3 years in the making
12-23-2023, 03:28 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 1,981
3 years in the making
The reason it took so long, my husband and I have one picky daughter! -lol The one you always say it the other spouses child when something like this happens, although she really is both of ours. Tell me you have one so I don’t feel alone in this.
When I started really making quilts in 2019, I told my kids and grands I will make what I like and want to make. If they like it and claim it, it’s theirs. My youngest daughter Ashley would claim them all bc she loves them all. However my middle child and oldest girl is rather picky.
I first had to wait for her to finally choose a fabric line. Bought 2 layer cakes at MSQC, daily deal. She ordered one, me another. Then I waited for her decision on a pattern worrying the whole time if I could even use layer cakes when the pattern was finally chosen. She chose Goodnight Irene from Jenny Doan at MSQC. Then I finally was able to get started bc I had the white on white.
However, Marsha didn’t want a seamed backing and the fabric line didn’t have 108 in. I ordered swatches what I thought may look good but no deal. I finally convinced her to use a white on white backing in 108, so IF she used the reverse side she could tone the bright white down with a dark foot runner and throw pillows.
Last year right before Christmas I told her the size it was and I was ready to quilt. Then she tells me she is getting a huge king bed, not the queen size I had pieced!
So… I ordered another layer cake, full price and did not want to touch it for 6 months. I had to rip off one side and foot if I remember before I could start again for my corners to come out right. I made the extra rows to make a 104x117 finish. I don’t know how she will ever wash this heavy quilt!
My sewing group has heard me lament about this off and on through the process. Lynn one of our longarm drs with a frame offered to quilt it for me. She knows I have back issues and said the way I have to pin and quilt on my longarm without a frame would kill me. I told her I appreciated her offer but let me think about it.
My intentions were for the family to have a quilt I made from beginning to end. However, the more I thought about it I knew I was so sick of it, it seemed simple just to have Lynn quilt it. My husband agreed though Lynn would be paid. So this is the finish that we came up with. This is the biggest I have ever pieced and the biggest Lynn has ever quilted. Lynn couldn’t resist spreading on her king bed and showing her husband Dan the finish as he had helped her load it. Dan said to tell me if my picky daughter was not happy with it he (and Lynn agreed) and Lynn would take it!
I also made King shams to go with it and they also can be flipped over to the other side. You know what I had left of the 3 layer cakes? One 2.5 inch square!
Needless to say, it’s finished, wrapped and under the tree and will be out of my sight in 2 days-lol
My Ashley cautioned her 10 year old daughter Nora do NOT comment when Aunt Marsha opens her quilt. Nora has overheard me telling Ashley how I did not enjoy making this at all. so Christmas Day will be the big reveal and I do hope she is pleased bc this was the most expensive quilt I have made.
The pictures show how we are really having a hard time at Show & Tell during our sewing group meeting, holding it for all to see.
When I started really making quilts in 2019, I told my kids and grands I will make what I like and want to make. If they like it and claim it, it’s theirs. My youngest daughter Ashley would claim them all bc she loves them all. However my middle child and oldest girl is rather picky.
I first had to wait for her to finally choose a fabric line. Bought 2 layer cakes at MSQC, daily deal. She ordered one, me another. Then I waited for her decision on a pattern worrying the whole time if I could even use layer cakes when the pattern was finally chosen. She chose Goodnight Irene from Jenny Doan at MSQC. Then I finally was able to get started bc I had the white on white.
However, Marsha didn’t want a seamed backing and the fabric line didn’t have 108 in. I ordered swatches what I thought may look good but no deal. I finally convinced her to use a white on white backing in 108, so IF she used the reverse side she could tone the bright white down with a dark foot runner and throw pillows.
Last year right before Christmas I told her the size it was and I was ready to quilt. Then she tells me she is getting a huge king bed, not the queen size I had pieced!
So… I ordered another layer cake, full price and did not want to touch it for 6 months. I had to rip off one side and foot if I remember before I could start again for my corners to come out right. I made the extra rows to make a 104x117 finish. I don’t know how she will ever wash this heavy quilt!
My sewing group has heard me lament about this off and on through the process. Lynn one of our longarm drs with a frame offered to quilt it for me. She knows I have back issues and said the way I have to pin and quilt on my longarm without a frame would kill me. I told her I appreciated her offer but let me think about it.
My intentions were for the family to have a quilt I made from beginning to end. However, the more I thought about it I knew I was so sick of it, it seemed simple just to have Lynn quilt it. My husband agreed though Lynn would be paid. So this is the finish that we came up with. This is the biggest I have ever pieced and the biggest Lynn has ever quilted. Lynn couldn’t resist spreading on her king bed and showing her husband Dan the finish as he had helped her load it. Dan said to tell me if my picky daughter was not happy with it he (and Lynn agreed) and Lynn would take it!
I also made King shams to go with it and they also can be flipped over to the other side. You know what I had left of the 3 layer cakes? One 2.5 inch square!
Needless to say, it’s finished, wrapped and under the tree and will be out of my sight in 2 days-lol
My Ashley cautioned her 10 year old daughter Nora do NOT comment when Aunt Marsha opens her quilt. Nora has overheard me telling Ashley how I did not enjoy making this at all. so Christmas Day will be the big reveal and I do hope she is pleased bc this was the most expensive quilt I have made.
The pictures show how we are really having a hard time at Show & Tell during our sewing group meeting, holding it for all to see.
12-23-2023, 03:45 PM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,512
OMG!! Toogie that is absolutely gorgeous!! And adding perseverance to this labour of love makes it all the more special! I am so glad that you decided to have someone else quilt it. Kings are beasts to work with.
Yes, I too, have a finicky DD. But her problem is that she cannot envision any pattern in different colours/fabrics. I made them Maaike Bakker's Optical Illusion in black/greys/white (just like in the pattern picture) but could not find the right deep red for the inside border. Instead, I used an emerald green.....and she was not happy. The original had turned out a tad big for their bed too. So I made the whole thing again, cutting down the pattern size and finally found the right red. Yep. Shortly after giving it to them, they got a platform bed frame that would have made the original perfect. But they got the one with the red inner border.
A few years later, we gifted DH's niece with the one that has the green border as a wedding present. They were blown away!
Yes, I too, have a finicky DD. But her problem is that she cannot envision any pattern in different colours/fabrics. I made them Maaike Bakker's Optical Illusion in black/greys/white (just like in the pattern picture) but could not find the right deep red for the inside border. Instead, I used an emerald green.....and she was not happy. The original had turned out a tad big for their bed too. So I made the whole thing again, cutting down the pattern size and finally found the right red. Yep. Shortly after giving it to them, they got a platform bed frame that would have made the original perfect. But they got the one with the red inner border.
A few years later, we gifted DH's niece with the one that has the green border as a wedding present. They were blown away!
12-23-2023, 04:15 PM
#4
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 15,931
Amazing! It is an accomplishment to be treasured!
Let me tell you about my picky oldest daughter. She found a quilt pattern she liked and asked for it in king size and wanted it to overhang on each side about 18 inches. Lucky the quilt came in a kit so I bought a king size and a twin size kit to be sure to have enough fabric. Oh and she wanted it extra heavy too. I found a long armer who could quilt it and she used two layers of batting. Expensive quilting. Expensive kits. Expensive backing. She loved the quilt. Where is it now? In her closet because it is too heavy and too hot. I have not made her another one for her bed. She can chose throw size quilts I make for the fun of making them.
Let me tell you about my picky oldest daughter. She found a quilt pattern she liked and asked for it in king size and wanted it to overhang on each side about 18 inches. Lucky the quilt came in a kit so I bought a king size and a twin size kit to be sure to have enough fabric. Oh and she wanted it extra heavy too. I found a long armer who could quilt it and she used two layers of batting. Expensive quilting. Expensive kits. Expensive backing. She loved the quilt. Where is it now? In her closet because it is too heavy and too hot. I have not made her another one for her bed. She can chose throw size quilts I make for the fun of making them.
12-23-2023, 06:00 PM
#5
Power Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 26,005
Beautiful quilt, Toogie! I'm so glad you let a longarmer handle the quilting.
So often people don't know what they are asking for. Such as the extra warm quilt... Or the people who want their quilt to drape over the sides of the bed to the floor, like a bedspread. That's a bedspread, not a quilt! They don't understand that such a huge quilt will pin them to the bed and they won't be able to roll over in their sleep! The largest quilt I will make is a queen size. Period.
So often people don't know what they are asking for. Such as the extra warm quilt... Or the people who want their quilt to drape over the sides of the bed to the floor, like a bedspread. That's a bedspread, not a quilt! They don't understand that such a huge quilt will pin them to the bed and they won't be able to roll over in their sleep! The largest quilt I will make is a queen size. Period.
12-23-2023, 06:49 PM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: NW MN lake country
Posts: 3,388
What a beautiful quilt! With your back, that must have been a real challenge for you to handle. What a treasure that will be for her. Kudos to you for hanging in there thru all the changes thrown at you. I am sure that eventually you will look back on that project with good memories because of it's beauty, even tho it was a nightmare for you.
12-24-2023, 03:13 AM
#9
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Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 1,981
Originally Posted by copycat
Every quilt has a story and I enjoyed reading about your journey in making this beautiful work of art (heart)!
I love the shams you made to match. This quilt is a treasure. I hope you put your name on it somewhere.
I love the shams you made to match. This quilt is a treasure. I hope you put your name on it somewhere.
