Friday, December 20, 2013

a custom quilt

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

Today I have a partial finish to share. This is a quilt top only, but it's an accomplishment nonetheless.
I don't often do custom work, but this is a custom quilt for my husband's co-worker's wife. It's based on this plain spoken quilt, which I made back in 2007. She does not like green (???) and did not want any in her quilt. That made it tricky, but I think the palette still works. (This is not in my color comfort zone....and I think it's screaming for a little pop of ugly-but good-olive green!)
The original quilt pattern is called plain spoken and is found in the Modern Quilt Workshop by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. I enlarged the block sizes to make them proportionate to the finished quilt. I also thought ahead and based the block size on the width of fabric, so there wasn't much waste per strip. (Always a bonus!) There was still PLENTY of piecing to do.
I pressed all the seams open, which is against the norm for me, so I was happy that many of the intersections lined up so well. (They aren't ALL this perfect...so no need to hate me.) Lots of pinning. LOTS.
It measures 100.5" x 110". That's a whole lot of quilt top!
 
I've tracked the hours spent so far and plan to do so for the entire process....as long as I remember! I'm up to 14.75 hours already. (Does that seem like a lot?) That counts the math, pressing the fabric, cutting and piecing. It does NOT include the time I spent shopping for supplies. It'll be interesting to see how many hours it takes to complete it!
 
Now it's your turn. Please link up your finishes for the week! Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

finish it up Friday, 12/20/13

1. Eva-Bambi-Johansson  68. beth@lovelaughquilt  
2. Ashley @ wasntquiltinaday  69. Barbara GAlloway  
3. Sarah Schraw @ Sarah Quilts  70. 2 inch squares  
4. Amanda @ Material Girl Quilts  71. Karee  
5. Mary @ SeeMaryQuilt  72. Xmas Ghastlies @ Kwilty Pleasures  
6. Iron Violet Designs: Christmas Table Runner  73. Christmas Gifting @ Dresden Lane  
7. Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs  74. Maja  
8. Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts  75. Santa Cushion @ Happygoluckyquilter  
9. Kat @ Kat and Cat Quilts  76. The Colorful Fabriholic  
10. Super Hero Quilt  77. A Granny on the Bed  
11. Lee @ Lala's Lovelys Quilting  78. Stephanie @ Quarter Incher  
12. Vera @ Negligent style  79. Rugrat Rodeos-kids Christmas craft  
13. Starry Night Quilt!  80. Friday finish qulited cushion  
14. Taryn @ from Pixels to Patchwork  81. Moneik Quilts  
15. Angela A @ betterndogbiscuits  82. Paula@TheSassyQuilter  
16. Michelle's Romantic Tangle  83. Caryl W @ cinnamon holiday workshop  
17. Scrappy Trips Quilt  84. Michelle @ Renewing Mrs. Sew & Sew  
18. Vikki @ Miss Muffet Quilts  85. Steph Blair  
19. Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts  86. Hannah Elias  
20. Augustsnow  87. alidiza  
21. Stacey's Rainbow Broken Herringbone  88. Esther @ ipatchandquilt  
22. Beth  89. tubakk, Norway  
23. Happy Cottage Quilter  90. Yvonne @ That's Sew Creative  
24. Sarah @ Georgia Girl Quilts  91. katie z.  
25. Beth: Sewn with my daughter  92. Pragmaticpatchwork - owl costume  
26. Jasmine @ Quilt Kisses  93. Debbie@Angelscraps Quilting  
27. Katherine@SewMeSomethingGood  94. Leanne @ she can quilt  
28. Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation  95. Ann @ Sweet Marie Sewing  
29. Jasmine @ Quilt Kisses  96. Joanie's Trendy Quilts  
30. A modern spin to log cabin  97. Mara  
31. Kate @ katiemaequilts  98. Julie @ Quilty Sewing  
32. Kim@MegSueDesigns  99. Allison @ flip flops & quilt blocks  
33. Janeen@Quilt Art Designs  100. Jess @ Quilty Habit  
34. melissa @ my fabric relish  101. Brenda @ Wielding Wild Wisps  
35. Tommy's Quilt  102. Vicki  
36. Jesica - from Ushuaia, Argentina!  103. Lee Anna Paylor  
37. Ava  104. Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity  
38. busybeequilts--finished penny patch  105. bee  
39. Brigit @ brigitgail  106. Jen @ Stitchified  
40. Kim @ TiesThatBindQuilting  107. Molli Sparkles  
41. Erica @ kitchen table quilting  108. A Very Successful Secret Santa  
42. Adrianne @ On the Windy Side  109. The Downton Abbey Trunk Show @The City Quilter  
43. Sarah C.  110. Samantha @ Making Life Prettier  
44. Adrianne @ On the Windy Side  111. Janice@singreadsew - lap quilts  
45. Bess@SqueezeQuilts  112. Funky Monkey Quilt  
46. Leanne @ cottage Tails  113. Bungle Jungle Quilt #2  
47. Janet @ Simply Pieced  114. Anna (The Crooked Banana)  
48. Our Busy Little Bunch  115. Terry@Quilt Crazie  
49. Sara @ This Little Life: Christmas finish  116. Marie @Quilts with Personality  
50. Cathy@Sane,Crazy,Crumby  117. Jennie @ Porch Swing Quilts  
51. Val's Quilting Studio  118. Dona@grateful4quilting  
52. Couch Meow  119. Georgi @ The shy one sews  
53. karen@CapitolaQuilter Rip Curl  120. Afton Warrick @ Quilting Mod  
54. A Reading Pillow  121. Dewberry Zipper Pouch  
55. I LOVE TO QUILT  122. Barbie @ thequiltingmill  
56. Liane  123. Janeen@Quilt Art Designs 2  
57. Tamara Hampton @ Upcycled Fabric  124. Christmas Lollipop Decorations  
58. The Inside Stori/Mary Stori  125. Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts  
59. Bags by Gemini Jen NZ  126. Infinity Scarves @ Sing While Crafting  
60. Neon magic  127. ModernMaterialGirl  
61. Layer Cake Quilt Pattern  128. Jaime@ stitchestosprinkles  
62. Christmas Tree Skirts  129. Daisy @Ants to Sugar  
63. Cosiendo Sueños - Elena  130. Becky @ I Dream of Quilting  
64. Karen @ smalltownquilter  131. Christmas Quilt @ PrettyLIttleQuilts  
65. Heidi @ Fabric Mutt  132. Manly gift @ Creatin' in the Sticks  
66. Over the Rainbow quilt  133. Triangles & Squares  
67. Andy @ A Bright Corner  

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

44 comments:

Kat said...

Congrats on your top! I love the colors (although I agree that someone must be insane to not like green!) Great job getting a pallette that works so well together. Also a big fan of that pattern. Simple and bold!

Izzy said...

Wow - that is a huge quilt! I like the pattern.

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Yep - hard to imagine not liking green, but the quilt top is GORGEOUS. Love the way the colors work together. To me, it feels very fall-ish, but that may be her colors all year long :D Beautiful!

Julie

Vera said...

What a pretty color combo.

Katherine said...

Beautiful! This is a favourite pattern of mine. You've done an amazing job with the colours, Amanda Jean (especially knowing that the colours are outside your comfort zone :o). Curious to know how many different colours are in this?

MaterialGirlQuilts said...

These certainly don't seem to be your colors, but they are still beautiful together. I'm sure she will love it. Can't wait to see how you quilt it.
Amanda

KristyLou said...

That's an amazingly large quilt. And no, I do not think your hours are too much. For figuring the math, and cutting, and all of that piecing. That kind of seems low. But I have never tracked my hours before....

Aoife said...

It's a beautiful quilt top! My mother would completely adore it. You certainly got a lot of colours in despite the narrow range - lovely!

Anonymous said...

I'm so interested that you are tracking your hours! I'll be really interested to see your total--14.75 for a quilt with this many pieces seems super efficient. The math alone would take me an hour :-( Doing a commissioned work is interesting, right? It's constraining but also frees you up from some personal habits and conventions. Good luck with the rest of the project!

Deanie said...

Green is my favorite color, but I have a couple favorites. This color palette is beautiful just as it is without green. As for the hours, 14 seems low to me, but I don't crank out quilts like you bloggers do, wish I could, just don't have the time. Beautiful work!

Moneik said...

Very subtle, but pretty. I track the number of hours when I make samples for a shop and this seems like a very reasonable amount of time. I once did a top which took 24 hours, just for the top. That did include cutting and piecing.

Sarah Craig said...

Gorgeous quilt! I love the colors. And it is useful sometimes to check to see how long it takes for the process. It always surprises me!

SarahZ said...

This is gorgeous! And I find the close-up photo really soothing(?) :)

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

Although not my colors either, this is still a striking quilt top due to your perfect quilting skills! They will love it.

Brenda said...

actually, 14.5 hours doesn't seem like a lot for such a big quilt -- but I assume there are many days of quilting ahead. I like the colours.

Unknown said...

I love this quilt. The colors are lovely and I wouldn't change a thing. I recognized the pattern from the Craftsy class I am taking that Weeks Ringle did on designing modern quilts. It's a great class. On another note have a blessed Holiday with family and friends.

Snowcatcher said...

You've made a greenless color combination very attractive! Almost looks like red rock hues!

Jantine said...

Here in this house they don't really like green either. This color palette is perfect for me! I soo soo love it! Well done!

SandyQuilts said...

Beautiful ... I like it without the green. Save your self instead of pins just a dot of Elmer's washable glue and press. works great and you can force those intersections to perfect.

carrie said...

I love green, so that would be out of my comfort zone, too. The quilt top looks great! I finished a quilt this week:

http://carriebee.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/grand-junction-quilt/

The Colorful Fabriholic said...

I actually love your color palette! I'm a huge fan of olive green, so I get why you feel it's missing, but I think the palette you've used and your placement of the colors works beautifully.

Clair said...

Nice work. I made a few potholders this week and managed to get my Christmas cards out to the aunts and uncles...but not anything major to show off as a finish.

karen said...

The palette reminds me of Indian corn. Personally, I love green, but I think this quilt works very well as is. Beautiful.

Yvonne Campbell said...

It seems really fast to me. That's a lot of quilt.

Annalia said...

Wow. That's impressive!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous quilt I am sure it will be loved!! Given the size I think you have completed this amazingly quickly. Amanda Jean thank you so much for all your kindness in hosting this linky party and all the others throughout the year. It has brought me lots of fun. Wishing you and your family all that is good over the holiday season and best wishes for the New Year. Marie (mlismore@optusnet.com.au)

Nicola said...

Reminds me of doctor who. Similar colors to the 4th doctors scarf. Love it. Have to say personally I love green, it's my favorite xxx

Nini said...

2 things...14.75 hours seemed like you're a speed sewer to me! And though I LOVE LOVE LOVE green, I think the quilt is good as is. In fact, I think green in it would not look right. It's a modern monochromatic! Thanks for the name of the pattern, another book I need to look for!

Georgi said...

I think your color palette is gorgeous in this one! And boy what a lot of work!! I'm sure it will be well-loved. :)

P11otter said...

I think it is a Beautiful quilt! The lady wil be verry pleased.

Betty said...

That quilt is actually gorgeous! Not colors I live with, but the balance is great - good job!

Irma said...

The colors are lovely! Beutiful.

barbaradougherty126 said...

It is a nice pattern, but I need more colors. :) Beautiful though. And nice and big!

Mother Dragon said...

I just had to say as soon as I seen this quilt, it reminded me of the fourth's Doctor scarf from Doctor Who. If you did add the green you wanted to, then it would have been pretty much spot on :-)

Becky said...

That IS a very large quilt! But the recipient will love it, I am sure. I think the hardest part about making one for someone else is accepting what THEIR likes and dislikes are. They aren't always what WE like. Beautiful job!

Mania said...

This top is very very beautiful! It's my favorite colors! Great performance! Congratulations and greetings from Poland !

Anonymous said...

That doesn't seem like that much time for a quilt that size. I think it would take me much longer! I like your original version better, but I like green and I don't like orange. LOL Both versions are very attractive.

Ramona said...

I just love the color scheme on this quilt! My son in law has asked in the past for a quilt in browns and now I want to do it like this. (And the lack of greens didn't make me squirm at all. ;-))

Anonymous said...

I think your hours spent on the quilt are low!!! Just cutting and pinning take a long time. Then the pressing! I agree a little blue or green would warm this quilt up. I always thought browns were warm, but you prove that is not ironclad. Great job.

margaret said...

colours work very well together, can`t understand anyone not liking green so many wonderful shades to play with. Interesting the hours taken, when I did my C & G embroidery we had to keep a record of hours spent on all our pieces and price them out, was amazed at how long some took.

Nini said...

I liked your quilt so much, I bought the book! Thanks for introducing me to it!

ipatchandquilt said...

Thank you for hosting this Linky Part each week! i have loved everey minute of it and made many new friends! Thank you!
Happy holidays!
Esther
esthersipatchandquilt at yahoo com
ipatchandquilt dot wordpress dot com

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Diane said...

I don't know how I missed this post, but just wanted to add my 2 cents.
LOVE the quilt-my colors, good job you for going out of your comfort zone and taking on a custom piece (stress!!)
14 hours doesn't seem like a lot of time, you must pin and sew an warp speed!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!!