These days, I am getting things done. I’ve finished three quilts so far this year, and I have two more throw-size projects I want to wrap up—basted, quilted, and bound—by mid-April. After that, it will be time to start some new projects. Yippee!
But first, here is finish #3. You might remember it from last year’s blog hop with the Fat Quarter Shop. It’s my Bring on the Dancing Horses Quilt. I made another version using Bonnie and Camille’s Hello Darling line. This quilt features the duo’s Daysail.
Can I be honest with you? Daysail may be my least favorite B&C fabric collection. (First and foremost, I’m a Happy Go Lucky girl. Ack—I wish I had bought more of it when it was available!) I’m drawn to some of the fabrics in Daysail, though ...
The marriage of crosshatches and dots? Love! The buoys? So sweet and stashable!
But these stripes? Those catamarans? I would never, ever buy them as yardage.
There’s a lesson in this, though. Now that I see the finished quilt, I look at those same not-so-me fabrics differently and decide that this quilt is a keeper. I think part of this change of heart has to do with simply sewing with Daysail. It’s easy to pass judgment on fabrics when they’re sitting on the bolt, but after working with them, after realizing their potential in my quilt design, I see them through a different lens. Those fabrics that weren’t stars in their own right have a place in the overall line and a place in my quilt. The strong geometry of the bold stripes and the chunky catamaran fabric, for example, is the perfect complement to the sailboats I would have overlooked if I encountered them in a local quilt shop. I wonder how many amazing fabric designs I’ve passed by because I couldn’t see past how they appear on the bolt?
I will leave you with two parting thoughts, dear reader. First off, I’m forecasting a new trend at From Bolt to Beauty. It’s the mostly monochromatic pieced back. This one—in teals from Denyse Schmidt, Joel Dewberry, Tula Pink, and others—makes me super happy.
How about you? What kind of quilting makes your heart sing?
Linking up to Finish It Up Friday ...
Yay for the quilting part!! Woo! I've gotten used to putting on a good movie or show and burying lots of threads. I quite enjoy that part, especially because I no longer hand bind. I love the alternate gridwork this quilt exhibits, and your honesty about fabric you buy.
ReplyDeleteI love every part about quilting except for cutting fabric. That part I don't really care for so much. Hooray for the quilting bug! It can be a lot of fun, and it sounds like this particular quilt went well.
ReplyDeleteYay for a gorgeous finished quilt! It looks amazing and I know what you mean about the bolder fabrics still having a place once you see them all cut up.
ReplyDeleteThe opening line of this blog post makes me so happy. "These days, I am getting things done." I am SO glad that someone is, haha! :) This is a lovely finish! I really enjoy this pattern.
ReplyDeleteThis is gorgeous... but of course I think that since I'm a Daysail girl. Next time we get together we should swap:-)
ReplyDeleteThat is one nice quilt, impressive. I don't know if I'd agree with you on quilting though, maybe in a year or ten.
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful. Job well done!!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how different the same thing can look to different people. I consider Daysail to be more masculine-friendly line. Sure, there are some flowers, but those bold geometrics are the bomb for guys. I actually bought more yardage of this line than some others that I like better for this reason. :-)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I love this pattern and was thinking of using my Hello, Darling Jolly Bar to make it.
DeleteVery cute project. And now that you mention it, I think I have to agree with you about the B&C fabrics. I love Happy Go Lucky, Scrumptious, and Ruby. I have some yardage from DaySail but I agree, some of the prints just don't speak to me.
ReplyDeleteI need to start to like the quilting part of quiltmaking. I think I am getting there, but I doubt it will ever been my favourite stage.
ReplyDeleteThe monochrome pieced backing should definitely be a trend!
Beautiful quilt! You are so right on those fabrics you think you don't like; they seem to have a place and purpose in the right mix. Great post!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Congratulations on your quilting revelation! It is such a wonderful feeling to make a quilt complete from beginning to end!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the quilting part, but I'm always stuck with how to quilt it, and that can stop you from wanting to quilt it. It's a learning curve I think, and you usually enjoy what you are good at. Love your pieced back!
ReplyDeleteYay for embracing the quilting part. Once a quilt is basted I like to quilt. Ps I would never buy half those fabrics but love the look overall same sentiment.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on a lovely finish! Yes, sometimes a fabric can surprise you - after it's cut, pieced and quilted. Because you brought out it's beauty! So glad to hear you are now enjoying the quilting more. I have always preferred a fast finish when it comes to that stage in the game. That's why I have been sticking to those wavy lines!
ReplyDeleteIt came great! I really like the way that your quilting accentuates the pattern that you designed. An excellent addition to the 2016 finishes pile, indeed!
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the fabrics that didn't appeal to you making the whole quilt shine. That's a good lesson for us all. Michelle, I always half dread the final quilting stage because I'm afraid I'll ruin my work. Watching blogging friends had made me love simple quilting and helped me get braver.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I see you have finish a quilt. I want to he busy. Finishing my UFo's.
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