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Thursday, August 13, 2009

sugar + spice + everything nice


Here is my quilt from the Old Red Barn quilt along-finally finished. I've had a roller coaster ride with this one, as far as me liking it. I loved the fabric, then put it all together and thought about putting the top up for adoption. I had a hard time settling on a backing I liked, too. Since I quilted it, though, I love it again.
When piecing this one, I decided to press the seams on the blocks open. It took a long time, but it made the quilting easier. After making this quilt, it strengthened my dislike for strip piecing. I know it's efficient and all, but I personally don't care for the process. I think it's because I'm an excessive back stitcher.
This is one of my favorite fabrics of all time to use for binding quilts...in any color way...I love it every time.
For quilting, I branched out. Again! I owe a big thank you to Cheryl for helping me break free from my stippling rut. She has helped me get over my fear of "I'm going to ruin this quilt if I don't stipple it." She encouraged me to try to come up with a quilting design based on one of the fabrics in the quilt. This is what I came up with, inspired by this fabric. Isn't it fun(ky)? I really like it. A lot. It was a happy accident that I chose to quilt in rows, as the design of the quilt (the strips) kept me going in a fairly straight line without any marking. I love it when things work out like that.
For the backing, I used one strip of the patterned fabric down the middle and put the solid pink on each side. Much like this quilt back. All the backing came from my stash. Actually, now that I think of it, this is a 100% stash quilt. I wonder if I get extra points for that??? :)
This is a full size, measuring 72" x 90", but I'm using it on my daughter's twin size bed. I really like having the extra overhang on the sides. Now I just have to order some fabric to make a matching sham. The cutie pie doll on the bed came from Carol. :) She matches perfectly.
Can I tell you just how much fun it is to have a little girl in the house?

110 comments:

  1. It is lovely and the quilting is certainly fun(ky). I think it works with perfectly.

    Glad you're back! (In a no-pressure sort of way.)

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  2. Anonymous1:28 PM

    It's beautiful Amanda! I'm glad you came back to loving it. =)

    Michelle

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  3. I am sick of strip piecing, too! I hate it when the seams start coming apart where you've cut them. Is there a trick to preventing this? Smaller stitch size maybe?

    Very nice quilt!!

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  4. Love your quilting - so fun! That Cheryl is always thinking outside the quilting box!! :)

    You back stitch when piecing?

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  5. Glad you came around on this quilt - it is lovely and your daughter must be very happy

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  6. What a beautiful quilt!

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  7. That quilting rocks! Way to go.

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  8. You definitely get points for using all your fabric from your stash. But alas, now you must replace it, right? Great job and beautiful quilt.

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  9. your quilt is great!!! i love the fabric you used in binding, but i can't find it... :S
    the quilting looks amazing!!!! it was dificult?

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  10. such a lovely quilt, amanda jean!

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  11. Oh its just gorgeous! Well done on the quilting too! I have my fabric picked out for the ORB quilt-along... but waiting for one more package then I can start! Yay!

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  12. I just love it and I know what you mean about girls I have 3!!

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  13. Gorgeous! It was worth the wait.

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  14. that is gorgeous, I love it!

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  15. I love the quilting! Really beautiful and unique!

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  16. wow, the colors are so fun and summery! I really like the quilting, would have never thought of that, but it looks great! Have to keep that pattern in mind in the future.

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  17. I did a stacked coins table runner and when I put the strips together it was totally skewed, kind of scared me off strip piecing. I think I sew a fairly straight 1/4" seam, but maybe not!? I love that pattern though, your fabric choice is beautiful.

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  18. love it! Did you use your walking foot or freehand the quilting of the bobbles?

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  19. LOve the quilt but I love the quilting even more!! I want to try something like that but I don't have the guts....maybe I should just DO it...yikes!
    Paulette

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  20. Your quilt is lovely, the fabric is very pretty and I love your quilting, I am going to try machine quilting on my next quilt but it scares me to death.

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  21. Great quilt Amanda Jean.
    I am sure your daughter loves it-
    Good for you for quilting out of your comfort zone-
    I love how your back turned out too.
    Happy Quilting,
    Warmest regards,
    Anna

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  22. Lovely!! I am so scared to start quilting mine - I am debating getting it done for me. AHHH what to do?

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  23. marielle,

    i used my free motion foot for the quilting.

    aj

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  24. It's so pretty, Amanda!!

    I Love a quilt to hang down low on the sides too.
    I'd go with a different sham. Something with some similar colours an a,aybe a few of the same fabrics, but maybe more darks, or a different pattern. I love that collected look.

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  25. Oh! the little LADY has sweet new quilt and dolly! She must love that!
    Tell her I think it looks really neat!
    B says hi!

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  26. Oh wow, Amanda Jean, your quilt is beautiful!

    I must have missed the quilt-along (but then I am so behind in blog reading that doesn't surprise me).

    Your quilting is great also; it's fun to see what you come up with.

    Keep up the good work. . .and go at your own pace, that way the rest of us can catch up!! LOL

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  27. I just love this quilt, the colours are beautiful! The quilting pattern is also so neat.

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  28. Very cool pattern for the quilting. It's always fun to try new quilting patterns.

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  29. Oh how I wish I had your eye for color,mmm mmmm mmm. I can just picture your cute one laying on that great quilt!

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  30. This gorgeous quilt looks great on your little girl's bed! Interesting quilting...looks pretty with these fabrics. Again, you are such an inspiration!

    Karen

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  31. I just LOVE that quilting design. I will be stealing that idea for my current quilt project. Thanks!

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  32. Love the colors. FYI, backstitching is used in garment sewing but generally not in quilting. Typically the only time it's used in quilting is when you need to stop 1/4" from the edge for a "Y" seam or other inset seam. Otherwise, since almost all seams are crossed over by other seams, backstitching is not necessary.

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  33. The quilt is beautiful. I appreciate your description of the quilting method. I have just learned to stipple from one of your tutorials--I have watched it several times--now I will try other methods--Thank you! Glad you are back!

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  34. I had the same issues with my quiltalong project, I tend to hate all the fabrics until it's finished. This time it was just one fabric in particular that I hated.

    I was just thinking yesterday that I wish you could do a more simple quilt along like ORBC's. I can't do all the little 9 patches or stars really. I need something that is pretty mindless I can do during naptime and other quick moments. I'd love it if you did something like that!!

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  35. Amandajean...how could you possibly have doubts about that exquisite piece of craftsmanship?:) It is absolutely fabulous from the fabric choice to the quilting!:) That is a great pattern on the quilting...I have one more of the 1st ORBC to finish and I think I am going to try that! Thanks again for the inspiration!:)

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  36. I love it! So pretty! And I love the quilting you've done!

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  37. This quilt is simply beautiful! I love the strips and the colors and the patterns of the fabric and your quilting. Just an all around gread job!

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  38. Oh that's lovely, the colours are fabulous!

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  39. I really love the quilting you did on this one. Someday I will be brave enough to try machine quilting so that I am actually able to finish quilts rather than just make the quilt tops and then put it away because the thought of hand quilting the entire this is overwhelming!!

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  40. Good job finishing your quilt. My top is done but I haven't gotten around to finishing it yet. I like the way you quilted it. So different. Makes me want to try something different for mine.

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  41. I just love it! It looks wonderful on the bed too.

    I finished mine (ttp://www.flickr.com/photos/22251943@N02/3789347528/)
    a couple of weeks ago and I had such a fun time working on it. It was my first quilt-a-long. Fun to feel like you're working on a group-type project at your own pace.

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  42. I would totally say you get mega points for using only stash. I really love the pinks and greens together in this quilt, and the quilting is fun. I can't wait to get a top together so I can try something new.

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  43. i love the colors and the quilting!

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  44. This quilt turned out great. i love the colors, and especially the quilting. I am terrified to actually quilt one of my quilts (other than straight lines). I have a few that are just waiting to be done.I am afraid of ruining them too. I took a machine quilting class hoping that would ease my fear, but still haven't taken the actual plunge of quilting yet...some day.

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  45. Oh, the quilting design is lovely. Love the binding too... it's a gorgeous quilt. Cute dolly :)

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  46. Gorgeous quilt. I agree pressing open the seams makes quilting easier but it is a pain to do. I like you quilting too. You are inspriing me to try different things.

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  47. Great quilt. I love the quilting. (I had to laugh that you were going to put it up for adoption! Funny girl.)

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  48. Your quilting is wonderful Amanda Jean. I'm still deciding what to do with mine. I'm all pinned and ready to go but I'm still hovering between straight line and stipple. And yes, little girls are a delight. Mine's just morphed out of pink....it's a bit sad but they do have to grow up I suppose. I just wished I'd started quilting and discovering all these fabrics when she was little.

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  49. So very nice! I give you 10 points on your use of stash- and such a great stash of colors, too. Pretty! pokey

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  50. Anonymous6:32 PM

    Oh I love this quilt. How pretty is it? VERY :)

    Also, love your new stippling.
    Colour me, impressed!

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  51. what a great quilt! the quilting is perfect. i need to break out of my stippling rut--my problem is I feel like stippling is fast, and I just want to get the quilt done!

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  52. I can't believe you don't like it? It is gorgeous! Maybe it will grow on you. How perfect for a girls room!

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  53. I really LOVE the quilting you did on this...I"m going to try that sometime soon.

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  54. I have to say, while it might have given you some fits, the final product is gorgeous! Bright and fun, and that quilting pattern is adorable! Too cute!

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  55. Oh, I really, really love the colors on this. I also did the quilt-along and it is amazing how different everyone's quilt turned on based on their fabric choices. Thanks for sharing your original quilting! I am a new quilter and I love when people show photos up close of how they quilted things :)

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  56. Oh, I love the quilting! I'll have to try mimicking a fabric!

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  57. I love it!! It looks amazing. I love the quilting. I need to get more comfortable with machine quilting. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  58. What a great quilt. I really like all of the fun colors. I just started another quilt, but I'm not as good as you. If my quilt turns out 1/4 as good as yours, I'll be happy. :)

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  59. Love, love, love the idea of basing the quilting off a fabric. Love the way that quilting turned out...may try that one on my next one. How many spools of thread did it take to quilt that? i can't imagine machine quilting a large quilt. Makes me want a longarm!

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  60. Love the quilting! Good job.

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  61. It is absolutely gorgeous!

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  62. joanna10:21 PM

    I love the quilting design on the back! I might have to give that a try... I wonder if it will work for hand quilting?

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  63. You are VERY lucky to have a girl in the house! I love the way your quilt turned out -- love the colors and the quilting!!!

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  64. Anonymous11:04 PM

    Lovely quilt! Love how it all came together. FYI a 72" wide quilt is a twin size...much too skimpy in the width to be considered a full. It looks great on your daughter's bed!

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  65. I love how you quilted it! And the colours are just gorgeous :)

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  66. I love everything about your new quilt. I have colors picked out to do the same quilt when I get there. I will quilting along with myself I guess. It is good to see a different version. Love it!! A-

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  67. Well the piecing looks a bit of a fiddle but I LOVE the quilting. I am so glad you are trying some new patterns because I have finally launched into machine quilting some of my quilts and need all the inspiration I can get. I have just finished my third - walking foot only so far - and I'm learning with each one I do. And I have three girls to make stuff for and yes - it's just lovely!!!

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  68. Blogger gave fits yesterday so here I am again. I wanted to ask you, Amanda Jean, what you meant by 'I am an excessive back stitcher'? I am puzzled. Thanks.

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  69. It turned out beautifully!!! I loe the quilting too. I am afraid to start quilting mine for fear of ruining it ;) It needs to be finished by next Friday, I better get busy.

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  70. It's amazing how fabric can speak for quilting patterns and even moreso when we listen to what it says. I just noticed a possible quilting pattern in the stitches in my slippers. Who would have thought?

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  71. I am still in love with stippling and when it's time to experiment, you know that I''ll be looking around here for inspirations.
    I sure love the colours here. I have a polka dot one similar...very funky!
    Oh, and I am coming along just fine with the round 2 patches!

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  72. Wow! Beautiful quilt - I love the colors and the idea of picking a quilting pattern inspired by one of the fabrics. It turned out wonderfully!

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  73. This is beautiful! Love the colors!

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  74. Hi Amandajean! It is so nice to see your pixels again! This is truly beautiful! I love your choice of fabrics and the designs you use. Your little girl is so lucky to have this! Which fabs are they? Some Farmer's Market I believe!

    My Amal (Hope in Arabic) is 13 and has been inspired this summer and we are collecting fabs for her to make a stacked coins quilt! Wish us luck on our first endeavor!!

    Many warm greetings to you from me here in sunny and very hot Muscat!

    www.coffeebeansdailies.blogspot.com

    Come by and have a look and leave me a comment!

    Alia

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  75. Love that you're experimenting with the quilting! It's very cute!

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  76. I love it! Wonderful quilting, too. Thanks for the inspiration to keep going on mine!

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  77. I love it, such pretty colors! I really love the binding!!

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  78. great quilting you out of the box quilting gal!! glad you're loving it again. i'm a backstitcher too...it's that sewing training in me...i can't help myself.

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  79. Very nice. Congrats on another finish. I like your quilting too.

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  80. love it, the colours are perfect and they look great on the bed!

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  81. i so wish i had kids to make things for! i have a growing collection of quilts for no-one.. cause i can't let them go but i have no kids!! and yes.. according to me you do get bonus points

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  82. So beautiful and you are such an inspiration with your quilting!! I too have that "am I going to ruin it if I don't stipple it" problem and I need to get out of that rut. Though is it reeeeally a bad rut to be in?? Hahahaha - see? Still justifying it to myself!!

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  83. oh, i really like this one! Girls are a lot of fun to have around the house ;)

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  84. becky,

    it took less thread that if i would have stippled it. i'm not sure how much thread altogether, though.

    aj

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  85. cindy,

    i think smaller stitches would prevent the seams from coming apart. but then it would be killer to rip out those stitches if the need arose. i tried it just this morning...and i don't recommend it. :)

    aj

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  86. amy,

    yes, i do backstitch while piecing. don't you?

    aj

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  87. rosa maria,

    the quilting was not difficult at all. i used my free motion foot and basically "doodled" on my fabric. it was fun and easy. :)

    aj

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  88. joanna,

    i'm not sure if this would work for hand quilting or not...you could give it a try and see what happens.

    aj

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  89. fulvia,

    i backstitch at the beginning and ending of each seam. on every block. probably a bit excessive, but it drives me crazy when my seams start to split.

    aj

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  90. that is so awesome! i love it.

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  91. Oh, I love the quilt! It turned out beautifully and you definitely get extra points for using stash and for branching out on the quilting. Well done!

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  92. Just had to stop by and actually comment and say that I finally finished my first quilt today, and it was all off of your tutorials! Thanks for being so inspiring! I love your work so much, and it keeps me wanting to make more!

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  93. this looks GREAT!!!! i LOVE how this turned out!!! it's fun when you finish things up that you weren't sure about and then they are FANTASTIC!!!!!

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  94. I love the quilting! Extra points for stash, but then, "I'm going to have to order fabric for a matching sham." haha. How ironic!

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  95. I LOVE your quilts! I have subscribed to your blog so I can go back later and read everything, but I was just wondering - do you machine quilt or hand quilt? I love the "modern" feel you've taken with the art of quilting. I've always wanted to (my grandmother quilts) but I am not a "follow the rules" kind of person and quilting always seemed like that to me. You've inspired me to add this to my crafting "want to do" list! THanks!

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  96. Rebecca,

    I do all my own machine quilting. You can read more about it on my FAQ page.

    aj

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  97. Wow these colors are wonderful!

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  98. Anonymous11:15 AM

    Once again-lovely job and thanks for sharing your quilting inspiration of fabrics from the quilt. I will have to try this on my next.
    Rebecca O

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  99. Anonymous3:29 AM

    wow that is a gorgeous quilt. love the colours :)

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  100. so so lovely!! looks perfect on that bed.

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  101. Kelli8:05 AM

    Oh my, I LOVE this. I saw the first picture and I just had to stop and admire it! I couldn't do the ORBC quilt-along because my computer hates their site (apparantly) and kept losing a connection with it till I gave up an figured I'd just do something else next time...now I may have to go back and try harder, because I sure would love something like that! Good job!
    kelli
    kellbell_6@hotmail.com

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  102. love the quilt its really pretty and the new quilting designs a really nice one, change is good sometimes :)

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  103. It's perfect. Sweet and lovely. Looking forward to seeing the matching sham....

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  104. ooh...I love the quilting style you used on this...I need to branch out like this more often

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  105. Thank you for sharing this great
    post with us.... it sounds interesting...I loved it.
    Good one ....

    --
    Venus
    Wireless Home Alarm Security

    Systems

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  106. Your quilt is lovely. I have heard that you don't backstitch when quilting, but it is one of the rules I choose to break. Even when assembly line sewing I back stitch. Can't seem to help myself.

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  107. Amandajean,

    you're always an inspiration!!

    xo
    e.

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  108. I'm making a quilt for my best friend for her birthday and she chose your's for me to copy. You did an amazing job! I hope the one I make looks as great!

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