 I decided to order the center panel here to see if it was something that was nice enough & something I could work into a quilt. Eventually purchased additional panels for the side images as we transitioned from a large bed quilt with just the one panel to a sofa quilt (left image) back to a king size bed quilt (right images).  Five months later, the binding is finished and the quilt ready for delivery. The Whole StoryDec 23: I have been talking/thinking about a quilt for Charles for several years. I finally got him to sit down long enough for us to talk about. Wood ducks are his #1 big thing & horses are a close second. We found a panel online he likes so I ordered to see what it really looks like. He would prefer lots of images on his quilt of wildlife that he loves. Dec 24: I had never heard of wood ducks before so I returned to RedBubble to see what photographs I might find. I picked 16 and had them printed on post cards. Dec 30: Post cards expected today. Jan 19: Started suggesting quilt top layouts. Narrowed down to simple browns and blues. Jan 20: Ordered several fabrics as indicated in captions below. Feb 02: Wife Myra says Charles likes "very simple". I am liking the piano keys more and more. These will only be on the drop & help reduce the picture fame look. Favorite color blue will predominate the top. Myra will be by soon to make a final decision. Posted more ideas, some inspired by suggestions from Joan. Feb 21: Got in 3 coordinating panels. With Myra's help tonight, we have a working plan. After cutting the panels, we will work out the sashing and/or borders. Also, Myra needs to measure the sofa. Didn't happen so I stopped by and measured it myself. FabricsPiecing the Quilt TopFeb 25: Cut out the panels. Laid out the quilt map using Excel. Using real panels changes things.Mar 01: Cut panels and started piecing. The panels are warped so it is a bit of a challenge to cut and fit them together nicely. I find I am trimming and trimming and trimming yet again. Mar 02: Finished piecing the center and then took it over to show Charles. Charles was not going to settle for a sofa quilt. He wants something that will one day fit a King with as much drop as possible. My max width is 90 and 100 makes a good length. When I suggested some nice pinwheels above and below the center, Charles suggested more wood ducks--8 more--framed in wood bark & black. Use other panels on the sides framed in just black. Well, panels are easier to piece than pinwheels. Ordered 8 more panels & am very grateful to Thread Bear Fabrics in Georgia for not gouging the price on these like some vendors are. Mar 05: My panels are here. Mar 17: Cut the panels apart. Mar 18: Trimmed the 19 panels I need to their proper size for piecing. Mar 19: Completed the expanded layout details. Cut the pieces to go around the small panels. Mar 21: Framing the panels. Mar 22: Panels are framed & connected into borders Mar 23: Putting it all together. Oops. Got the wood ducks borders reversed. Attached right side border. It needs a tad of tweaking. Still have the left side & top & bottom final blue borders. To tired & too hungry to continue. Ahhh, was able to go on after a short break. Finished the sides. Pinned the top & bottom. Will sew them in the morning & be done. Mar 24: Pieced. QuiltingMar 27: Quilting some pillow covers to test thread choice (silver) and patterns. I am going to try a combination of two of Anne Bright's pantographs. Very nice, I think. Doing the design small on the pillows. Will do it larger on the king size quilt ... maybe. Mar 28: Finished 2 sets of pillow covers and ordered inserts. Love it! (I can love my own work, no?) Mar 30: Want to try to find enough fabrics to piece quilt. I need just over 6 yards and only have 3 of the brown I wanted to use. Guess this will be my first hodgepodge backing. Hmmm. Some brown. some blue, some black & may even include one of those extra panels or two. I have been putting this challenge off but alas, can't load and quilt until it is done. Mar 31: Decided to order enough of the Dark Bark fabric to do the backing rather than trying to piece something together. I have just over half of what I need already. It would be ridiculous to fudge the backing after working so hard on the top. My first order got canceled--they didn't really have it. Apr 07: The rest of the backing fabric is here. Apr 08: Piecing the backing. Will need some strips on the top & bottom to ensure enough backing to load properly. Got everything ready to sew. Apr 09: Backing is now pieced. Ready to quilt. May 01: Loading May 03: Quilting. Quilted. May 05: Squared. May 08: Let the binding begin. May 29: Bound & finished.
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 "Authentic horses" - that was the directive. A striking contrast indeed but I probably should have tried to do more piecing with this fabric. My luck, if I tried to piece it I would have gotten just horse tails in several blocks. Myra loves this quilt as it & has claimed it for her step-son (Charles' son), Caleb, as thanks for all his hard work helping them get their home in shape to move in. Dec 26: Bought fabric. Dec 28: Pieced the top. This will either go to Charles or Myra's dad. I will probably have to cut it down for "dad". The center section is 2 yards--a bit much for a lap quilt. The whole top is 80 x 100 so that is a whole lot of onyx gringe side border. Feb 28: Bought backing fabric today which led to consider what I will use to quilt this. I instantly fell in love with some green & yellow but ultimately opted for light cream blender backing. Progression of ideas below. Feb 29: More brainstorming. Whatever I use will not show up in the center of the top but will be very visible from the back. Letters would be a mirror image on the back. Mar 10: Myra decided on her patterns: Running Horses panto with Horse Portraits in the outer border turned to be right side up relative to the floor. After Myra left at around noon. I worked until midnight on these layouts. They look so innocent once done...don't believe it. Jun 25: Final press. loaded and quilting. Jun 28: Quilted. Jun 30: Squared. Made the binding. Jul 01: Binding is clamped and ready for needle work. Got a good start. Oct 06: Finally made some progress on the binding. Intend to at least something each evening until done. Nov 02: Finished the binding & thus the quilt.  Picked up fabric with authentic horses for a couple of quick quilts over the holidays. Dec 26: Bought fabric. Dec 27: January birthday girl, Vanessa, picked the tame horses and helped design the quilt top. Dec 28: Pieced the top. Jan 12: Vanessa & Beth are coming over today to help with this quilt. Didn't happen. Jan 19: Vanessa is here piecing her backing. Jan 20-21: Slowly loading hoping Vanessa could join me but she is not well. Jan 22: Quilting. Jan 23: Quilted. Jan 25: More photos. Jan 28: Made & attached the binding. Will be working on it until finished. Feb 21: About 1/3 done, I turned over the rest of the binding to Myra, Vanessa's mom. Thus my work is done. Mar 10: I asked Myra & she returned this quilt so I can finish the binding. Mar 17: On the home stretch of binding, i.e. on the final side w/all corners done. Binding work is typically slow but this one has been ridiculous. So sorry, Vanessa. FINISHED!  It's here! In December! Needed in June Now THAT is how to plan ahead. Dec 05: Photos by Kyle. (I didn't even post these during Christmas rush. It feels good to catch up.) Dec 23: It's here! ... but I can't stop & post.You see there is this wonderful day coming up & I am not yet ready for it. Jan 25: Finally took a photo! Thank you for your patience, Kyle. (I have never before not posted a picture immediately when a quilt came in. After Christmas, I came down with pneumonia and am just now well enough to get back to work.) Jan 26: Kyle has selected her pattern & wants some shade of Magnifico high sheen on top. Feb 05: Prepared backing and top for loading. I want to do an EQ7 rendition & and overlay in the morning to determine the best size to quilt this. Feb 06: Rendition & overlays posted. Kyle chose the densest one. I agree this is best. Feb 07: Quilting. WOW! And quilted. Feb 08: Final photos.  Between chemo & hospitals & rehab and all that goes with it, Sylvia finally had a chance to piece her quilt & get it to me. Her granddaughter selected the fabrics for this quilt is for her baby daughter...i.e. Sylvia's great-grandchild. Much of the fabric feels thick like canvas. quite a contrast to the super soft white minky backing. Like canvas, Minky is heavy. Dec 06: Sylvia picked Pom Pom with white thread. Dec 09: Quilt arrived. Dec 13: Prepped & loaded. Dec 14: Quilted.  Four quilts similar yet different. Three will be Christmas gifts.
Sometimes I just get a feeling about someone. Buddy is one of those. I could no more refuse to do his quilts even though the hour is late than I could stop longarming. Can't explain it. Don't have to. Perhaps Buddy will share the story behind these quilts. Certainly, It is not my place to do so. |
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