It's finished! It's finished! I've never been so excited to finish up a quilt before this one. Don't get me wrong, I always get that sort of euphoric mad dash while finishing up all of my quilts, and usually I then say "this is my favorite quilt I've made" (the hubby says I say this about all of them, and he may be right), but I can really say 100% this is my most favorite quilt I've made to date!
It's funny, when I decided to drink the kool aid and start a Swoon of my own, I wasn't super sold on the idea that I would love this quilt when all was said and done. The pattern is just a little more traditional than my typical tastes, but as I'd enjoyed the traditional piecing like in the Farmers Wife QAL, I thought I'd give it a try, and at least use up some stash fabric that needed to be used, and see where this went, and after seeing the amazing swoon-spiration in the group pool, who could resist.
Well I have to say I'm so incredibly pleased with where this went. And the fact that it has come entirely from stash fabrics, including the back, is the icing on the cake!
This is the largest quilt I've attempted to date, the Swoon as it is in the pattern finishes at 80" square, but I wanted it to be queen size, so I upped the widths of the sashing, using 3 1/2" in between the blocks, and 5 1/2" around the edges, so that the finished size is 90" square.
In addition to this being the largest quilt I've ever made, it's also the first truly reversible quilt I've done. I knew from the start that I wanted to do a mega-scrappy swoon on the back of the quilt, so I upsized the original swoon block, so that the back block measures 48" square, and went scrappy, using alot of my Kate Spain Central Park and Terrain scraps, and used Kona Ash, Kona Coal, and a Kona Aqua as the solids.
I won't lie, this wasn't the easiest to wrangle through my machine, but Bertha made light work of it, and I may have built some arm muscles I didn't know I had!
I did an all over loopy stipple for the quilting of this big guy, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. It was a nice change of pace from my usual meandering stipple and I think works nicely as an all over pattern.
I know this post has been overly photo heavy, but it was so windy outside during my little photo shoot, that I was just snapping a million pictures hoping to get a few that weren't crazy blurry, or where my quilt didn't end up blowing across the driveway. After all was said and done, I just couldn't pick my favorites!
It seems that Zoey and Bella give 4 paws up in approval...
At least someone is snuggling with this big guy!
Quilt Stats
Name: Jessica's Swoon
Pattern: Swoon by Camille Roskelley
Size: 90" x 90"
Fabrics: Quilt top: Assorted fabrics from my stash with Kona White; Quilt Back: Assorted scraps from stash, Kona Ash, Kona Coal and Kona Aqua
Quilting: All over loopy stippling done by me using Gutterman white thread
Binding: DS Quilts Collection Aunt Edna Houndstooth Orange
I will be linking this quilt up to Kati's slash the stash linky party. This quilt has been made entirely from stash...(even the back!) with the exception of extra solid white I needed to purchase and the binding is a new acquisition! Be sure to stop over and add your latest stash finish!
Your swoon really is awesome. The back is pretty fantastic too!
ReplyDeleteawesome awesome awesome. I love it! So bright and fun and you know, it doesn't really seem traditional with the fabrics you used. I love the loopy stipple too, I'd like to work on that one. :)
ReplyDeleteSo what's next???? hehe
What a stunner. Enough said?
ReplyDeleteSO beautiful. Love your back too - I just love a scrappy swoon. I can totally understand why this is your fav. Cuz it's perfection.
ReplyDeletefantastic all around :)
ReplyDeleteIt's just beautiful! Front and back! The colors of the front work so well together! Love love love the bigger swoon on the back!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat quilt!! I love that there is so much white around each block, allowing each individual block to shine! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteI am swooning over your swoon quilt, I think it is one of the most exciting quilts i have seen this year, I adore the explosion of colours, and it was not until i saw your two beautiful dogs on it that i fully appreciated the sheer size of it. Just fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThat is SO magnificent!! I have two blocks completed, and you have inspired me to finish. The back is divine!
ReplyDeleteYou have every right to be very pleased with your efforts - it's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLove everything about it! The back, the quilting, the fabric choices--it's awesome.
ReplyDeleteAwesome!! I just love it :) I especially love how you floated the blocks and added sashing, I think it works really nicely here. :)
ReplyDeleteOh that looks amazing, absolutely love it!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Jess....it looks great on the bed....dogs are sweet too...for years we had a pair just like them...
ReplyDeleteIt's breathtakingly beautiful, Jess! WIth the wider sashing the blocks really look like they're floating - love it! And the binding is perfect! Really, really, amazing!
ReplyDeleteLovely quilting - congrats on your finish! My dog would be right up there, too - LOL! Love all the white background b/c the blocks just pop up at you.
ReplyDeleteYay, it's gorgeous! I love the reversible aspect and the loopy stippling! New arm muscles are always a plus :D
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely fabulous!! It's so bright and cheery and I love your quilting...I need to practice loops, I can do a basic meander, but the loops just seem to add that something extra especially on something like this. Great job!
ReplyDeleteAwesomeness! I love the extra sashing. It makes each block pop a bit more.
ReplyDeleteYour Swoon is gorgeous. I'm still struggling with my first block. WTG!
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful!!! I love the way you quilted it, it's gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous Jessica! And I love the back. I'm taking notes on how people quilt theirs so I have ideas on how to quilt my Carpenter Wheels when I finish mine!
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful quilt! You should be so proud of yourself :-D Thank so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAmazing. I can't believe you FMQ'd the whole thing!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Jess
ReplyDeletethat is so lovely, and I can't believe you managed to machine quilt it! Very impressive :-D
ReplyDeleteOh Jess it is just so so beautiful!! No wonder you are so happy with how it turned out! The back is fantastic and you chose great fabrics for both front and back. I love the effect of your quilting - perfect for this. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous! Love the back. Thank you for sharing how and why you modified the pattern. It always gives more timid quilters "permission" to adapt things. :-)
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful Jess!!!! Love the way you have quilted it too!
ReplyDeleteThe quilt is absolutely stunning!!! I also love the back! I've been trying to breathe life into the back of my quilts, as I think it adds so much. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's brilliant! The back, the quilting and the fabric choices, combined with your immaculate piecing, all combine to make a marvellous quilt!!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous finish!! I LOVE this quilt! The scrappy back is amazing and that quilting is so cool. I'd love to try that, I much prefer loops to the usual stipple, any tips?!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous quilting, piecing--everything!! Love, love, love this!
ReplyDeleteI really need that swoon to come live with me :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jessica! Your quilt is fantastic! I love also your Sparkle Stars mini quilt! Great to see your beautiful dogs!
ReplyDeleteWishes from Teje & Nero
Jessica, this is one of my favorite Swoons out there. I just love how all those fabrics came together. The back is great too.
ReplyDeleteI like that you quilted it yourself instead of giving it to a longarm quilter. Makes me hope to be able to quilt my own Swoon on my own sewing machine, too. And I like the photo of the quilt in use. I'm curious what it will look like on our bed once it'll be finished.
ReplyDelete