Sunday, April 13, 2014

tone it down {a finished quilt}


Once upon a time, way back in December last year, I fell in love with this gorgeous quilt and could not help but run to the store to get my copy of American Patchwork magazine and start cutting my fabric and piecing all the tiny squares together right away and I was smitten.


I chose lots of low volume fabrics from my stash and decided to go for sort of vintage, faded vibe. This one is my absolute favorite block.


I decided to make 12 blocks to make a nice throw sized quilt and everything was going great. Then I pieced all the blocks together and I was no longer in love :(. The quilt seemed "too busy"??? So, it sat in a dark closet for couple of weeks and then one day I suddenly knew that a little "quilt surgery" might be just the right fix.


 I decided to rip out the two very busy sashing strips and replace then with plain white fabric instead. It worked!!! Now, the whole surgery turned out to be a lot more complicated then I first thought, but it was so very worth it. 


My quilt top was a lot more balanced now and I loved it once again, yay! Very dramatic, I know :)


I did these continuous eights/ wishbones quilting and while it definitely is not perfect, I think I'm finally getting better with my FMQ. The only thing that is kind of bugging me is that after washing and drying the quilt became a lot more crinkled than I'd prefer. Any idea why sometimes quilts crinkle more than other times? I wonder, is it the quilting that determines that? I mean, I still like it, I would just prefer it to be more flat.


I really love this big gingham I chose for the backing. I think it complements the old fashioned look of the quilt quite well.

And yes, this is what happens when my son helps with taking pictures. Dragging the quilt all over the grass is an essential step in making the quilt "ours". Yes, yes, my heart did a few skips when I saw what he was doing, but thankfully the quilt did not sustain any grass or mud stains. Phew!

Long post, right? Thanks for reading. Svetlana

31 comments:

  1. some battings crinkle more than others, as do some fabrics...

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  2. Totally love your quilt and the quilting.

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  3. I really love your version of this quilt. Wow, quilt surgery. I'm glad for you, that all went well in the end. Love your quilting. I really should give this continuous eights a try one day...

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  4. It's a brilliant quilt S! Worth all the surgery. Your quilt will shrink in amounts depending on the wadding you use. Some waddings shrink in more than others. Also, some fabrics that are pre-washed can shrink in too, all making the quilt more crinkly! Jxo

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  5. Congratulations on a gorgeous quilt! I love this quilt pattern and your fabrics are so perfect!

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  6. Hi I recently found your blog and am so enjoying it. You do beautiful work and this quilt is no exception. Congratulations on the finish and the free motion quilting.

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  7. So pretty! I too bought the magazine but have not started it but love how yours turned out!

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  8. Although I love bright colors, and that is what I usually work with, the low volume vintage thing really catches my eye! You did a wonderful job with the fabrics, I totally love it!!!! One more quilt to add to the list! Oh and doing surgery on a finished quilt top, I am in awe, I sort of say done and done with mine, I hate the seam ripper!

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  9. It looks so good. This quilt is on my list to make; I love what you did with colors and value. Beautiful!

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  10. That turned out so great. I probably would have left in those two sashings. The quilting is wonderful. Not sure why some things scrunch up more than others when washed? Maybe as some have suggested it is just different batting.

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  11. There can never be to much "crinkle" effect! This is absolutely beautiful. Be proud.

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  12. a wonderful quilt and I like the crinkle look, is it to do with how close you quilt I wonder,

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  13. Beautiful! So worth the hassle of the surgery to ensure you fell in love with it again and finished it :)

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  14. Fantastic as always! The quilt surgery shows your determination to making it beautiful. I think that the closer the quilting, the more it crinkles, but some of it relaxes again after a bit of use.

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  15. Such a beautiful quilt. I know what you mean, and you did the right Thing to Change the parts that botherd you. The most important is, that you love it!!! I loved it the first way and the second anyway :)

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  16. stunningly beautiful. All the hard work was so worth it!

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  17. oh this is lovely! And good for you for doing surgery you really felt was needed! I chalk the crinkling up to the quilting and the actual fabric - different cottons will wash up differently??

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  18. Great fabric choices, as usual. You have a really great eye for fabric combinations.

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  19. Lovely quilt! When I prewash my batting the finished quilt doesn't shrink up and wrinkle quite so much. If I want a flatter look I only machine dry it half way, then gently pull outward from all the edges and let it finish drying on a bed. The density of quilting and the type of cotton fabric probably affect the outcome too - so many variables! I love the black and white check on the backing.

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  20. Just beautiful! Love the low-volume look.

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  21. It looks gorgeous, I love it now that I can see the entire pattern, I think I just wasn't 'getting it' just seeing a block here and a block there on blogs and IG

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  22. Svetlanko, uzasny quilt!!! A super fotky z procesu! Je opravdu paradni, moc se ti povedl a vsechny ty barvy krasne poskladane... krasny! :)
    Pa, Jola

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  23. Love how your quilt turned out, beautiful!

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  24. I love this quilt pattern and your version is one of the most beautiful I have seen.

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  25. Love the low volume on it. Your work is amazing!

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  26. I absolutely adore the softness of the colours of this quilt! And a true classic pattern. Love it.

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  27. The quilt is beautiful! I really love how you went with very toned down low volume everywhere. Your quilting looks really good. No idea about why some quilts crinkle more than others sorry.

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  28. Had to write to say how much I love your quilt and how much I enjoyed reading about the process - you write very nicely and I enjoy all the links to previous work that you put in so that the reader can go back to see what you mean. I am in the process of reducing my emails and blogs but yours is definitely going to stay on my list.

    Does the block have a name by the way? I would like to know if it does - thanks.
    Pauline
    perry94022 at hotmail dot com

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