Friday, July 20, 2012

a quilt of learning

 Happy Friday! This week went by so fast! Thank you all for your sweet comments on my vintage brooches!! Your support is such a blessing to me! 
Well, I am almost finished with my granny square quilt top. Last summer I learned how to quilt, and this will be my fourth larger quilt that I have done. With every quilt I am always learning something new. 
When doing the strips for the borders of the blocks, I noticed I had four different whites in my stash, and couldn't tell which one I used. So, I chose one and of course after sewing it to the blocks, realized it really didn't match. I didn't want to waste or undo what I had already sewn, so I kept it. Then, I didn't have enough length for the border. So, I ordered more and it should be here next week for me to finish. Lesson learned, only keep one white fabric (and a lot of it) in your stash!  
One area that I need a lot of practice is patchwork. My squares never seem to line up, know matter what I do. So, all you quilters, I need your tips and advice!! ;) As you can probably see that the tips of the squares got cut off, too. Such a bummer, but it definitely is a learning experience of what not to do next time. After this quilt, I am going to try Lori Holt's  the Great Granny Square Quilt. I do enjoy making these grannies, so we'll see how those turn out for me.
This week has been such a wonderful week of beautiful vintage tablecloths!! The sweetest Gilly of Gilly Makes sent me this gorgeous embroidered tablecloth. It is unfinished, and I feel honored that Gilly thought of me to be able to complete the amazing work a sweet lady started.
 The colors are so pretty and vibrant!! I am even thinking of crocheting around the edge. I know it will take me awhile, but I think it will add the perfect touch.
 Thank you so much Gilly for sending me such a beautiful vintage treasure!! 
Wishing you all a beautiful summer weekend! And let's remember to keep all the families in Aurora, Colorado in our prayers for this tragic event and loss of lives! Blessings and hugs to you all!! 


52 comments:

  1. I am so in love with your quilting. I started to do it and then got worried about my seams...chickened out. Yours looks lovely. Smiles...Renee

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    1. Thank you Renee!! Don't worry, because my seams are not perfect either. I think you should give it another try, they will be so beautiful!! xo Heather

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  2. Your quilt is so pretty! Can't wait to see it all finished! Have a great weekend!

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    1. Thank you so much!! Have a great weekend, too! xo Heather

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  3. Hi Heather!
    What a wonderful quilt...I love your blocks...each one is such a wonderful splash of cheerful color! Your workmanship is perfection!
    Thank you for sharing your "clothesline quilt"...and, for your many sweet comments on my blog!
    You are such a darling friend!
    Blessings,
    Carolynn xo

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    1. Thank you so much Carolynn! Wishing you a beautiful evening! xo Heather

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  4. I'm always in awe of your sewing talents. Your quilt is just beautiful. Only you see the flaws. It's perfection.

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    1. Thank you so much Kim, that means a lot!! I appreciate you sweet comments!! Have a lovely evening! xo Heather

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  5. Your quilt is beautiful. I'm a quilter, too. It's just like you said. Each quilt you make teaches you something else about quilting. I love the tablecloth. I'm wondering if the initial embroidery was intended for cutwork possibly with the lines as thick as they are. I really like the colors and the way the stitcher satin stitched the thick lines.

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    1. Thank you Amy! The embroidery is thicker than what I am used to doing, so hopefully I will be able to do the rest as well as the sweet lady did!! xo Heather

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  6. Oh, I love that you are finishing what another creative began. I love when that happens! BTW, the joy of differences in monitors is that I cannot tell your whites don't match. It look beautiful to me and I admire that your attention span is long enough to complete something like that!!
    Ditto on Aurora. It is heartbreaking.

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    1. Thank you Kathy!! Well, my attention span goes in spurts! ;) Have a lovely evening! xo Heather

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  7. It looks perfect to me! I also have trouble with squares! The embroidery looks fab, good idea about the edging! Ada :)

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  8. Your quilt is just spectacular! Dont worry about using slightly different whites... once you get it all quilted, things like that aren't even going to show up. (I don't notice it at all in the picture. ) And what a beautiful tablecloth! Lucky you!!

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    1. Thank you!! I am looking forward to washing and drying it, so it is all wrinkly and good! ;) The tablecloth is a beautiful gift!! Have a lovely evening! xo Heather

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  9. the granny square quilt is looking fabulous!! i can't tell that the whites are different. all i see is pure loveliness!

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    1. Thank you so much Kerri!! You're so sweet! xo Heather

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  10. Your quilt is beautiful! For only having learned how to do it in the past year, you are doing lovely work. I don't sew at all. That tablecloth is so pretty. The embroidery work will certainly take much longer than a crocheted border. The tragedy in Colorado is awful. Just what brings a young person to the point of committing such a senseless act? Something I will never understand. Have a peaceful, beautiful day. Tammy

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    1. Thank you Tammy! I know, I am a little intimidated by the embroidery. We'll see how it goes!! Have a lovely evening!! xo Heather

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  11. Looks just divine to me! I have some fab vintage tablecloths and although I have never done any crochet edging on them I'd be tempted to have a go.

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    1. Thank you!! Yes, you should crocheted an edging on them. It always makes them have such a special touch. ;) xo Heather

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  12. How fun that you made a granny squares quilt and it is lovely! I've been working on one also and am just about ready to post a few of my blocks!

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    1. Thank you Deborah! I love making the grannies!! I am looking forward to do the Great Granny Square! Have a lovely evening! xo Heather

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  13. Boy you are GOOD! It looks great!

    Oh, and I love how you put your brooches on vintage bingo cards!

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    1. Thank you so much!! You're so sweet! xo Heather

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  14. I think your quilt looks amazing!! So pretty!! I just love your fabric color choices! And what a lovely tablecloth! Any plans for it when you get it finished??? Hope you have a wonderful weekend Heather!! xo Holly

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    1. Thank you so much Holly!! This pretty will be displayed on my kitchen table!! Have a lovely evening! xo Heather

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  15. Oh how lovely is your quilt...and I adore vintage tablecloths...sending you oodles of love for a very happy weekend. xoxo

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    1. Thank you Koralee!! Wishing you a beautiful evening! xo Heather

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  16. Your quilt top is beautiful, Heather! I love the pretty fabrics and colours and the granny blocks work so beautifully. I have had the 'different white fabrics' problem too....it's amazing just how different they can be! Have a happy and peaceful weekend.
    Helen x

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    1. Thank you Helen!! It is amazing how different whites can be! Wishing you a beautiful week and evening! xo Heather

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  17. Your quilt is lovely. The colours are so cheerful! I'm sure it's only the quilter that notices any errors :)

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    1. Thank you!! You are right, the quilter is usually the only one who sees any mistakes. ;) Have a lovely evening! xo Heather

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  18. Heather you quilt is beautiful. I have always wanted to learn to quilt. Great job!

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  19. oh it looks stunning Heather! I think it all lines up nicely :) and I can't tell you used different whites. Looks perfect.
    Jessie, xo

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    1. Thank you Jessie! I appreciate your sweet comments!! Have a great week! xo Heather

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  20. Good point about the white fabric. Your quilt looks amazing and if every corner isn't perfect-it's handmade so it won't be perfect! I just love it. What a beautiful embroidered table cloth. You should crochet the edge-it'll even make it prettier!

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    1. Thank you Leslie! I hear you with the handmade!! ;) I have a vintage quilt book that I always look at to help me see how those quilts are so beautiful, but do have imperfections. Have a lovely evening! xo Heather

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  21. You are doing a great job! I learn with every quilt I make and I expect I will until the day I die or can't quilt any longer. I find that once things are quilted and all finished, the mistakes blend away. Your quilt is going to be fabulous!!

    About the white fabric. I keep a bolt of white and a bolt of snow by Kona cotton in my stash. =)

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  22. Heather your granny square quilt is beautiful. You did a fabulous job. Love the table cloth so sweet.
    Hugs
    donna

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  23. All I can say is YOU MAKE ME WANT TO GET MY SEWING MACHINE OUT OF THE CLOSET!! SOON, VERY SOON! Those Brooches are DARLING! I LOVED THEM! From one sweetie to another~~~Roxie

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  24. How beautiful they are!! What cheery colors. :-)

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  25. I so want to start patchwork again and 'oh' how pretty yours is....maybe in the fall.

    Nina x

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  26. Oh you make it look so easy! Your granny square quilt is simply gorgeous, and it's very hard to believe that you've only been quilting for a year!

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  27. Wow, Heather! The quilt is beautiful!!

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  28. very sweet table cloth embroidery items.

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  29. Oh my gosh - are you joking me?! I looooooove that vintage table cloth! So perfect and feminine and vintage! Totally jealous :)

    http://www.thriftary.com

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  30. Oh So Pretty - your granny quilt is gorgeous, and every handmade quilt is perfect, the little "imperfections" make it so! And I think a crocheted border around the tablecloth will be lovely - enjoy finishing it, I love that you are happy to take on the task :-)
    xoxo

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