Quilt 23: Table Runner (2 of 2) for Kathy and Katherine

Here's the other table runner I'm doing for my friends. This one is in the process of being quilted now, but here's the design:

(Click photo above to view larger image)

The turquiose-with-flowers print is lovely - AND the flowers are Australian native plants, making it an even better souvenir! We bought the fabric without being completely sure of the dimensions Kathy would want for this one. Worrying that I'd come up short, I had them buy a smidge more yardage than I really thought I'd need. As it turns out, though, I've used nearly every scrap.

Below is the full top:

(Click photo above to view larger image)

The binding will be done in the same deep green/gold as the border/edging, and there's enough of the tan/gold (used to in the block "frames") for the backing.

The finished runner is meant to be 63" x 16".

Quilt 22: Table Runner (1 of 2) for Kathy and Katherine

I mentioned Kathy and Katherine's visit to Australia last week.  When they were here, Kathy admired a small table runner I'd made. I offered to make one for them - it would make fun projects for me, and a one-of-a-kind souvenir for them.  So off we went to my favorite quilt supply store.  It didn't take long for them to find prints to make a runner for their dining room table. As we stood at the cutting counter, Kathy spotted a bundle of prints with peach and turquiose prints in it. She was clearly in love, and the bundle was inexpensive, so on the spot I suggested she buy it and I'd come up with something.

I'm laughing just a bit - because at the time I thought it was a bundy of fat quarters. It wasn't. It was "fat eighths". Fortunately, she only wanted a small runner - 38" x 15", so although I did have to go back and pick up a little more fabric, I was able to make it work.

I opted for a diagonal design: 

(Click the photo above to see a larger image)

Oh, my.  I thought it would come together easily. It didn't. Getting the points to line up in the center turned out to be a LOT harder than I expected.

(Click the photo above to see a larger image)

I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Like all of my pieces to-date, the top was pieced by machine and then hand quilted.

(Click the photo above to see a larger image)

For the binding, went back to the fabric store to see if I could find one of the prints on a bolt. But the store didn't have any of those prints!  EEK!  The fabric for the edging (and backing) could have been used as binding, but I felt it would be too bland. Instead, I grabbed the off-cuts and pieced them into strips, making the binding from that.  As you can see - it worked our really well!

Yes - It's Been Over A Year

Uh... where did 2014 go?

I'm still here, still quilting.  Just not blogging.

But I've got some finished projects to share and a few in-progress, so here we go, let's see if I can get back in the groove.

At the moment, I'm getting some photos together to post here, will get those set up and post them, starting next week. There's bedspreads, table runners, and a couple of "throw" size quilts.

In the meantime, I've got a story to tell you. Back in August 2013, I put up a series of posts about "Rob" - a self-taught quilt artist in Colorado. Rob is the next-door neighbor of my good friends Kathy and Katherine, and I met him when hubby and I visited them that year.

Rob was very kind, showed me some of his amazing quilts and gave me permission to share my photos with you. And oh, what an gifted quilter he is. An amazing eye for colour and design - and what gorgeous pieces of art he's created.

I absolutely went mad for one quilt in particular. This one:

(Click the photo above to see a larger version)

Honestly, it's the most gorgeous quilt I've ever seen.  Little 1" blocks meticulously hand-pieces and hand quilted. And the arrangement of the coloured prints - not random. No. They are very deliberately arranged. Ever since I saw this quilt back in 2013, I've thought how much I'd like to make one like it. But, honestly, the idea of all those little blocks is intimidating.

Yes, it's just little squares sewn together. Sure. But look closely. Folks, it's not a simple quilt at all.

Rob's piecing isn't random. Have a look at the closeup below. I've circled 4 blocks in particular to show you. Notice there's 2 red ones, 2 black ones, diagonally from each other. Now look again at the photo of the full bedspread above. Each and every diamond on the quilt has the solid red and solid black blocks in exactly the same position.

(Click the photo above to see a larger version)

HOW THE HECK DID HE DO THAT!?!??!  It astounds me. I can't imagine the concentration and attention to detail required to get those solid blocks positioned so precisely. And those red and black squares are the only solid blocks (other than, obviously, the cream ones).

And the prints he used - oh, what charming pieces. When you look closely, you notice that there are halloween prints, Christmas prints, Valentine hearts, and so on, almost an homage to American holidays. And, of course (as you can see from the first photo above), the overall effect is like stained-glass.

It's brilliant. Simply brilliant, partly because of it's deceptive simplicity. Simple? Only if you don't really look closely. And the more I study it, the more astounded I am.

Well - Kathy and Katherine visited us here in Australia back last January. They brought all kinds of goodies from the US for me - my favorite soap, hair dye (a L'Oreal colour which, for some reason, isn't available here), and other treasures. The big moment came when Katherine brought in her duffle bag, unzipped it, and THERE WAS THAT QUILT!!!!

Yes - the quilt you see in the photo above. Recognize the bedroom?  It's my bedroom here in Australia. Yes, folks, as astounding as it is, Rob sent that quilt to me. Kathy and Katherine said Rob simply wanted me to have it. He knew I fell in love with it and, well, there you are.

It's been almost 3 months, and I still can't walk by this quilt without stopping to marvel at the artistry, and at the generosity of the man who made created it.

Thank you, Rob.

Oops! What happened?

Uh oh... I've been neglecting this blog.

There are reasons.

We've just had a parade of tradesmen doing this and that. A new balcony for the second floor, painting about 1/4 of the interior, new bamboo floor in the kitchen, new carpet in the loungeroom, stairs and entire second floor. We're not completely done, as now I need to paint the balcony and the exterior windows on the north side of the house - and so on.

So, well, I've just been busy.

And now here comes Christmas barreling down on me. I'm not ready! Not remotely ready. EEK!

And so... hm...

I need to see where I am with all my various projects - and whether I can come up with anything worthwhile to post here. Should be able to. I just have to find my misplaced discipline.

Stay tuned...