Sunday, 7 April 2013

Well what can I say?

I love it!


The whole quilt is made from just the one shape.


I've written about the process before; here (close ups of some of the blocks), here (where I asked for layout ideas and then ignored them all) and here (the quilt top all sewn together).

The original inspiration came from Material Obsession II - Jazz Hands.

Each piece was individually cut out (albeit through several layers at a time) and I tried to fussy cut some of the centre shapes.



I know you can EPP this and have seen it called Antique Star Rose on quilty blogland but I'm not a huge fan of EPP. I think it takes too long and I'm not sure why I would want to add more stages to the process (cutting/buying paper, tacking shape to paper, removing said paper) when you can (imo) achieve the same result just hand-sewing each individual piece together. I hugely admire EPP projects I have seen - they are just not for me.



As it was such a whopper of a quilt, I decided to hand-quilt inside all the little shapes and then machine FMQ around all the negative space.



And as the contrast between the low-volume background and the shapes and borders is so marked, I just grabbed any old scraps for the two dark borders so it was a fantastic scrap-buster. You don't need to ponder if a particular fabrics 'goes' with the others because it doesn't matter: you are cutting them quite small and as long as they provide enough contrast to the lights, they are fine, providing a nice homogenous mess.



Well what can I say?

I just totally love how one shape can create something so individual and scrappily delicious.

I do like a bit of portable hand-sewing to slowly do and this was most definitely it.


And now it's finished I've just discovered the next portable hand-quilting project :-)



Linking up to WIP Wednesday

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67 comments:

  1. May Chappell7 April 2013 at 11:49

    Absolutely amazing!!! Amazing! Love! Love! Love!!!

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  2. dutchcomfort7 April 2013 at 11:50

    I’m speechless Alison! This quilt is soooo beautiful!!

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  3. Lesly7 April 2013 at 11:58

    It is spectacular! What an accomplishment! I do love the scrappy borders! I'm almost finished with mine (EPP) and I only hope it looks as good as yours!

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  4. Jenny7 April 2013 at 12:12

    oh how i adore your scrappy border alison. i just finished block 15...makes me want to go pick up the next one right now!

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  5. Susan7 April 2013 at 12:40

    Congratulations on a great finish! (i hadn't heard of the alternative name before!)

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  6. Fiona @ Poppy Makes7 April 2013 at 12:57

    Love love love love love it!

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  7. Leanne7 April 2013 at 13:10

    This one is stunning! And so inspiring too. I love the quilting, both the hand quilting parts and the machine parts. It is a quilt you can just keep looking at.

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  8. Mommarock7 April 2013 at 13:22

    OH MY GOOOOOSH!! I'm gushing!! This is so totally awesome! I'm in EPP love here! Why did I start another Hexie quilt again??? Dang it!! I wish I had seen this before I cut all those stupid pieces :( I want to un-do it... go back in time and start over!! boooo hoooo! Oh well there will be more quilts.

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  9. Empty Closet Quilting7 April 2013 at 13:32

    So incredibly gorgeous! A real work of art.

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  10. Katie 7 April 2013 at 13:39

    simply stunning

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  11. Linda7 April 2013 at 13:50

    Gorgeous! Just love everything about this quilt, the lovely scrappiness which comes together to make such a beautiful whole quilt. Your choice of hand and machine quilting was a perfect choice!

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  12. maria7 April 2013 at 14:06

    Oh Lordy it's gorgeous I'm ploughing my way through the same design. It's interesting to see how someone else has used their fabrics. I agree that's easy to hand sew rather than EPP.
    I can't wait until my son gets off the lap top so I can see your quilt better rather than on the small screen on my phone x

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  13. kelly7 April 2013 at 14:07

    *sigh* another glorious quilt! you are a quilt rock star!

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  14. sarah elizabeth :: {no} hats7 April 2013 at 14:09

    Oh. My. Goodness. This is incredible!!

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  15. Karee7 April 2013 at 14:51

    Extraordinary! I sure hope you enter this in a contest somewhere, somehow.

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  16. Jess @ Elven Garden Quilts7 April 2013 at 15:51

    I am in love. This is just amazing, beautiful and brilliant.

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  17. KJC7 April 2013 at 16:37

    This looks absolutely wonderful. I am still on my first block - those pesky 72 pieces are not coming together as quickly as I had hoped. ALTHOUGH I have changed over to EPP method (using glue) as I cannot abide the dots and I cannot eyeball a straight 1/4 seam. Do you use dots and/or eyeballs and estimates!?
    L

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    1. Little Island Quilting7 April 2013 at 19:29

      I eyeball...dots are a process too far for me!

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    2. KJC7 April 2013 at 21:54

      Thanks for the reply. I will have another go at eyeballing and see how it goes. I am always keen to try techniques others use especially if they are quicker and yours must be soooo much quicker than the EPP method.

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  18. Kim Brackett7 April 2013 at 16:39

    This is so gorgeous! I love everything about it. Especially all the fabrics. I think you covered it all -- plaids, stripes, florals, geometric, bold, quiet -- I could look at this for hours. Beautiful!

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  19. Taos Sunflower7 April 2013 at 16:43

    Your quilt is fabulous! I am going to have to have someone tie me down so I don't start one of these before I finish something else. SIGH. PS Would you mind sharing the approximate size of the blocks you cut, as well as the finished size of the quilt? I just ordered a template for that shape and wonder if it would work.

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    1. Little Island Quilting7 April 2013 at 19:28

      69" wide and 75" long. The actual kite shapes is 2 3/4" on the long sides and 1 3/4" on the shorter sides and you need 72 to make a block. You have to look on it as a slow burn project and take it one block at a time!

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  20. Carla7 April 2013 at 16:51

    You do THE most amazing work! Always a treat to visit your blog.

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  21. https://www.bloglovin.com/@sewbird7 April 2013 at 16:53

    I love how you fussy cut the inner fabric to create a kalidascoppe effect. Your quilts are so beautifull and full of color.

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  22. Brenis7 April 2013 at 17:00

    I think you're officially insane! Lol! No way I would ever willingly do thousands of the same piece! Kudos to you! :)

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  23. SIMPLESEW7 April 2013 at 17:12

    it gorgeous... what shape is it called?

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  24. Diane-crewe7 April 2013 at 17:27

    it looks wonderful and well worth all your efforts xx

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  25. Indianna7 April 2013 at 18:12

    I have the same questions as LTT -though if I search back I'm sure you told us at some point.

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  26. Indianna7 April 2013 at 18:13

    I hate it when I can't edit a comment on my ipad...I was trying to add that I need to take hand sewing with me on my travels and this looks an ideal project.....not sure if I would use EPP for the accuracy though?!??

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  27. Archie The Wonder Dog7 April 2013 at 18:45

    It's fabulous - I love the different way you've used fabric/colour in some of the centres so that they look different! Oh, and I'm completely with you on EPP!

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  28. Jo7 April 2013 at 18:47

    Another stunning quilt.

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  29. Venus de Hilo7 April 2013 at 18:59

    Superb! Love the double border.
    So want to make one of these, but must finish a hexi undertaking first (3 years in, has not been worked on in months; feel motivated now, seeing this, to resurrect and attempt to finish it.)

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  30. Caroline7 April 2013 at 19:02

    And so you should love it! Gorgeous work, a piece of art.

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  31. Jen7 April 2013 at 19:40

    It's beautiful!

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  32. Mike Pearson7 April 2013 at 19:46

    I love it too!

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  33. evamarie7 April 2013 at 20:28

    This is truly fabulous!

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  34. Deborah7 April 2013 at 20:49

    Wow! Wow! Wow! Stunning quilt!

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  35. pcflamingo7 April 2013 at 21:26

    That is a beauty! So much movement and life.

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  36. Mrs Flying Blind...7 April 2013 at 23:04

    No idea of how you deem that 'portable' but it is bloody awesome!

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  37. Alyce @ Blossom Heart Quilts8 April 2013 at 01:14

    Hand. Pieced?! No. Way. Mega kudos to you!

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  38. quiltmania8 April 2013 at 01:29

    Incredible. Love how your fabrics all play so nice together. Congrats on a great finish!

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  39. DeborahGun8 April 2013 at 01:58

    This is gorgeous. Such a huge project to have hand pieced and hand quilted. Up to recently I have only hand-pieced my quilts (small projects!) and I was wondering why lots of people use EPP when pieces can just be hand-sewn together. I guess it is just a personal preference!

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  40. Erica8 April 2013 at 04:09

    SO BEAUTIFUL! I shrunk this block down once and made it for a bag in a swap. Once was enough, never making it again, but your quilt almost makes me want to! This is absolutely amazing.

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  41. Nancy8 April 2013 at 05:08

    Delicious! It makes me smile and laugh feel joyful! It's amazing to think you used just one shape and I love how you fussy cut some of the centers. Looking at it reminds of how much I loved kaleidoscopes when I was a kid -- and I still do but the colors aren't as bright now, which makes looking at your quilt so much fun!

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  42. Charlotte8 April 2013 at 07:27

    wow!!!!!!! It is incredibly beautiful!

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  43. Annabella8 April 2013 at 10:32

    It's beautiful. Unlike many people who endlessly ponder whether a colour goes, I don't...it's a quilt!

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  44. Jeannette8 April 2013 at 10:49

    I am in awe of this quilt! I want to make it! I love the way you used the low volume fabrics (something I do not have enough of) to make it all pop. If I order a template to make this do I just submit the sizes you mentioned earlier? Thank you for sharing all the information and the beautiful work you created!

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  45. Anonymous8 April 2013 at 13:09

    Actually amazing- I wouldn't have the confidence in my seam allowances not to EPP this!

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  46. Sarah @ FairyFace Designs8 April 2013 at 13:09

    This is so fabulous. I absolutely love it <3

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  47. Carli The Quilter8 April 2013 at 14:30

    I love this and I love hand sewing. I recently began following your blog and wow, this is stunning!! I'm going back to read your other posts on the process. Thanks, you must be so proud of this piece!!

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  48. natalia8 April 2013 at 18:29

    Very nice and cute!tender color!

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  49. audrey8 April 2013 at 19:08

    Beautiful! I love how you combine your hand quilting and machine quilting into the same quilt so effectively. Very impressive combination of scraps and beautiful design! Love it!

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  50. Taryn V.8 April 2013 at 21:21

    Stunning quilt! I would have never guessed it was just one shape at first glance. Fantastic job!

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  51. Carla8 April 2013 at 22:52

    I am incredibly inspired by this quilt. Just ONE shape?? Mind blown.

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  52. Anne8 April 2013 at 23:06

    Another stunner! You make the most amazing quilts! A Jazz hands quilts is also on my to-do list, but I've only finished one block.

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  53. Anonymous9 April 2013 at 03:59

    Speechless......You come up with the most spectacular quilts! What's your secret???? Please share!

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  54. Geta Grama9 April 2013 at 18:45

    It's amazing that you hand stitched this quilt without the help of paper. I just finished a huge EPP project, it took me forever to remove the basting stitching and the paper templates, I have to try next time without paper.
    I love the block with kaleidoscope effect and the borders adds a lot the design - you wouldn't say it is made only with one shape!

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  55. Una9 April 2013 at 20:25

    Fantastic! Congratulations!

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  56. Η Πευκοβελόνα10 April 2013 at 10:43

    Well done! This really awesome! Maybe I should try that one shape pattern for my Rose Star EPP (a spring plan), instead of the other that seems much more complicated.

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  57. Cynthia Brunz Designs11 April 2013 at 03:43

    Absolutely wonderful! Love how it turned out.

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  58. Anonymous11 April 2013 at 12:29

    That is really stunning. I don't think I have another handsewn quilt in me at the moment, maybe in the future though and this would definately be something worthwhile.

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  59. Unknown13 April 2013 at 23:58

    It's totally amazing! And mindboggling that it is made from just one shape...
    Cottilello x

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  60. Claire Jain20 April 2013 at 18:00

    KABOOM! That was the sound of my brain exploding. I just love everything about it, the border, the blocks, the background, the binding, the quilting. Oh, quilty love! I love all of the fussy cutting :-) All those little kite shapes! Well done!

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  61. Pam21 April 2013 at 18:30

    material obsession is RIGht !! love this ...hope it makes it from my to do list to DONE list xoxo pam

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  62. Kristie23 April 2013 at 15:10

    Can't remember if I commented on this previously and too lazy to sift though the above to check.....even so, worthy of multiple rounds of applause :)

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