It's gorgeous Daniel. I'm enjoying hearing about how your decide what colors to use, what you have in mind for the overall effect.
Thanks Pacnorwest. I'm not in their league, not even close. I've been to the quilt show, but only once. I don't think mine compare to theirs. There is a quilt show I might go to in April but only to look. One thing that's really different, is it seems to me that the vast majority of quilts at the last show I went to, were quilted on high tech computerized long-arm quilting machines that make all sorts of intricate quilting designs. I asked at the show, what the machines cost. She said $20,000 to $30,000 dollars I've seen some lower end ones on the internet around $1,000 . My 1990 Kenmore sewing machine that I bought at a yard sale for $40 just can't compete LOL. But I like it very much. I'm not going to invest in a long arm quilting machine. I just do it for my enjoyment. I hate to say it, but I think some of those quilts are over-quilted. Some seem to feel like cardboard - not really something for an average home bed quilt. The sewing is pretty stunning - really amazing. I think it takes a lot of skill, even though some are computer-assisted. It's just not me. Here's an example (source is in the image) That's lightyears beyond me LOL. here's another - it's from a web search. https://www.pinterest.jp/pin/longar...machine-quilting-designs--552324341794094586/ So that's why I won't enter my quilts in quilting shows. It's way to advanced for me. But I'm happy with my own quilting.
i agree …Daniel’s quilts are showing a ‘Handcrafted skill’. The examples shown are using programmable machines. Or automatic quilting machines that use frames. It’s entirely different , than handcrafted quilts. And no division of displayed quilts from quilting machines are in fair competitions. After all the whole idea in competitions are the designs and talent of the hand crafter. Not from a machine. It is not hand handcrafted. Daniel you have amazing talent and you do beautiful work and amazing presentations of the art and skill of handcrafted quilts. See fair program secedule for more details. Every quilt entered are to be handcrafted that are entered in all fairs. SEE Catalog for 2023 Washington State Fair. https://www.wastatefairs.com/events/filters/iso=1 It doesn’t mean you have to enter yours at all . Just simply want to note there is a distinction between the two . One is handcrafted , can be entered in fairs, the other computer programmable highly spendy machines cannot be entered.
Thanks @Pacnorwest for all of the info . And for the compliments. I looked at the links a little. Today I did a little work on the red star quilt, but not enough to post. I took apart two triangle blocks because I decided the background fabric was too flimsy, and re-made them with a somewhat sturdier fabric. I also experimented with the triangle blocks that will go in the edges between the outer points. No conclusions yet about those.
My mum used to make quilts with her sister. They sewed theirs all by hand (not even a machine). What an enormous amount of work that was. It was a commercial pattern, and always the same…not a great deal of imagination, but that is what she liked. She made them to order and enjoyed a modest income.
My gram, mom and aunt made some hand crafted quilts. The intricate workmanship is phenomenal. It just never stuck with me. So nice to see many of Daniels handcrafted quilts. I’m sure whatever fabric you decide on will be be perfect.
Now all of the saw-tooth triangles are completed and arranged. I started the first background edge, that will be N S E W of the completed 8-pointed star, but somehow the border strips were 1 inch too short. I will make new templates and try again. After that, it will get small red 8-point diamond stars, and some more background, in each corner. Then a border and it will be ready for quilting. The triangles are numbered, and I took photos, so they will go in the same locations. Even though they look the same, there are multiple directions for the sawtooth borders, and they would look odd if I messed up the order.
Here is how I made the corners for the star quilt top. There aren't many more big pieces of some of the fabric (although I still have LOTS of the reds), so I did a lot of improvising. The corners start as red diamonds and grey triangles. Then sew two triangles to each red diamond. Then sew together to make squares. Squares are more straightforward to work with, than diamonds or triangles. Then sew four squares together to make a star. I made four of these stars. These are much too small for the spaces they will fill, so I gave them borders. This was the last of some of these fabric pieces, and I had to be a bit creative to accommodate the odd shapes and sizes I had available. Then I got anxious about whether it would all fit together. So I put it all together. Now it needs a border and a backing. I ordered some cotton batting, too. The backing will be pieced together too, but far simpler and just large squares, if I have enough. I want to use up most of what I have. The border will be a light grey/white pattern, and the binding will be more of the red fabrics. I'm a bit anxious to see how the quilting will go. This top isn't completely flat, but I hope the quilting and the final wash/dry will take care of that. The reason it isn't perfectly flat, is that the triangle borders weren't a perfect match for the triangles, so I had to do some stretching. This is a learning process, although I stretched sone squares of a previous quilt to match corners, and it turned out just fine. Since this is almost entirely made from fabric, upcycled from men's thrift store or estate sale men's cotton shirts, the fabric choices are opportunistic and limited, but the quality of fabric is higher than what can be bought at a fabric store. Except the two Indonesian batik fabrics, which are heavier than other quilting fabric. At this point, I had to arrange pieces on the floor. I had to leave the room for a minute, and discovered... Who left that muddy footprint? A mouse? It doesn't look like duck or chicken. I don't know... Could it be...? But it washed out easily, using some dish detergent and water. No harm done.
Thanks for showing the process! I need to ask around if anybody I know have any relatives near you, Daniel. Some nice relatives that might pop by your place, buy one of your quilts and send it to me.
I must be obsessed. I have four other quilts in a "thinking about it" stage. Much different from previous ones. Also, more variety in colors and styles.
