(I have edited this post to add, easy access, voting links.)
To vote on the top 25, Viewer’s Choice, click here.
To vote for your favorite hand-quilted, click here.
To see and vote on all the other categories, click here.
“Blowin’ In The Wind”
Welcome to my little part of the world! I hope you are enjoying the Festival as much as I am. Grab a drink and sit back and let me tell you the story of my quilt. Then hop back over and enjoy all the other beautiful creations!
I am a hand-quilter it is what I do. I’ve been hand-quilting for over 35 years. I enjoy the slow pace of stitching love into each quilt and carrying on a tradition passed down to me from my grandmother. For so long I thought there weren’t many of us left. I now know there is a revolution going on and it seems everyone wants to learn. If you are a hand-quilter or think you might want to be you should check out the most friendly Facebook Group I know, Celebrate Hand Quilting. With over 6,000 international members, there is always something to learn, be inspired by and help close at hand.
Are you familiar with Oakshott cottons? It was February 2013 for me. If you have played with Oakshott you know it is a memorable experience. If you haven’t played with them let me explain. The fabrics are hand-dyed and hand-loomed by master weavers in India. The warp and weft are woven with two slightly different colors, creating an irridescent shimmer of light and beauty, that does not photograph well. This creates a glimmer, a sheen, almost a sparkle and makes it such a tease!
I played with my collection a long time before I finally decided to cut into it. My plan was to whack up some fat 1/8ths of this lovely fabric to make my version of the 12 Trees Quilt by Helen Howes, for Oakshott. I also shopped for 1/8th yard cuts of different batiks to use as the actual trees. I had a vision that by using batiks my trees would sparkle even more.
As I played around, I began to worry that this beautiful fabric, which feels more like a voile, than my go-to Kona solids, felt a little too fragile to make the queen/king size quilt, I originally planned.
About that same time I came up with the idea of making a special quilt for an annual fundraising auction that is near and dear to our hearts. This would be the perfect project. I would make a wall hanging that would also be big enough to use as a lap quilt. All the trees would represent the forested area of Northern Michigan where the auction would take place. If you have been followed along you might remember this went by the temporary name of Fundraising quilt.
I feel like I need to explain why I am still in possession of this beauty and why it took so long to finish. This quilt was put on pause because the fundraising committee decided they were changing their direction and were no longer interested in my quilt being part of their auction.
Right.
I know. It is still painful.
But I picked up the pieces and continued on…
On to *my* quilt.
On the recommendation of my friends over at Celebrate Hand Quilting, I decided to try wool batting for the first time. I didn’t understand all the raves, for wool, until I tried it. It creates the perfect amount of texture. It has enough poof to define your stitches, but not too much. It has a loft similar to a polyester batting but retains, or releases, heat as only wool can.
If you have never hand-quilted with a wool batting, it really makes such a difference. Nice, small, hand stitches are possible and it is like stitching through butter. No wrist and hand pain with this! Your needle just glides through the layers. Between the Oakshott and the wool this was so much easier than any other hand-stitched quilt I have ever worked on. Seriously. If you haven’t tried wool, you should look into Hobbs Heirloom Wool.
And I probably shouldn’t have worried about making a bed quilt with this fabric. Though it comes off as frail, I have no doubt it will hold up well. 100 years heirloom well? Not sure about that. The zero bleeding or fading, of these intense colors, is very impressive, for sure!
Then came the question of how to quilt it. I knew it would be hand-quilted but struggled with an exact plan. I tried several different ideas, big stitch, outline stitching, stitching in the ditch, falling leaves… Put them in, take them out, try another, take it out….
I finally said stop all this indecisive silliness and decided to go with my very first thought, when I dreamt up this quilt.
The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
Wind swirling around the trees. Trees blowing in the wind.
Freehand style wind blowing through the trees. Seasons of wind and seasons of trees.
I first discounted it because it seemed too time consuming and too *hard*. The time consuming part was actually the indecision, lots of wasted time, there. The hard part wasn’t hard, it was just something I had never done before. I’m traditionally an outline quilter. I had to break a lot of self-made rules to do this!
Stepping out of your box, taking chances and trying something new is not comfortable. But boy can it be rewarding. This is now our very favorite sofa throw. 🙂
Leave me a comment so I know you were here. Thanks for stopping by!!
“Blowin’ in the Wind”
Category: Hand quilted quilts
48″ x 52″
An original by: Sewfrench
Inspired by: 12 Trees by Oakshott
Oakshott cotton
Backing and Binding by
Robert Kauffman, shot cotton
Machine pieced
Self quilted in a freeform style
using Aurifil 28wt thread
To vote on the top 25, Viewer’s Choice, click here.
To vote for your favorite hand-quilted, click here.
To see and vote on all the other categories, click here.
May 24-29 – Vote for favorites in each of the categories
May 30 – Winners announced
Previous Festival entries:
Flower Garden ~ Fall 2009
Mosaic Tiles ~ Spring 2011
Shoot For the Moon ~ Fall 2011
Bubble Quilt ~ Spring 2012
Out of This World ~ Fall 2012
Thousand Pyramids~ Spring 2013
Head Over Heels in Love ~ Baby quilt ~ Fall 2013
Take A Hike ~ Art quilt ~ Fall 2013
Also linking up with:
Show and Tell
Finish It Up Friday
A Stitch in Time
TGIFF
Sewfrench 
Wow. My mom hand quilts so I am familiar with the time it takes. The density of this hand quilting is impressive! And I love what you did outlining the trees and the windy waves. It is beautiful!
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Hand quilting does take a lot of time. The drape and texture can’t be duplicated by a machine though. Nor can the calm, and peaceful feeling, that comes from quieting the mind while quilting! Thanks for the appreciation!
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Now, aren’t you so happy to have this glorious quilt among your treasures! Their loss, and your gain. It is beautiful and the hand quilting sets off your trees perfectly.
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Thank you , Pat. It still stings.
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That quilt is just beautiful! First I like your color arrangement, then your quilting wowed me. Not to mention the cool photo on the fence. I too have wondered if oakshots would be durable enough for bed quilts and hesitated.
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I find that by taking digital pictures, rearranging, taking more pictures really helps in layouts. It really helps me *see* my quilt through different eyes. If not for that, I would be driving people crazy asking for their opinions. And I can’t believe that fence has been at the back of our property as long as we have lived here and I was so slow to *see* it as a perfect place to photograph quilts!
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PS I also meant to say that I have also spent more time figuring out how to avoid something that seems too time and energy consuming, only to find that the doing takes less time than the avoiding.
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I know!! I am such a slow learner, LOL!
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I love your combination of contemporary fabrics and doing hand quilting! And I share your appreciation of wool batting! And how many deaths will it take til we know that too many people have died?
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This is what happens when I am torn between the bright modern fabrics and the vintage classic quilt styles that scream for hand quilting.
And Yes, how many times must a man look up
Before he can really see the sky? 🙂
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This quilt is absolutely gorgeous! I love it! I am shocked that anyone wouldn’t jump at the chance to have it in their charity auction. But as you say, their loss, your gain.
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I know. Right?
I do believe the committee needs replaced. We didn’t bid on anything this year and usually we are bidding, and bringing home, several items
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Fabulous saturated color!
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And non-bleeding is a bonus!
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WOW! This is beautiful! I love the color combo and the quilting really enhances the quilt design.
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Thanks, Mina!
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The fabrics sound wonderful to work / play with! Yes CHQ is a friendly group indeed! 🙂 This is a lovely quilt and I can certainly tell that you enjoyed every minute of hand quilting it! 🙂
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Thanks, Deb!
And yeah, once I got going on a plan I loved, I did love every minute of it!
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As a relatively new follower, I’d never seen this quilt before. And I must say that I’m glad you chose to enter it as it is so marvelous!
I am seriously debating using a wool batting the next quilt I make … I prefer a very low loft, though, and am concerned about puffiness. Still … I love the prospect of quilting with a wool batting.
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I think you should try it. The more quilting you add, the less puffy it will be. I always quilted on 100% cotton, I liked that old-fashioned crinkly quilt look cotton gave. This is different, but I still love it!
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I also,hand quilt up here in Eastern Canada. Do a fair share of machine quilting as well… Too many quilts too little time… Love using wool bating. It comes in different lofts and it not too puffy. I love echo quilting and putting a lots of it into my quilts. Yours is beautiful!, love it!!, I do not blog but love seeing,what mothers are doing. I have recently joined the Celebrate Hand Quilting group.
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Yes, outline and echo quilting are my hand quilting go-tos. I don’t think I knew wool batting came in different thicknesses. I will have to see what I can find. Thanks, Sue, for the sweet comments and for stopping by!
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I absolutely love that quilt! I also love to hand quilt and just recently started English paper piecing. I have never used Oakshott cottons or wool batting but I will try them out.
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Definitely try them, Vicky. I think you will love them both!
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All I can say is, that charity is insane, the quilt is gorgeous. I don’t comment unless I absolutely LOVE something and I love your quilt!
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I’m blushing!
Thank you, Brianna. 🙂
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Oh my …. what a stunning quilt!
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Wow!!!! This quilt is so stunning. The colors, fabric choice and placement, quilting, everything. I. Love. It. This is beautiful!!
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Thank you, Ashley!
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This is amazing! Absolutely love the colours!
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Hi Lori. It’s beautiful! I’d say you’re lucky they didn’t want it for the fundraiser, because you get to keep it for yourself! I love the colours and especially what you’ve done with the hand quilting. It really does look like the wind.
I’m a member of Celebrate Hand Quilting too, and like you, have never gone ‘free style’ yet. All of my hand quilting to date has been straight lines, but I did break out and do diagonals out in the open on my last quilt.
Your photos show the quilt off brilliantly. I love the last one, outdoors on the old fence.
I’ll be adding my entry to the hand quilting category today – the more the merrier to show hand quilting isn’t just for grandmas!
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Hand quilting can still be for Grandmas but Grandmas are getting hipper all the time, LOL
You should give freestyle a try. I actually started out by drawing some of the lines in with a blue washable pen before I got brave enough to just go at it. It is very liberating. In the past I was a straight-line or echo quilter, too. Thanks, Wendy!
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It was a blessing in disguise that this quilt did not get donated ! How wonderful it must be to get a glimpse of it daily ! That is a thing of beauty, and the quilting is wonderful !
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Awww, thank you, Dolly.
I do believe that all things happen for a reason. I just don’t understand it yet!
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What a gorgeous quilt! A feast of colours… I have discovered the wool batting too, and it is now my favourite!
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Thank you, Elena! I just wish wool wasn’t so pricey, but it is worth it!
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I have been waiting soooooo long to see this one finished and it was totally worth it!! It’s so beautiful, L! Love it! And your quilting is always so beautiful…
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Well, someone was watching after all!
I’ve had some health issues and just haven’t been very productive over the last year. A slow mover for sure. I can always count on you to be a great cheerleader!
Thank you,Carly!
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Making the quilting appear like wind blowing through the trees was a wonderful idea. I’m so glad you got to keep this beauty for yourself – the silver lining to that sad treatment you received.
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🙂
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This quilt is just amazing. Love it. Your hand quilting is so perfect for it as well!
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Thank you, Beth. I am finally happy with this one!
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I love everything about this quilt!! I can’t beilieve it wasn’t accepted for the auction. The universe works in mysterious ways and maybe there’ll be somone else whose life will be brightened by this quilt in the future. In the meantime you get to enjoy it. It was great to read your thoughts on wool batting.
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So true, Rachel. We will sit back and watch what happens now!
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Hi!!!! I love it all!!!! The colors are wonderful and the quilting is exquisite!!!!
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Thanks, Carla!
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That is a very beautiful quilt, and I love your hand quilting! Absolutely amazing!
Thank you for your comment on my blog. I tried to answer you via email, but I received an error note.
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Thank you, Steffi. Not sure why the error. Hmmm…
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Very beautiful! Your stitching is fabulous!
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Thank you, Audrey!
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You create beautiful and interesting quilts that are a feast to the eyes and mind. Your talents are amazing! And now you have sparked something in me that says I need to look into learning to hand quilting. I used wool batting on one of the quilts I finished this past winter and the recipient loves it. He tells me it keeps his 86 year old bones very warm and cozy at night! I love to quilt modern and when I show them at my quilt guild the clapping is the golf clap and not the rousing, “wow, you just blew my socks off clap” (like I just gave your quilt), but I am learning that is ok. I tell myself they just “don’t get it”. I am sure an “online” auction of this quilt would raise a very nice sum for whatever charity you wanted to donate it to.
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Hand quilting may be slower but I think it is so worth it. I hope you take it up. The Facebook group is very helpful and so are the many youtube videos that are out there.
I love how wool works to keep you both warm or cool. Besides how easy it is to hand quilt.
I can appreciate the modern, lack of appreciation at your guild. Just keep at it and eventually you’ll have a few come around to your side, I bet!
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seriously lovely quilt
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Thank you, Moira!
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This is stunning! A visual feast. So impressed
Hillary
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Hi! This became gorgeus! I remember how you began this quilt and already knew that it will be something Special! Colours and design are fantastic and I love your hand quilting! x Teje
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Trying to live up to your colorful projects, Teje! Thanks 😉
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Your quilt is beautiful and the quilting really makes it a work of art. I admire your patience and talent to hand quilt!
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You can do it, too! Thanks, Sonia.
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Lori,
oh my goodness! this quilt is truly breathtaking. since they didn’t want it for the auction (I can not even fathom…????) you get to keep it, is that correct? it’s a true beauty! you did an amazing job on all parts of it….it glows! I just love it. can you tell? 🙂
thanks for linking up to finish it up Friday!
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Why thank you, Amadajean! I do get to keep this beauty, for now. I will wrap myself up and continue shaking my head and whining, “I just don’t get it”… 🙂
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that is such a gorgeous quilt! The fabrics are special and the design is great, but it’s the quilting that really makes it. Well done for stepping out of your comfort zone, it really paid off!
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This quilt is gorgeous! Your hand quilting is stunning. It’s for the best that you have this beauty but hard to believe they didn’t jump on the opportunity. It would have raised a lot of money with their support. Their loss, your gain.
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Absolutely gorgeous.
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Wow-oh-Wow! I just popped over from the Blogger’s Quilt Festival to get a better look at this this beauty! This is truly a special quilt and I’ve no doubt you will cherish the opportunity to keep it. Just stunning…
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It’s absolutely beautiful. And thanks for the review of wool batting. I’ll have to look into that.
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Wonderful quilt! Beautifully! Original! Great!
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Pingback: And they all played games… | Sewfrench
I so agree with you the pleasure of slowly hand quilting a quilt and watching the design emerge in a very organic fashion. I would like to try wool batting sometime so thank you for the recommendation, Good luck with the viewers choice contest but as long as you love it, its a winner.
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I’m kind of in love with it 🙂
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Oh my I’m in love . That quilt is divine!
They were nuts for not wanting it in the auction.
Is it for sale?
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They are nuts for not wanting this amazing quilt in the auction.
I love it ! Such a stunning array of colours .
Is it for sale 😉
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Beautiful. This is by far my favourite quilt, it just jumps off the screen with life. So happy to have found a great new blog too.
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Pingback: It’s Time to Vote! | Sewfrench
This is absolutely beautiful!! Hope you win, I’m sorry but I didn’t see where to vote!!
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Links are at the top of this post, Cheryl. Hopefully you can find them!
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Lucky you! You get to keep this beauty. My sister always says, “Things happen for a reason.” It is gorgeous – I think you’ve just added Oakshotts to my TO DO list. Love the way that it is quilted and thanks for the tip on the wool batting. I’m a pokey hand quilter, primarily because it’s one stitch at a time, but maybe wool will get me doing a running stitch.
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Came upon this just by chance, I live in Venezuela, I quilt and every day I thank God for the Internet. I love your quilt and voted for it in both categories, simply stunning and I hope you win First Prize although keeping it is pretty cool too! Debbie Kemball uses Oakshott a lot, have you seen her work? Now I have seen yours Oakshotts have become a must have!
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I love finding new blogs randomly! Debbie Kemball does *amazing* work! Thank you for reminding me to see what she is up to!
You should try your hand at Oakshotts if you get a chance. They are beautiful to work with!
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Absolutely stunning! What a treasure!
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Congratulations on the nomination 🙂 It’s a beautiful quilt and I love the ‘warm’ feeling it has
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this is so beautiful
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Thank you so much for sharing this quilt and your story. I imagine you might have felt a bit vulnerable, telling us that the committee had declined to include your quilt in the auction. Their lack of vision does not diminish your quilt or your talent in any way. This is a work of art. For me, it is the best in show, and that is in a crowd of very beautiful quilts.
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Awww. Thank you, Beth, for your kind words!
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This is beautiful, and that you’ve hand quilted it…wow! My daughter, who loves trees, would love this. 🙂 Thank you for the inspiration!
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Thank you for the information on the Oakshott fabric. Is it readily available in fabric shops or is it online only? Your quilt is a work of art and the “committee” who decided against it would be so mad at themselves if they saw it now. Perfect choice for the quilting–blowin’ in the wind, and beautifully done.
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Thank you for your support! As far as I know Oakshott is only available online. There are some other shot cottons that are available online, Peppered Cottons, Kaffe Fassett, Rowan, Robert Kaufman… I know Kauffman’s are heavier, almost a chambray weight, the others I have not tried.
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I love your quilt! Kudos to you for doing all of that lovely hand quilting! I truly love it. I’ve never hand quilted. I doubt I could stand to with the hand injury a couple of years ago( smacked a door right on my lower thumb bone). It still hurts today and messes with my creative side 😦 Maybe I will try something small one day. good luck in the competition 🙂
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Love this quilt… I’m sure I saw it before – during the making of it you shared it somewhere on some linky. I was and am very impressed. It is more simple than some, but that is part of the charm. Love the wind!
Hugs
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I did share it a couple of times, Terri. I had such issues figuring out a quilting plan among other things. While I do love the complicated stencil quilting, it just isn’t me! Thank you!
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A STUNNING quilt!!!
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Pingback: Blogger's Quilt Festival :: Winners!! | Amy's Creative SideAmy's Creative Side
Congratulations on your win! This is a beautiful quilt. You did a fantastic job. Love the story too!
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Oh, hooray for you! I am so happy and heartened that your beautiful quilt won. It was absolutely this viewer’s choice.
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Thank you, Beth!!
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Congratulations on your win. I’m not into hand-sewing anything, so you definitely have my kudos for your patience in hand-quilting. What a terrific job!
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You should give it a try Laura. You might find it a calming influence in your life! Thanks!
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It’s beautiful. Plus nice to find out there are more hand quilters out there. I’m hoping to try my hand at hand quilting this year. I’ve got a hand pieced quilt top that’s been waiting for me to dive in. But it’s a queen size quilt so I might try with a cot size quilt first.
Do you use a frame?
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I do not use a frame. I quilt in my lap after pin basting my project. I quilt all sizes this way with even stitches and smooth backs. We take a lot of road trips and I enjoy being able to take them along to quilt as we travel. Give hand quilting a try. You can make it as simple or complicated as you want and yes, there is a lot of help, out there, to answer your questions, now! Thank you, Nic!
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Bless you, this is a most fantastic version of my design.
Oakshotts wear just fine – I have skirts made from them that I wash frequently and work in.. Don’t be afraid of the fabric (Have you ever tried to tear it?) I have made lots of OS quilts
Helen Howes
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Do you have a pattern for this quilt? IT IS STunning,
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It was inspired by Helen Howe’s Twelve Trees pattern. You can probably Google it and find it.
Thanks for the compliment and visit!
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