Sunday, January 27, 2008

It's Australia Day today, and I am spending it at the Statler, quilting a 20 year old UFO. I actually began this on Australia Day 1988, and when it's finished I will post some pictures and tell you the whole story, and why I remember the exact day. I think it's very appropriate to finish it on its birthday.


As to what we did yesterday, just look at this mammoth quilt of mine. It measures 104 x 82, and it stretched the boundaries of the Statler just a little; we only have a 12' table. It was tricky starting each row, because the keyboard and mouse from the computer take up a bit of room, and the machine barely had space to squeeze past. But there were no disasters, and it went smoothly from start to finish.

It was a rather bland top, lots of empty space where there were just expanses of one colour. I used a busy panto called Pearl Bay, with a blue and green variegated thread, and I couldn't be happier with the result. It looks totally transformed, and I love it now, whereas I hated the top before quilting. It's amazing how quilting can bring a top to life, I never get used to the magic of it.

And as for the back......It's a collection of ultra-ugly prints, and it really offended me to piece them all together instead of throwing them away. But I wasn't going to waste good material on this horrible top. Now I like the back too; those fabrics are still ugly, but they are a quilt now, and that redeems them somehow. I certainly wouldn't reject this quilt on a cold winter's night!

And because I met a designing deadline I rewarded myself with a trip to the patchwork shop. I was quite focussed and mainly bought blues, indigos and shirtings. That's understandable. What I don't get is this; I just fell in love with it and had to have it, and it's hardly Me at all. There is a quilt lurking in the back of my mind, and one of these days I'll set out to make it. And everyone who sees it will say 'I never thought You would make a quilt like that....' Oh well, we've all got a bit of Maverick in us somewhere.

5 comments:

  1. I managed to get a 105 x 105 quilt done on my Statler 12 foot table. It definitely used most of the machine. I raised the monitor and keyboard to the highest point it would go so that the machine could go under it. If my room was bigger, I could have made the monitor go to the outside of the machine. Your 20 year old quilt is very pretty for 20 year old colors. You must love it now.

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  2. that dot fabric is grand! The colours are nice and rich, and I love the 60's feel to it :-)

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  3. I want to try and make some backs like this as well.
    I have some fabric that I don't think I will use so this is a great idea for them.
    I love this dot fabric too, just fun.
    The quilting is just beautiful on your big quilt! oh shirtings you can never have enough...in mho!
    Kathie

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  4. That huge quilt is just lovely! Love the quilting & the colours. I also love the random back.
    Hehe, about the orange circles!

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  5. Your quilt is lovely and it is so true about how quilting brings life to any quilt. Am curious about your Statler .... could you have loaded the quilt onto your machine using the 82" width instead of the 104" thus leaving you more room to maneuver around? I don't have a LA and am just wondering. Love the backing fabric on your 20yr. UFO. and the way you have different designs on it.

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