Thursday, June 26, 2008

spectrum quilt-new and improved


Remember this quilt top? I have had it completed since early January. I lacked motivation to complete it, mainly because I didn't want to finish a king sized quilt that I didn't L-O-V-E. I knew I wouldn't use it on my bed, so there it sat, in a basket for a long time. A few weeks ago I started ripping it apart to remove the white sashing. I could have just cut it all apart, but I would have lost 6.5" by cutting it apart at the seams, and the quilt would have been too skinny. I didn't want to make more colored strips, either. So I ripped. And ripped. And ripped some more.

Then I had to reinforce the beginning and ending of most of the seams because they were coming apart. It was quite tedious. (That is a gross understatement.)

During the past several days I have been plugging away on it. I am happy (and very relieved) to have it back in quilt top form.
It now measures 78" x 87" and I am back to being excited about it.
It's so good to know that all that stitch ripping paid off.
I can't wait to quilt it now. I plan to back it with cream colored fabric and then quilt each line with matching thread. So for the pink strips, pink thread on the front and back, for the green strip, green thread front and back, etc. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is smooth sailing from here on out-this quilt has given me more than enough trouble already.

55 comments:

Anonymous said...

ooooooooooooo it looks awesome. are you going to put it on the bedw with the stripes vertical? LOVE IT!

Reg said...

I think that of all your quilts, this is my favorite. I love the variety and colors!

Di~ said...

I like I like!!! I liked it with the white sashing too!!! Is this a pattern? The graduating value of the colors is inspiring, I'd like to try it. (When is your original post on this quilt?)

Tine said...

I love it!!! It looks so great! And it really is an amazing difference between the two ways of using the strips!

Anina said...

Woohoo! Looks great. I wouldn't know what to do with a king size quilt I wasn't going to use on my bed either. This is so much more practical.

Wendy said...

All your reverse stitching really paid off, this is gorgeous!
You inspire me -

driftwood said...

it's gorgeous, I mean I liked it before, but I'm so impressed with your dedication to make it just perfect, can't wait to see it quilted.

Nanette Merrill said...

I love the color waves. It is so pleasing to the eye.

mariarrosa said...

I love it and I think the idea for the quilting is very very nice, I'm looking forward to seeing it finished.

Heather said...

Holy moly you are dedicated. This will prove worth all the frogging (what we knitters call ripping out stitches...rip it rip it rip it). Gorgeous!!

Anne said...

The original quilt is pretty fabulous, but then when I saw what it looks like without the white sashing - WOWZA!! Isn't it great how that inner voice keeps us from finishing projects before they're ready to be finished?

Danetta said...

What a big change! I liked it before but I love it now. Can't wait to see it finished. You are just so amazing!!

QuiltNut Creations said...

that's allot of ripping! love it both ways personally lol. happy quilting!

nikko said...

The tedious-ness of it all would have done me in a while ago. I love the concept, though! ;o) Good luck!

Philigry said...

oh, i am in love. i love this quilt both wats. Sometimes time away from a project is all we need. Doesn't it feel good to pick it up again, and be excited? whenever i have an unfinished project, it stresses me out too much and i sometimes finish it without being in love with it. i should wait until I am in the mood again. Thanks for the reminder!

kat | Taylor Made designs said...

wow. You are so good. Can I borrow some of your energy and motivation? I have so many projects I need to move forward on and I find myself with no motivation. How do you do it?? {oh, it does look fabulous!}

Linda said...

I like the watercolory effect of it without the sashing! This will be so pretty when it is done!

Amanda Jean said...

d spack-

this is not a pattern, just something that I made up with a strip of nearly every fabric that I owned at the time.

I posted about the quilt here:

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2008/01/spectrum-quilt.html

and here:

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2007/11/ive-created-monster.html

aj

Amanda Jean said...

carolyn cmb

if it goes on a bed, the stripes will be horizonal.

aj

jacquie said...

Good for you! It's so much better to work on a quilt when you're liking it. I like this better too.

sulu-design said...

My, you are one patient and driven woman! I'd like to think that I would have spent the time ripping and reinforcing until I got to the desired design, but I don't think I'd have had it in me. Good for you for not stopping until you got it right. The revised version is great - so much better than with the white sashes. Sweet payoff!

Cheryl Arkison said...

I really like your idea for quilting. The back will look amazing!

Unknown said...

All that ripping paid off big! It looks amazing - you should be really excited about finishing it =)

Rebekah said...

this is amazing! one day I dream of making a quilt like this! : )

Oiyi said...

I love it like this!

Heidijayhawk said...

i liked it the first way, but i LOVE it now!!! work well done dear friend!

Beth said...

This looks great! Thanks for sharing your work. I find that it helps to blog about our challenges, as much as our successes. Congrats on not settling until you find something you like.

ps. I am starting on your quilt-a-long and am up to week 6. I will post a pic on my blog once I get there. I am a beginning quilter and this is the perfect project for me to work on.

Lisa said...

Wow! You are so brave to do all that ripping! when do you find the time to do it?! Love the new look, though! Can hardly wait to see it finished!

Unknown said...

I have to agree with everyone else - it looked good before but it looks even better now! It's gorgeous!

mckie2 said...

I liked it better the first way - but then you weren't asking for opinions. Just call me contrary.

Katherine said...

Wow! You are amazing. I loved the way you had it the first time, but think your redo is wonderful. I especially love your idea for quilting using thread to match each band of colour front and back. Now I can't wait to see how it looks quilted!

Anonymous said...

I love the new version! It looks beautiful! But I cannot believe you had the patience to undo/redo the whole thing! I would have just scrapped the whole thing, I just don't have the patience. But I'm so glad you did and you had the vision of what it could become. I'm in awe!

lera said...

i liked it before, but i think i like it better now!!! you are such a patient woman! or you must have been very bored :-)

(hey! i just noticed the "teacher quilt" on the sidebar, but it doesn't have a link! are you going to share it????)

Dawn N. said...

I LOVE it. It's wonderful.

Meike The Dutchlady said...

I think it looks great. Good luck with the quilting.

Rachel said...

I like it much better now as well! I just bought some batting (the last component I needed) for my first quilt! I'm going to start working on it tomorrow.

Stephanie D said...

I'm contrary, too--I liked it better the first way. But then again, that's because we're all different, ourselves.
I have to say, though, your patience is astounding!

Unknown said...

Hi Amandajean, I have been following your blog for some time now. I am amazed at how fast you make a large quilt. You make it seem easy, while I am sure it is not. I had to send you a message. I really love this quilt. It is so beautiful. Can't wait to see it when it is ready.
Take care,
Marianne.

Kucki68 said...

It looked good with the sashings, but without them it has more movement and energy! Ripping certainly paid off.

Days and colors said...

It is SOOOOO beautiful!!!
I like the colours and your idea for quilting is a great one! I can hardly wait ot see it done! You are amazing!

Betsy said...

I really liked it the first way but both ways look nice now. You gotta do what you love.

Sweet Woodruff said...

It's beautiful. I want one.

Karen said...

WOW, how beautiful! Glad you're now happy with it and will be finished! All that time you spent un-stitching was really worth it. Great job!

Anonymous said...

I think it looks great. I can't imagine how much time you put into cutting all the pieces and sewing the thin strips. It's very pretty with or without the borders!

Anonymous said...

I'm just letting you know that I've finally put up a photo of the quilt-a-long quilt I completed for my son. It's only a thumbnail size picture.... I've been having enormous trouble with Wordpress at home only putting up thumbnail sized photos, so in the end I thought I'd just put a tiny picture up and be done with it! He loves his quilt and it looks very effective.

SewAmy said...

it's beautiful.

Clair said...

Ripping out stitching can be a pain, but it is usually worth it.

Emily Cole said...

Wow, that is really beautiful! I think I may have to make one similar to that! (once I get enough fabrics!!!) I love the stitching with same color thread, that will look really cool on the back! Wow - that's about all I can say for this one!

dawnkristine said...

I Love it! Can you tell me what kind of batting you prefer?

Leslie said...

that is a really beautiful quilt top. I would say good luck but i am sure you don't need it all your quits turnout beautifully

Amanda Jean said...

dawnkristine,

I love warm and natural or warm and white cotton batting. I purchase it at Joann's.

amandajean

Dawn N. said...

Thanks for your nice comment on my blog. And that's so neat that you and your sister are both July 4th babies! Happy Almost Birthday!

Needled Mom said...

The gradations of color look fabulous. It looks like a fun project too.

sarah, rsm said...

i love your spectrum quilt - both ways! you've inspired me to begin collecting pieces for one. what was the original measurement of each of your colored strips?

Jan said...

So pretty! What a difference that small change in design made...not to minimize the work involved.