Saturday, March 23, 2019

Burst of Spring

I have a finish, and it's on my Q1FAL list which is here, and it's perfect timing to have on my table for Spring!
I considered pulling the table out so I wouldn't have the sun through the stained glass glint on the table topper but na, it just adds to the bright spring feel IMHO. This is Tish (The Madd Quilter) Fireburst Mystery QAL.
One quick item of note is that the 30 Quilt Designs Challenge (third annual!) is underway. This year we have a private FaceBook group (I know, not a fan, me either, but it does 'protect' our designs) so in order to get in, simply email a photo of your first quilt design and I can invite you to the group! Grab the button on my sidebar too! Would love to have you, and there are some sweet prizes. Click here for the main post. Okay...

Way back (good grief, JUNE 2018!), I started with this fabric pull:
It's barely noticeable, but there is a small purple bud all over the floral fabric I used for background. There's another link to Tish in the purple blender fabric that I used when I tested Starblossom, another pattern of hers.

I got the flimsy done for the parade to celebrate her 40th birthday, which was January 1, 2019. So here it is in quilting progress on the longarm, which you may have seen on Instagram:
The blue line marker is even a gift Tish sent me a couple of years ago in a little care package.😊 I wasn't 100% sure on using the pale pink thread (Essential) over the entire piece, but figured it was pale enough that it should blend in. And it really does.

Another in-progress shot:

I used some leftover Thermore that I had to do a little Franken-batt to. I love Thermore! I nearly did an all-over meander (man! I find that so hard!) but I just had to do more detail in the buds and flowers since I knew it would show up nicely. I wanted to put in a few curves, especially as these are flowers, so you see the two designs I hit upon, just incorporating straight lines with curved ones (love my Quilted Pineapple curve rulers). I just eyeballed all the flowers, no marking. "Close enough is good enough," is Angela Walters' motto and it works for me!

Close enough was NOT good enough when it came to pulling the quilt off the longarm and flipping it over to see the back. No!! I had moved the quilt up close to the top of the backing when I loaded it, but I hadn't sewed the label on high enough on the backing, so part of it would have gotten cut off (like this quilt, Rosewater) had I not checked the back. Too funny: it's the exact same label as the one I did cut off! Gulp.
So, I unpicked the quilting and the machine-stitching, while watching another episode of Grace and Frankie, and then reattached the label by hand:
I usually write on the labels first as it's easier, but I hadn't quite hit upon a name for the quilt. I then took the quilt to my trusty Bernina, and redid the quilting lines I'd had to remove.

Isn't that backing sweet and perfect? It was a remnant picked up from Connecting Threads about this time last year; sadly it didn't quite cover the entire backing. I know I say it often, but my mum would've loved that fabric: it's green her favourite colour, and I just know the print is one that would appeal to her. It works so well with the front, which I know she'd have loved too. She loved flowers and like most, loved Spring when all the green bursts forth from the earth. Also... butterflies. All last summer after she'd passed away, we all, her kids and her grandkids, noticed so many more butterflies flitting and floating and hovering around us. I'd bought this fabric before her untimely death. I then used a piece of a Moda fabric from over ten years ago (yup, I'm one of those quilters) to fill in where the butterflies fabric didn't. Said Moda fabric is one of the fabrics I used in her 70th birthday quilt. Rather fitting for a quilt that I made all the while with her on my mind and in my heart.
I tried to get some decent pics in the rising sun this morning. Too bad I made a shadow on the quilt, so I had to take this from the side. My friend Rose said what a great fence my MacGyver of a husband has created, perfect for hanging quilts, and she's so right! In case you observant types are wondering, the copper wire is a fairy lights string, looks really pretty at night. You can get yours here. I may get to be an Amazon affiliate yet, lol!



Laid it down to get a better angle:

Here's the back. Sorry the sun has washed it out a bit.
I know we all drool over texture, even when we've created it!

And here's a better look at the fixed label, and the binding, which I sewed onto the back and topsitched down on the front.


The first picture of this post is the quilt after washing, and it crinkled up just that little bit to make it so soft and bumpy. Thermore gives it such great texture, yet is nice and thin. I'm sure you, like me, love to run your fingers over washed quilts, right? I've got the laptop sitting on the quilt as I type this post!

Quilt Stats:
Pattern: Fireburst by Tish of The Madd Quilter
Size: 31 1/8 X 31 1/8"
Fabric: various from stash
Backing: Eggstraordinaryfrom Connecting Threads, and left over Chloé by Moda
Batting: Hobbs Thermore
Quilted: on Avril my Avanté: 34 218 stitches;
Threads: pieced on my Bernina; quilted with Essential 50 wt 20872 blush, top and bobbin. Binding stitched down with 21162 Lime.

That's Rufus earlier this week, trotting along the Greenway with a big stick in his mouth! He's too funny how he searches for a good one, sometimes picking up one from a previous walk, and loves to carry it along. He's looking much better, slowly gaining weight (and height!), as of Friday, 48.5 pounds, yay!

And, if you're looking for another Finish Party link, Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs is starting up one! It will take place on the last Saturday of each month, so March 31 is her first one. The last Saturday is also when you can link up your DrEAMi! (Drop Everything And Make it!) project, aka squirrel, right here at mmm! quilts.

AND!! Almost forgot! Do come back on Monday for the announcement of my third annual QAL! We are going to be making Beothuk Star, size approximately 43" square. As in previous years, there will be lots of terrific prizes!

Linking up:
Dizzy Quilts for the Q1 FAL
Cooking Up Quilts
My Quilt Infatuation
TGIFF at Kathy's Kwilts and More
The Madd Quilter
Confessions of a Fabric Addict


14 comments:

  1. Hi Sandra! Look at how great Rufus looks. What a sweet boy he is, and no photo bombing this time?! Ooh, a QAL and DrEAMi this next week, both so worthy to return for. Your Fireburst a.k.a. Burst of Spring sure turned out great. {{Hugs}} It brings a close tear to my eyes thinking of your mum and how she would enjoy it. I know as you're still there typing, petting it and thinking of her, that those butterflies on the backing are just perfect. I suspect more real butterflies are in your near future as she'll always be fluttering about to comfort you and your peeps. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  2. I love your spring topper! So nice to see that Rufus is gaining weight. He looks so happy walking with his stick.

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  3. I love what you did with your fireburst. I will have to prep, but I think I am ready to hop on board for the QAL - looks like fun! Rufus is looking great - lucky dog to have you!

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  4. I just love the colors you used for your Fireburst, so pretty. I still don't have mine pieced!!!

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  5. Fireburst is just a burst of spring! So pretty. Rufus is so cute. :-)

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  6. Beautiful, bright spring table topper. Rufus looks very proud carrying his stick. Happy that he has been gaining weight. Rudy has stopped the weight gain topping out at 15.5 lbs. He a big cat 🐈 and such a loving creature.

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  7. Sometimes a quilt top just has to wait until the right time for it to be finished. Your Fireburst is just perfect for Spring, and I'm sure your mom would've been so delighted with it. Rufus and the Big Stick (perfect title for a kids book!) makes me smile. I'm so in on the QAL! Can't wait! I have my fabric and I'm ready to go!

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  8. I always love seeing your finishes—it’s a treat to see how you make decisions for your quilting. And this quilt with its colors and its butterflies ( you know I love those) on the back is such a sweet celebration of spring and memories of your mom. Love the fence as quilt hanger. Sometime post a photo of it at night, okay? I’m glad you caught the label issue. You picked a fun show to pick out threads. We just finished binge watching this year’s series. Now we have to wait a long time for next season. Coolest old people’s show ever ( I can say that since I sort of fit the age bracket. Ha,)

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  9. Burst of Spring, indeed! Such gorgeous colors in your springy burst. Your Mom would have loved it!

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  10. It looks great. Yeah for Spring!! Looking forward to more daylight and the ability (hopefully) to get better photos.

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  11. Congrats on a gorgeous finish!

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  12. I can easily see why you wanted to add details in the buds and the flowers. As far as I am concerned, blank canvas equals play time. Of course, you had to fill them with details. The backing fabric is a perfect match for the this lovely quilt. Love the photo of the quilt on the fence, glowing in gentle sunlight. Rufus is looking very cute. I am glad he is eating now and gaining weight.

    -Soma

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  13. This is beautiful! Especially the quilting! Congratulations on your finish on behalf of the 2019 FAL team.

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