Thursday, October 17, 2019

Give Thanks

Welcome to TGIFF and welcome to the first of my two October challenge projects for Island Batik.


This is on my Q4FAL List which is here. I suddenly remembered I had signed up to host TGIFF on October 18, oh, a day ago, so I figured this had better get finished up and quick! Luckily it was already in flimsy form.





I made the flimsy last weekend, fitting since it was Canadian Thanksgiving. We don't go quite as all-out as our neighbours to the south do, but like them, for us, it is about family, friends, and food, and giving thanks for all three f's. I pulled oranges and turquoises from my Island Batik Basics and Blenders, as well as the 5" strips, and a few pieces from my August Beat the Heat hop quilt, Ripples, which is Electric Desert by Jackie Kunkel. I used Aurifil thread to piece this and stitched it up on my 1951 Featherweight, Tillie. The thread and the fabrics were supplied to me.

Our challenge was to make a holiday table topper or runner. It had to incorporate appliqué. I had got the most recent issue of Quick Quilts out of the library and was in love with the pumpkin quilt by Ramona Sorenson. I had the idea to use a couple of the pumpkin blocks and make a runner. The stems would fulfill the appliqué requirement.

But that seemed rather not a lot of appliqué. So I had the idea to use only two pumpkin blocks and put a phrase in the centre. I pulled up the font I used for my coasters I'd made when I was the Challenger for Desire to Inspire, downsized it a bit, and off I went.

Why turquoise pumpkins? Well, I'm often looking for modern vibes in quilts, and I thought maybe this would go to my non-loving-quilts daughter, Brianne. (I'm making progress, but don't tell her...) Anyhow her son, my grandson, Brady, loves them. In the eating area of her kitchen she has an accent wall of a beautiful soft turquoise, called Opal Silk. I showed her the pumpkins runner with the blank canvas in the centre.

Doesn't her enthusiasm leap off the iMessage screen?!

I used my favourite appliqué technique, invented by Lara Buccella, Crafted Appliqué. I printed off and cut out the stems templates and the phrase and in no time, wrong. In more time than it took to make the entire runner up to the words, I had the letters all cut out and applied to the centre. That is not because of Crafted Appliqué; it is because the letters are pretty swirly, and had to be cut out twice: once from paper and then from fabric.

Quilting had to be simple, especially when I realized I had 24 hours to get it done and blogged! Straight lines, like her placemats I knew I'd do. Hmm, might be awkward around the 'Give thanks'. I don't bury threads, and with the grey batik, starts and stops would be very visible. Solution? Quilt lines with my walking foot up to the centre, switch to my FMQ foot and quilt one of my favourite motifs, swirls with a few pebbles thrown in. This was I could also stitch down the letters, not that one has to with Lara's method, but it makes them pop a bit, in my opinion.
I absolutely love this polyneon by Madeira thread. It's got such a beautiful sheen.
The pumpkins got wavy lines.

The stems got another favourite thread, Sulky metallic Holoshimmer.
Aren't those batiks insanely gorgeous? I had to include that yellow and orange fish one, as Brady loves fish. He'll get a kick out of that I know it!

I stitched the binding onto the back and top-stitched it down on the front with Aurifil 28 wt. It's one of my own threads, and I love that weight, especially for top-stitching. I used one of the turquoises in the pumpkins.
My new label again.

Here's the back, more of the grey batik we were given. I just love their solids.
Lovely texture. Guess what I used for batting? Flannelette! Yup. I love it, or flannel, in runners and small projects. I am out of Hobbs Thermore, waaah! Not bad texture here though, right? Preshrunk before layering, of course, as it shrinks more than regular cotton, and definitely a lot more than batiks.
The sun was low and clouds were jostling its rays, but I managed to get a bit of angled light.

And here's a shout out to my beloved Bernina.

That's the back. The tension is every bit as good as the front. Those threads meet in the middle of the quilt sandwich, and there's not a lot of filling since it's just flannelette inside. I used the Madeira in the bobbin as well, for all of the threads, Sulky metallics as well which are used on the stems. Perfect, with the walking foot and with FMQ.

Quilt Stats:
Pattern:  Original design using two pumpkin blocks in Ramona Sorenson's 'Patchwork Pumpkins' quilt
Size: 14 X 39"
Fabric: Island Batik
Backing: Island Batik
Batting: flannellette
Quilted: on my Bernina
Threads: pieced on my Featherweight with Aurifil 50 wt; quilted with Madeira Polyneon, Sulky Holoshimmer metallic.

Now it's time to link up your finishes this week! Be sure to visit some of the links and spread some comment love.

Linking up
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
The Madd Quilter
Quilt Fabrication
Alycia Quilts-Quilty Girl
Clever Chameleon
Dizzy Quilts for the Q4FAL
You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

19 comments:

  1. That is so pretty, Sandra! I love the aqua and orange together!

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  2. Beautiful, and the quilting is the icing on the runner.

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  3. Who would have thought aqua pumpkins would look so darn good. Love the quilting!

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  4. Pretty! What you call "simple quilting" I call "broken threads and tears." You make it look so easy! happy finish and happy weekend!

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  5. What Cindy said -- who knew aqua pumpkins could be so cute! Nice quilting too, Sandra! A great finish!

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  6. Hi Sandra! "Sure. Thank you." Oooh, yes - sign me up to sew and quilt something for her. HAHA! Gotta love it. What a modern take on a Thanksgiving table runner. AND you met the deadline easily enough. Of course, I adore all the nice closeups of your quilting. Your thread changes amaze me - perfect for the area you're working on and the back sums up all of the beautifulness at once. Should B decide that she cannot give this piece a good home . . . I know a place that would. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  7. Great project - love the color choices. Aqua is so pretty with orange and rust.

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  8. Cool color combo. Love those turquoise pumpkins!

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  9. I love the turquoise pumpkins! There are probably ag science people trying to develop a variety of actual gourds in that color, even as we speak. It's the next hottest thing :)

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  10. Love your turquoise pumpkins! Here in the USA, turquoise pumpkins are put out at Halloween to signify that your house has non-food treats for those kids with food allergies. Love the way you quilted this as well. Your daughter's enthusiasm is a bit underwhelming!!!

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  11. Love your words. They where worth the effort. Love that turquoise too, and the fish you put in for Brady.

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  12. I just think this is so special and pretty, Sandra. I kind of bend towards wanting a little more modern touch so this works perfectly, imo. I wish too that I would finish something to join your link party...one of these days, LOL.

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  13. Was hoping to make this linky party, but it will be the next one! I love this - teal pumpkins are just awesome. The texting is too funny - any yes contains hidden enthusiasm right?

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  14. Love the teal pumpkins! Why we don't use more teal in autumn quilts, it's a great way to tie in that slightly yellow/green/teal sky we get as the sun goes down this time of year.

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  15. Wow! Pretty fantastic! You never cease to amaze me!

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  16. Her enthusiasm just jumped off the screen - ha ha!! I really like that runner tho and the quilting - to die for!!!!

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  17. I love your teal pumpkins, and such great color contrast! Very fun, and I'm glad your daughter likes it though her enthusiasm is perhaps well hidden.

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