A few months ago I wrote a very heart felt piece about a quilt. You can read it here. I started it with much anticipation - Oh the wonderful mother I would be! Oh the love my son would bestow upon me! Oh the sore legs I had on the floor piecing the thing together. I did an update a few weeks after I started, here (and the photos have dissapeared, sorry). And then there was silence. It got pushed aside for more pressing things, paid work, and my real job, and a little trip, Christmas etc etc. But somewhere in the quiet chaos which is the Christmas break, I picked it up again. And the circle stitching was therapeutic. And they grew, and grew, and each time I looked up I seemed closer to the finish.
I'll be honest and say NEVER AGAIN WILL I HAND QUILT ANYTHING LARGER THAN A BABY QUILT because this just goes on forever and ever. But I do conceed that machine quilting this would have looked wrong. And it has been enjoyable to hand quilt, but I wish it would be quicker.
Max loves it - he loves the bubbles and circles and the fact it's for him. He wants it finished. My new deadline? His birthday at the end of February.
This is absolutely amazing ! I love these hand stitchings !! Can I ask you how you made them ? do you draw a thin line to sew over it and follow your pattern ? (I do'nt know if it's correct in my bad-good english ?!!!) do you add something like special fabric on the back to give the aspect of quilted ???? I love this "fresh" fabric too ! Where do you find it ?!! Thanks soooooo much ! Have a nice sunday ! Smooches from your belgian fan !!
Posted by: Sandrine (alias Didine!) | January 15, 2006 at 11:47 PM
LOVELY!! Nothing nicer than a beautiful handstitch. But I hear you about the time it takes.
Posted by: Jan | January 16, 2006 at 02:56 AM
It looks beautiful! After making 3 machine stitched quilts, and never a hand-stitched one (not yet) and have such an appreciation for those beautiful little circles of stitches. What a treasure.
Posted by: Blair | January 16, 2006 at 03:05 AM
Oh, it's wonderful! Keep on soldiering on and finish that sucker, m'dear!
Posted by: Norma | January 16, 2006 at 03:06 AM
that is just beautiful.
Thanks for the sweet words on my post. I admire your work and crafts(wo)manship so much that I was completely surprised to find that compliment was from you!
I've bee into embroidering circles lately, too. Photos later this week (ha! maybe.) Cheers.
Posted by: eireann | January 16, 2006 at 03:55 AM
hello. i like your handwork soo much. machine quilts receive many photographs. i get discouraged because i don't think i'll have access to a sewing machine. but seeing your handwork i know that i have access to my own fingers. thank you for such true inspiration.
Posted by: laura | January 16, 2006 at 03:58 AM
Clapping hands and squealing, absolutely in love with it. Can you hear me from way over here? Beautiful.
Posted by: cari | January 16, 2006 at 04:14 AM
Wow, it's really beautiful and I love the way the thread colours change. Don't give up - it will be a masterpiece.
Posted by: Jane | January 16, 2006 at 04:36 AM
looks flippin' amazing from the peek you have shown us. . .can't wait to see it done and I too, am with you on the hand quilting. that's why I ony hand quilt my really small quilts!;)
Posted by: amy k. | January 16, 2006 at 06:42 AM
I remember this quilt from before and I just love it. It inspired me to think about quilting. I've been interested in quilting for a while, but I've never seen anything that I really liked... until this lovely mod quilt. It's beautiful, lady. Good luck on finishing it in time for the little one's birthday.
Posted by: Jenn | January 16, 2006 at 07:25 AM
This is a really fabulous quilt!! The quilting really makes it.
My sister hand quilted a quilt for me for Christmas and it is beautiful and of course took an age.
I have to finish sewing the squares on my 2nd daughters quilt and then I am going to pay someone to machine quilt the 2 quilts....i would never finish them otherwise.
Posted by: shelly | January 16, 2006 at 08:31 AM
wow! that is some feat! such beautiful work of love....
Posted by: debbie | January 16, 2006 at 09:06 AM
That quilt is absolutely gorgeous. I made my first son a quilt when he was born and tied it. He now tells me (at 11 years old) if the house was on fire, or a tornado came, etc, he would just want his quilt. They know how much love is put into the work.
I am sorry about how you have been feeling. I suffer from depression too and I tend to isolate myself too. I hope you get to feeling better.
Posted by: patti | January 16, 2006 at 09:16 AM
what beautiful work, so lovely for you both to treasure...
Posted by: sarah | January 16, 2006 at 11:15 AM
Oh, i'm in love! What a beautiful quilt. I so want to get started on my own quilt but have promised to finish a few other things first. Maybe i could just buy the fabric? ;-)
Posted by: Nichola | January 16, 2006 at 11:21 AM
it is looking so great!
Posted by: michelle | January 16, 2006 at 11:34 AM
The quilt is fantastic - love the material. I am very impressed with the hand quilting - just the thought of hand quilting makes my fingers bleed.
Posted by: Kate | January 16, 2006 at 03:44 PM
wow! It is so great! Lucky Max!
Posted by: pyglet | January 16, 2006 at 09:57 PM
You're right, it wouldn't have looked right machine quilted...the hand stitching is absolutely lovely and perfect! I can't wait to see when it's finished!
Posted by: Bertha | January 17, 2006 at 01:27 AM
I'm loving what I can see of it so far!!! I think end of February birthday is a perfect goal!
Posted by: joy | January 18, 2006 at 10:52 AM
it's really just too perfect... the colors, the pattern, your beautiful stitches... my (perhaps worthless?) opinion is that this one will be well worth the wait.
Posted by: kelly | January 20, 2006 at 09:59 AM
Wow! Although I'm sure it took a lot of energy to do, it looks wonderful and I love the energy in the pattern! You have complimented the fabric so perfectly with your quilting! I can't wait to see it finished!
Posted by: stace | January 20, 2006 at 03:05 PM
So wonderful to see someone else who is hand quilting. Love the big stitches. Too many people are intimidated by hand quilting because they think it has to be as intricate as the Amish quilts. Great colors.
Posted by: Jennifer | January 24, 2006 at 08:30 PM
Lovely...and thanks for the gentle nudge. My daughter's quilt was pieced in a frenzy in the two weeks before she was born, basted for her second birthday.... Luckily, I made it twin-bed size (she turned three this past Sept.)so she hasn't outgrown it, but I think the size and desire to have it "perfect" are intimidating as well.
Posted by: Lynn in Tucson | February 01, 2006 at 07:27 AM
This is absolutely spectacular! I love love the colored handstitching. It will be well worth it Im sure.
Posted by: Dacia Ray | February 03, 2006 at 01:20 PM