Wednesday, July 31, 2013

patchwork pretty:: a quilt top

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I just can't seem to stop!  This little lady of ours is going to have more quilts than she knows what to do with when she's born, but you know what?  I'm really ok with that.  I have been eyeing my bundle of AMH voiles that I picked up from Westwood Acres and trying to decide on a quilt layout for some time now.  I knew I wanted something fairly simple to let the gorgeous prints be the focus, but nothing I came up with seemed to sit just right.


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While perusing my blog list one day, inspiration struck as I read about Rita, of Red Pepper Quilts' postage stamp quilt!  I knew this was exactly what I wanted to do with these prints, just random enough to perfectly patchwork-y but not overly done so that the prints are really what stands out.  I followed Rita's tutorial, cutting my strips at 3" to end up with 2.5" finished patchwork squares.  This quilt came together quite quickly, and I even have enough strips left over to make a second quilt, with fabric to spare.  A very good friend of mine is also due in October, about a week before our little pumpkin is slated to make her arrival, and I think she will just love a quilt like this for her little lady too.

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I am debating how to quilt this.  I am thinking something nice and simple, perhaps echoing the seam lines 1/4" on either side.  We will be headed to the beach soon for a family vacation and I'm toying with the idea of basting this and taking it with me to hand quilt with perle cotton thread.  I've done a little hand quilting here and  there, but nothing as large as an entire quilt, I'm afraid I'll get half way through and then abandon ship, and these fabrics are too pretty to end up in the WIP pile of abyss never to be seen again.

What do you think??  Try out a little hand quilting, or stick to what I know (and what I know I will finish)??

15 comments:

  1. Sew pretty!!!! You inspire me to get started on one like this. I am looking for a good quilt for covering my bed this winter. Good job!

    Alison

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  2. So pretty! No idea on the quilting though, sorry :o/

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  3. Gorgeous!! I'm all for hand quilting! ...says the girl who's yet to hand quilt anything! I think i'm all for the hand quilting because i'm using the same fabrics for a quilt for me and i want to hand quilt it, but i'm scared i won't finish it either! I'm sure that whatever you choose it's going to be both delicious as well as loved!

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  4. Soo gorgeous! Good luck on the quilting - I think hand quilting would be gorgeous but I would be worried about not finishing too! Maybe a compromise - machine stitch most of the quilting and then add some hand quilted details?

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  5. This quilt is gorgeous! As much as I do love a hand quilted beauty, I think you should machine quilt it. You have a deadline, you haven't hand quilted a whole quilt, stick with what you know. I'm assuming this is a baby quilt, and baby quilt don't last super long. I think if you make your baby a twin for when she's older than you can and should take your time with that one and hand quilt it. If you start while she's a baby it should be ready when she gets a big girl bed. :) hope my opinion helps!

    Spolgarquilts.wordpress.com

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  6. I say machine quilt it and let the prints shine. Really love it and now I want a postage stamp quilt too. And a girl. ;)

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  7. this is so so pretty. I would say hand quilt it :-)

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  8. This is lovely and all that voile must be so soft! Great quilt top. I would lightly stitch it by machine do as not to take away the softness. Cant wait to see what you come up with!

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  9. This is such a beautiful quilt! I would follow through on the Rita inspiration with straight line quilting echoing the seams - good luck with the decision making!

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  10. I say machine. It is so pretty!

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  11. I love postage stamp quilts, and you're absolutely right- the fabrics are really the focus. They're fabulous!

    Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  12. I just love this quilt! Its absolutely gorgeous. What a great use of the voile fabrics - sometimes a simple pattern really is the answer to let gorgeous fabrics shine.

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  13. Just gorgeous!!!
    I'd machine quilt it, too. I have a quilt that I have partly finished hand quilting - but it takes forever. It seems like it's been partially finished for years. Probably at least 2 years!
    A baby can never have too many gorgeous quilts.

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  14. Beautiful quilt top. I love the process and the look of hand quilting so I'm biased. It doesn't take as long as you'd think. But I had hand quilted a few minis and my circles mug rugs before tackling a quilt so I knew I would not get frustrated with it, in fact I tried to draw out the quilting to make it last longer lol! How is voile to work with, thinking about trying some?

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  15. Just gorgeous! I am falling more and more in love with AMH. And voile... I can't imagine how soft that is! I heard machine quilting voile is a little tricky and most just go with hand quilting. But that is just what I heard, I have never tried it myself.

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