I hope that your Holidays were very happy and that your New Year is off to a great start!
The last few weeks of 2009 were a bit of a crazed blur at our home, starting with my daughter getting stranded for a few extra days in London due to bad weather and canceled flights, (happily she made it safely home 2 days before Christmas) then the plumbing broke and the car died. 2010 rolled in to save the day, just in the knick of time, and all is now well, (knock on wood!)
The Quilt
In between all the "fun", I did manage to start a new, utilitarian inspired work quilt, which helped calm me immensely. This is the first layer. I started with various sized pieces of shot cottons in blues and greens, pieced together to form long rows.
Next I machine quilted lots of closely spaced rows, of varying widths, followed by long rows of multi colored hand-stitching
I have just a few more rows of stitching to complete, and then I can move on to the 2nd and final layer which will be made up of appliqued patches and more stitch work.
The Barn
You may have noticed that I have a new blog banner to start off the new year. I wanted something to reflect the new path I am headed in and since I find a lot of visual, and soulful inspiration from the old, weathered barns found around where I live, I thought it would be fitting to use one in my banner.
The barn I choose to use in my banner is my new favorite. It is almost within walking distance from my home, but I never knew of it until a few weeks ago when my husband took me to see it.
Situated on State Game Land, it is gloriously removed and remote, with nothing but fields and trees all around.
Here is the date stone... 1795... isn't that incredible?!? To think it has stood for so many years and now has entered its 4th century! I find that most inspiring.
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Over the next few weeks I hope to start making some more changes to the blog and to my shops. I will be emptying my Etsy Shop of any remaining merchandise, (the big sale is still on, but not for too much longer!) and slooooowwwwly be filling it back up with new stitched work. Stay tuned!
47 comments:
Amazing lovely quilt! Fabulous how you mix the fabric hues and machine stitch with long stitch. Wonderful. Karmen
Wow. I'm speechless. Another stunner in the works! Your talent blows me away.
Love the barn - don't you wish it could talk!
Loving the new quilt! Your hand stitching is just gorgeous.
Utilitarian never looked so fabulous! I love the colorway and can't wait to see the final layer applied. Great stuff.
Your new quilt is gorgeous, but...I was checking my email and took a quick peek at the "etsy finds of the day" and saw a quilt that I KNEW was yours! I just wanted to to let you know that your work is easily recognized and very much appreciated by me. Thanks for your contribution to the art world, I love it! Big hugs, Elaine
I LOVE your new quilt. I like so much the mix with hand and machine quilting. Amazing!
nichi
A wonderful way to start a new day... to see your new quilt! The machine- and handstitching together makes it even more interesting. Curious to see the new layer added. Those barn pictures are lovely and so is the new blogheader!
I am so glad I know of you and your blog. You are a grand inspiration! I am loving this new quilt already and since I am an old farm girl ... the barns are right down my alley as well!
rosie/the fabric shopper
Love your new quilt Vic and a great big Happy New Year to you! Oh and I also just found in my inbox the Etsy email that featured you! Congrats!!! Pity about those unfortunate hiccups just prior to the new year, but 2009 looks to be going well for you so far! I'm looking forward to another year of wonderful creations from you and getting to know you better! Love the barn btw. I'm intrigued by all the barns you guys have over there. I'm wondering if they're used in a functional kind of way? Can they be converted into homes or studios or something? Or do they just sit empty? Please excuse my ignorance. I'm imagining how they could be transformed into lovely homes. Perhaps that isn't allowed and they're heritage listed and are not to be altered or something. You're very lucky to have them around you just to enjoy looking at! I want to live in an area filled with cute barns!!! I'm rambling..,making up for lost time coz you haven't blogged for so long ;D
What a gorgeous way to calm your hectic holidays. Green and blue are my two favorite colors and the stitching really makes a subtle statement. Can't wait to see the next layer. Love old barns. Best of luck with your new direction.
like the new banner -- I can see how the worn abstract surface fits your quilting style...
what is 'shot' cotton?
love the new quilt!
I adore this quilt Victoria, beautiful.
Happy New Year to you too, Victoria! Looks like you have another beauty in progress there; love the hand stitches and fabrics. I have just finished hand stitching a piece of linen; you are right, it sure help reducing the stress.
Do you ever get bored of me saying how much I love your work? I wish there were new ways to relay my feelings.
I'll focus on that banner today because it's just so cool- it looks like it could be your creation should you decide to quilt in a neutral monotone (the idea of which just gave me goosebumps!)- so, if it's an indication of things to come, I'm excited about your future paths. Heck, I'm always excited about your future paths no matter what. Bring it on, girl!
As always, much love! Wishing you the best for 2010.
xoxo
Michelle
Thanks so much everyone!
Allie, yes I do wish that barn could talk. Just imagine the history it has seen and the stories it could tell!
Hey Harriet, you know your ramblings are always welcome here! The barns seem to have different functions. Some are for animals, and some for tobacco drying, or hay storage. Sometimes the barns around here are converted to studios or apartments/homes, but not often. Often I see old barns that are just slowly falling apart, and you can see stuff stacked all over the inside and I always wonder why doesn't the person who owns all the stuff come and fix up the barn up? I have become completely smitten with these seemingly forgotten relics, and they really are just everywhere around these parts! This particular barn shown is in good shape and seems to now be used as storage, but I believe originally it once housed horses, and probably buggies, (carriages).
Dee, Shot Cotton is a even woven cotton fabric with a different color weft thread and warp thread. Depending on what colors were used and how the cloth is held, the two different colors often combine to create almost an iridescent look.
Michelle, nope, I never get bored by it and you can tell me till the cows come home... it makes my day, as I respect you so much! (And yes neutral monotones are on the planning board!)
thanks for the definition, Victoria!
Another gorgeous work in progress. I can't believe all that hand stitching!
Gorgeous work, Victoria! You are a Goddess of Hand Quilting and I bow down to your beautiful even stitches. :)
Love the new banner and sorry about all the 2009 worries. Now it's 2010 and we can look forward to lots of love and luck. Happy 2010!
Love the soothing colors of your newest quilt.
And what a great old barn!
Happy 2010!
This quilt is FANTASTIC! You rock! Happy quilting in 2010!
Woo Hoo....this quilt...it's a GOOD thing!!!
Oh wow! I love that blue quilt. I think I need to add some shot cotton the next time I allow myself to buy new fabric. And I really love the way you did the stitching. I always love straight line quilting but the hand stitching in between ROCKS!!
What patience you have with your hand stitching -- and the results are wonderful! May you have a creative 2010!
Diane
Hello, I'm glad your daughter made it home in time for Christmas. And your new quilt is gorgeous, I love the colours and the lines
: )
Happy New Year! I have combined machine and hand quilting in one piece before, but not with the elegance of your piece. I really like the look of all those parallel lines. It looks like, at least on the creative front, 2010 is off to a cracking start!
The quilt is wonderful - so calming. And the barn is gorgeous, lots of character!
You quilt is just as amazing as your quilting! one word: fabulous!
I love your new banner, Vicki!
Be well,
Maggie C. Mowery
I love your interpretations of utilitarian/work quilts!! And your hand quilting, well, it's amazing and gorgeous and perfect! I don't know how you do it- mine is so uneven that I think NO two stitches are the same length! LOL!
I thought maybe you used those two ended needles, but apparently not- the one in the picture is a regular ole needle.
Wow, what a beautiful quilt! It's going straight to my inspiration folder.
Your quilt is wonderful. I love that you get the groundwork done on the machine and then have all the fun quilting.
Thanks for showing the barn..,it completely squashes the idea that ther eis no history in USA! whats more if it was here someone would have unsympathetically 'restored' it.
Oh the suspense of waiting for Layer Number 2! And of course your barn is stunning. I was hoping as soon as I saw the banner that we'd get a little background. It's so you -- and an inspiring start for a promising new year.
My oh my - I love this quilt and the fabrics and colors you have chosen are stunning!
Oh! As many people have said before me - this quilt is fabulous - the texture amazing!
Takes me forever to complete any quilt & here you are, churning out all these beautiful pieces!!! Can I move into a barn nearby to learn how you manage these!!!
good lord! I don't know how I missed this post - but thankfully I found the pic on flickr and then the post - I say "thankfully" because this my favourite colour combination (in the wholllllllleeeee world) and I find this piece so inspiring!
thanks for that - can't wait to see where you take it...
I don't think I've ever seen such a wonderful combination of machine and hand quilting! Great texture and great colors! I love it just as is.
I can't help wondering how you handle the technical bits. Like, how do you keep your machine quilting from distorting the fabric (i.e., pushing it ahead slightly)--do you use a walking foot? What brand of machine? How do you baste?
Thanks again everyone for the lovely feedback!
Meg, to answer your questions...
I sew on a Bernina 1630, which is no longer made, but is a great machine.
For the machine quilting, I pin baste with regular large safety pins, (one trick that I picked up along the way is to insert all your safety pins where you want them, but don't actually close them until all of them have been placed. The idea is that if you fasten each one as you go, you distort the surrounding fabric bit by bit. But if you wait until all of the pins are in place, you will have far less problems.)
I always use a walking foot when machine quilting.
I keep my hands positioned flat on the quilt, one on each side of the needle. I try not to push or pull, just guide and feed the quilt nice and steady, and it all seems to work out.
Thanks for asking and I hope that helps a bit. :0)
Happy new year to you too! I love the quilt and can't wait to see what you will add on top!
Lovely barn and quite different from the traditional barns here in Finland, they are usually made partially from wood that is painted brick red.
I love the barn, and even more so because your husband found it and thought you would love to see it. That's so very romantic. I think it looks lovely as your banner, too. I'm so glad to be back reading your blog; I take great inspiration and solace from it!
I love the new banner
gorgeous quilt and stitches. yummy.
I just stumbled upon your blog today...I am amazed! Your work is incredible. I love how you have combined handquilting and machine quilting. May I ask what sort of thread you use for your hand quilting? I love to hand quilt and would like to try something like that where the stitches stand out more.
Thanks!
Mandy
mandbrid@hotmail.com
I love your work and you celebrate my love for barns too. Nothing more intriguing than a barn. What type of thread are you using for hand quilting-embroidery floss, pearle cotton? It adds a wonderful dimension to this quilt. Glad I found you and your blog.
Thanks for so much inpsiration and sharing your ideas... I love the simplicity of your new quilt. I am afraid I will never find the time to make such a quilt, then again, if you look at it as therapy ;-))
Keep going!
Another gorgeous work in progress. I can't believe all that hand stitching!
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