Wednesday 16 October 2013

Can You See My Grin?

It's grey and rainy, and a wee bit windy outside, but do I care? Hell no!

Over three years collecting - buying, trading, being generously given - all the Heather Ross fabrics I could get me greedy little paws on.

Over two years talking about making a quilt that featured Heather Ross fabrics and nothing but Heather Ross fabrics. Turning ideas over in my mind. Knowing that the pattern would have to be 100% original to me. No one else would have a quilt quite like mine. (I'm selfish like that.)

Then the best part of a year in the making. Surviving the hiatus from sewing in the summertime. Surviving me discovering that pebble quilting is a bugger to do, and uses thread like there is no tomorrow.

And then suddenly, I was done.


Granted the weather is not condusive to a good photo shoot. There was no way in hell that this quilt was touching any wet surface out there. But I couldn't wait to show you, despite being limited to the hanging from the trampoline photos. Let the wind blow, I am a patient woman at times.


Other than the two Kona solids, the entire quilt is made up of Heather Ross fabrics. Conveniently she came out with Briar Rose in time for me to purchase some for the backing and binding. The varied quilting gives all sorts of texture to the back.


The entire quilt was pieced and quilted with Aurifil 50w 2600, the very palest of greys. You don't notice that it is grey at all, unless you look at the pebbling, especially where the pebbling appears on the white piecing on the back. I rather like the accentuation you get from this.


I quilted in the ditch around every last piece of Heather Ross in each rectangle. There was a lot of quilt turning involved but I was determined that nothing would detract from the feature fabrics. Then I did straightline quilting round each mosaic in the white sashing to frame them. I followed this up with pebble fmq quilting for my first ever time in all the blue space.


The quilting is far from perfect but I don't care. This quilt is for me. Me, me, me. Not the girls. Not for guests. It's for me. I don't want to leave any room for doubt, okay.

Here are some basic facts about it -

Pattern - my own, made up as I went along.
Fabrics - Heather Ross and Kona solids.
Thread - Aurifil 50w 2600
Size - 49" x 60"

And for all the cutting up of my precious Heather Ross stash, the good news is that I still have a fair amount left. But now that I have made this quilt maybe I won't be afraid to use it in other projects.

How can these fabrics not make you smile?


Susan

66 comments:

  1. Wow! Your pebbling is stunning S! You could always make a matching cushion with the leftovers! Jxo

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  2. So is it for you then?

    Ab Fab Susan! Your patience is practically miraculous and that is one stonking quilt!

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  3. That is spectacular and the quilting enhances it amazingly. Enjoy your smiles!!

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  4. Fabulous! Good on you, I'll get round to using my HR stash one day ;)

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  5. Your quilt is amazing! I love how you quilted it, and I love the treatment you did on the backing - with the horizontal row of blocks going through the vertical row, and coming out the other side. Very nicely done. I don't think you need to be apologizing for this quilt! It's awesome!!
    GRace

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  6. Congratulations! A perfect compliment to the beautiful HR fabrics! The green solid is a great color. And your quilting ...wow. You rocked the pebbles! :) Bravo!!!

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  7. its wonderful - and just for you :-)

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  8. That's amazing and the quilting is just perfect, I love the frame effect the straight lines have.

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  9. Congratulations on a grand HR finish! I trust it will give you many years of 'solo' pleasure!

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  10. Who is this one for again? *g* It is proper gorgeous, Susan, you should be justifiably proud of this one!

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  11. Glorious! I hope to make a ME quilt using my precious hoard soon.

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  12. Glorious! I hope to make a ME quilt using my precious hoard soon.

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  13. This turned out so well, and it's all yours - whoopee! I made An All Mine quilt awhile back, and I love snuggling in it. Enjoy yours!

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  14. You'll be nice and toasty this winter, and grinning every day!!

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  15. Great job! The quilting is wonderful, especially your pebbles.
    Enjoy your cuddle time in your very own, no one else's quilt.

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  16. I also pebbled a whole well almost whole and although it turned out beautiful yes it was a thread eating job yours looks great
    diana

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  17. I'm smiling! What a wonderful quilt! It's so fun to discover all the characters and images in each piece of HR fabric. You did a great job quilting those pebbles. I haven't tried them yet as I know they are trickier than they look.

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  18. It's perfect and I LOVE your pebble quilting.

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  19. I love this quilt. I love that I recognize a couple of those fabrics and now they are in your favourite ever quilt. I love the design and it is unique. The white frames and the quilting on them is so effective. And the pebbles are a perfect choice I know they take a while and it seems like you have a new bobbin every 10 minutes, but what a beautiful effect. I am so glad you have this quilt now.

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  20. Spectacular!!! I am so happy for your finish. (and a bit jealous, beings I wish it was mine) What an amazing quilt. Heather would be proud to see her fabrics displayed so wonderfully. Everything about it is perfect, you could not have picked a better way to quilt it. The background color enhances the mosaic blocks. All those fabulous little blocks of fabric to smile over. You have made a real treasure there.

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  21. You must be delighted and your pebble quilting is a-mazing!!

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  22. Sensational! Well worth the blood sweat and tears ,I'm guessing. Congrats on a stellar finish.

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  23. That big grin is reaching all the way to Texas today! Well done.

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  24. Super job...I dont own any heather ross! Bet you were annoyed when the sun came out this afternoon!
    Great quilting job too :O)

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  25. I love everything about this quilt - the design, the fabrics, the quilting, the colors - just perfect!!!

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  26. Stunningly beautiful and worth all of your effort!!!

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  27. I love it Susan. No wonder you are so happy. I would be jumping up and down on the trampoline if I were you, I'd be so happy.

    Congratulations on your first ever fmq. I'm impressed with your strength of character doing all those little tiny pebbles.

    It's beautiful and I'm so pleased you are happy with it, as it deserves to be loved.

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  28. Beautiful. Sorry who was it for?

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  29. Well done missus. Smug grin allowed. Quilting really makes it too. Lovely!

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  30. No, no, I'm not going to ask who it is for ;)
    I love it! I truly love everything about it and I'm so happy you've braved the pebbles, as the effect is amazing.

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  31. Stunning-every last inch of it!!

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  32. Love that you did pebbling - how many bobbins did you go through??? It looks amazing and you should be feeling very proud of yourself as it is a stunner. Well done my friend!

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  33. Oh you did great! Everything about it is perfect, and the pebbles are a true labour of love.

    Keep it safe, those grandkids will be squabbling over this one ;)

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  34. Oooh, so pretty, love how it turned out! As for the guests, I'd check their luggage on the way out if I were you ;o)

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  35. Beautiful and I love that it is just for you you you! You did a bang up job on the pebble quilting. That is not an easy task to do on a big quilt.

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  36. Absolutely stunning, it really is, a labour of love and totally worth it, am I allowed to even stroke it when i come over in a couple of weeks or is that against the rules? Just asking, don't want to get attacked for touching it!!! ;o)

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  37. It's magnificent. Your perseverance with the pebble quilting was worth it. Enjoy YOUR VERY OWN quilt.

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  38. It's so perfect! :) I think you're totally justified in keeping that quilt all to yourself after the herculean effort it must have taken to do all those pebbles! You're amazing!

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  39. AMAZING!!! What a fabulous quilt. I am super impressed with all that quilting too. It's more than I can imagine trying to do. I like the different textures/patterns for the differ sections. I agree that it's definitely helped to feature your prints.
    Now get off the Internet and go snuggle under your fantabulous new blanket.
    E xx

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  40. This is so pretty. I think it's so special to make a quilt that's just for yourself every now and again, given how often we make our projects for other people.

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  41. I've just drooled all over instagram at your pics of this gorgeous quilt and I just have to tell you again, it. Is. GORGEOUS!!!

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  42. Move over Heather Ross. The real star of this quilt is Susan and her fabulous quilting. Truly beautiful. Stunning.

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  43. That is one amazing quilt. What more can I say?!!

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  44. It is amazing! I love the back and the front. Yu should have the biggest grin of all!

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  45. Absolutely beautiful Susan - you must be very proud of yourself. And its ready for you to use over the cooler months now. Well Done :)

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  46. this is gorgeous, love the pebble quilting. And, as a new blogger I am still learning something new every day - I had wondered what HR fabrics were, now I know!

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  47. Oh my word - so many pebbles! Looks great though - well done missus - loving the texture it gives and how it highlights your treasured hoard!

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  48. It is really beautiful. Although I do think you should keep it for yourself.... Very generous of you to offer to share and all..... ;-)

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  49. It's like a starry constellation of pebbles. They look wonderful and set the HR off perfectly. Well done! And well done for keeping it to yourself :)

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  50. You are a rockstar. A legend. A diva. A maestro.
    Love watching your creations come to life. That quilting is awesome.. . Ms Canada.

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  51. Absolutely stunning! What a beautiful way to showcase all of those gorgeous prints. I've been collecting HR for a bit now too, but I really need to use them. You've inspired me!

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  52. Wow. It turned out wonderfully Susan.
    Your quilting looks fabulous. Great use of pebbling & straight line quilting.
    I love the back. Where some of the white border is pebbled & some straight lines. Looks wicked. (sorry 80s time warp there).
    All sorts of shades of FABULOUS!

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  53. Susan this is a wonderful quilt, I know the pebble quilting was a pain in the butt, however it is the making of this quilt. Well done

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  54. This quilt does bring a smile to ones face. Your pebbling looks wonderful. Enjoy every smile this quilt brings you, I am sure you will treasure it for many years. Congrats and enjoy

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  55. Oh! My! Wow! Love it! Beautiful! I'm speechless!

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  56. i share your hr LOVE....i have macaroni love story in the making http://quiltingsquareone.blogspot.com/2013/08/show-and-tell-tuesday-macaroni-love.html i am so needing some me sew time xo

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  57. This is simply amazing, Susan! You give me courage to actually cut into my precious stash of HR/munki munki!

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  58. I saw this on instagram and just ogling it again on here it is stunningly beautiful and all your own love your pebbling cxxxx

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  59. It's perfect, Susan. The quilting makes the "frames" pop out like an art gallery wall! Love it.

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  60. Gorgeous Susan! Well worth the nearly 12 months wait. I love your quilting.

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