbons on my quilt!

29 comments:

Darlene said...

It's drop dead gorgeous, Patti. Obviously deserved to win BIG!

The Chicken Lady said...

Wow. I can't think of anything else to say but WOW! again :)

Unknown said...

It's beautiful Patti - you surely deserved those ribbons

Laurie Ann said...

That is exciting! No wonder it is your favorite!

Gail said...

I know why its your favorite- its just to gorgeous not to be! Wow!

May Britt said...

I understand why this one is a favorite. It is beautiful. I love tose sircles with stars in it.

Suzanne Earley said...

What a great quilt! Hmm. I'd have a hard time picking a favorite, I think. Thanks for sharing yours!

Anne Ida said...

Those ribbons was very much deserved, Patti! This quilt is stunning! I love it, and have no other words to describe it! Enjoy and love your beautiful quilt!

QuiltingFitzy said...

It's lovely. I think it's the wonderful contrasting colors you've chosen! Just lovely.

KC Quilter said...

Ohmigosh, that quilt is absolutely incredible!!! I can see why it is your favorite. Just wonderful.

Karen said...

Thank you for sharing your favorite quilt, Patti! It is gorgeous and I would love a quilt like that for myself! Love the background fabric- it looks to be a wonderful Cheddar.
Well done, and well deserved ribbons!

Quilts And Pieces said...

Patti, I loved this quilt the first time you showed it, and I remember the part about it not looking like the original! But I still love yours!

Pam said...

I can see why it is your favourite. And not just because it is a lovely quilt - but the memories and experience of making it.

Libby said...

It's easy to see why it's your favorite - it is simply stunning. Your work is beautiful *s*

Silverthimble said...

What a beautiful quilt! A challenge to piece and definitely deserving of each ribbon that you won!

Kim -today's creative blog said...

Oh my gosh! Your quilts are amazing! Vancouver WA? I'm in Camas. :)
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
http://todayscreativeblog.blogspot.com

Quilter Kathy said...

No wonder it's your favorite!
Wow!

Jeanne said...

I can see why it is your favorite. I love the background color and the total look is spectacular.

Jan said...

What a wonderful quilt! The gold background makes those blue stars pop! No wonder it's your favorite.

MARCIE said...

Awesome quilt and cool pattern. It looks difficult to begin with, and then you had to make it even more difficult with your fussy cutting! Nice job!

Tanya said...

What a beautiful quilt. The circles really set off the stars! Where is the quilt these days? Did the shop keep it since they paid for it, or did you get it since you won the ribbons?!

Lily Mulholland said...

Well no wonder it's your favourite Patti! It's gorgeous.

YankeeQuilter said...

Love the blue and cheddar combination...it wil stand the test of time! Great quilt.

Hedgehog said...

This is really beautiful! Congrats on the ribbons - and just for entering! Thanks for sharing an oldie, but goodie.

Susan said...

I can see why that is a favorite. It is quite stunning.

Betty said...

well that quilt just blows me away!love the color combo and very deserving of the ribbons! I don't remember seeing that one before and such fun to see some close up pictures

Beemoosie said...

Oh that is just breathetaking!!! I will get pictures up soon, but I have no set plan for my perenniel gardens. Seems like I love just about everything and I will find a place for it somewhere!

Rose Marie said...

Wow ... what a quilt! I took a closer look at the border and really like what you did with the quilting. It's so different, but so easy (or so it appears) at the same time. Bravo on the ribbons!

Vicky said...

Your quilt is drop-dead gorgeous! Those are my absolute favorite colors. I'm always on the look-out for that 'cheddar' color!

I can see why it's your favorite! Beautiful!