Welcome to finish it up Friday!
I'm not sure how I manage to block it out of my memory each year, but I am always so surprised by how CraZy this time of the year is. There is gardening and yard work to do, field trips to attend and lots of other work to do besides. My house is perpetually dirty and my sewing machines have been neglected! All that to say, I'm glad that I was able to sew at all this week....and I'm super happy that I was able to finish this quilt top.
A few years ago I started this quilt for my niece
with my niece. She helped me design it and she also helped select the fabrics. I never blogged about it, but I figured out it was the summer of 2012 because we saw the movie Brave at the drive in theater during her visit here. It's good to have a reference point! :) We only had time to make a few circle blocks back when we started it, but I finally found time to work on it again. (I have TOO many irons in the fire!)
The circles were cut out on my GO! baby. I don't use this cutter nearly enough...but it makes QUICK work of cutting circles. I love that it is fast, easy and accurate, too. My kids
love to help crank the fabric through, which is a bonus. (It's fun for kids AND adults. :) )
I used a blanket stitch on my Janome to attach the circles to the background fabric. I did not use any kind of fusible web beneath because I didn't want to deal with the bulk (or the stiffness) of the fusible web. I plan to quilt the circles well and the quilt will be so nice and soft when it is finished. The edges of the circles will fray slightly when washed, but I think that's all part of the charm.
The quilt top measures about 60" x 75".
Now it's your turn! Please link up your finishes for the week! Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday! :)
Also, do you think it's time to take a break from finish it up Friday for the summer or should we keep on going? I'd love to hear what you think.
Oh, I love this!!! The colors you put together are just fabulous, and I love the purple!!! I love making quilts with circles, they are so fun. I made a similar one way back when and now I am inspired to make another one ;)
ReplyDeleteNo. Don't take a break. I really look forward to viewing all the posts!
ReplyDeleteThis is gorgeous! How did you keep the circles to stay flat as you stitched around them? I always have a problem with that which is why I fuse...but would love not to!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty! I'd love to get a cutting machine like this to make some more challenging quilt patterns.
ReplyDeletePersimonDreams,
ReplyDeleteI use 4 pins to hold the circle in place. There is a little pucker in some of the blocks where I start and stop appliqueing, but it is pretty minor. I figure it will all quilt out in the end. :)
Hope that helps!
AJ
The quilt is so pretty with all those fun prints. Don't' you just love that circle die? I use mine quite a bit for making small accessories.
ReplyDeleteI would love to keep going with Finish it up Friday! It's a motivator!
ReplyDeleteLove the colors!
ReplyDeleteI love the colors, and the simplicity of it.
ReplyDeleteYes! Very helpful! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful, absolutely stunning colours.
ReplyDeleteoh - and I really hope you don't take a break - I know how crazy busy this week is - but I think it would be totally fine to show a finsih up friday as something you got planted in your garden or a picture of you with your kids on a field trip! We all get busy and distracted (especially with everything happening now) but I love reading your posts, others link ups and being able to link up too!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fresh and fun looking quilt top! The colours are right up my alley. Your niece will be excited to see this! I could not say it any better than Kim of PersimonDreams. Friday just wouldn't be Friday without you!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, all those circles! It's lovely!
ReplyDeleteI know what it is to need a break from blogging just because life is so busy. On the other hand, if I did not have link-ups like this to participate in, well, I might never get anything done! This is such a motivator to get things finished! I hope you stay but that keeping this going would not be too much for you!
ReplyDeleteAnd the circles are so pretty! Love the colors and simple pattern.
ReplyDeletebeautiful! i love this idea and im sure the lityle girl will be very pleased
ReplyDeletefrankie
www.knitwits-owls.blogspot.com
I am a teacher, so I can just start joining finish it up Friday! Please don't quit! It is so inspiring! I check in every Friday and dream about joining, just don't have the time until summer.
ReplyDeleteAs I've said before, I'm not sure how you are able to keep your blog going with the schedule you keep, but I enjoy each and every post, and like PersimonDreams, I, too, wouldn't mind seeing a garden finish or a kitchen finish or even a blog post finish... Hey, we all have too many sticks in the fire too often! This is a beautiful quilt, and I marveled at all the circles. I just tried 505 spray for the first time for my finish this week, and so far, I think it beats pinning...
ReplyDeleteMy daughter picked a circle quilt pattern and this is great inspiration for me to get started, thanks!
ReplyDeletePretty quilt! That must feel like a nice finish and how fun to have designed it with and for your niece!!
ReplyDeleteI have just recently begun reading about Finish up Friday and I think it is GREAT! I love all the inspiration shown here. I do not have children at home anymore but DH and I are members of the local Farmers' Market and we plant a BIG garden and I'm very busy with that in the summer. I would love to see any finish you would choose to post.
ReplyDeleteI have a DGD due in July and I think I have quite possibly found a quilt to make for her! LOVE this one.
Thank you for all the time you spend with your readers. You are appreciated.
Thanks for hosting each week! I am a little concerned about school out and having to entertain the little one all summer :) So do what feels right to you with Finish it up Friday - we'll be here no matter what. It's really fun to participate because it's the most hits my pages gets all week! Enjoy the summer because they are only little once - as I keep reminding myself too!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun happy quilt. I love all of those circles! Thanks for hosting Finish it up Friday. It always results in the most hits of my blog on the weeks I've got a finish to link.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun happy quilt. I love all of those circles! Thanks for hosting Finish it up Friday. It always results in the most hits of my blog on the weeks I've got a finish to link.
ReplyDeleteI would love for you to keep going but understand if it is too crazy. Have you considered a guest poster on the Friday posts? I have seen a few other linkups do that to give themselves a break while keeping up with the linky. Also love the idea of showing other kinds of finishes too.
ReplyDeleteI love your linky on Fridays, but I understand the craziness of summer. Have you thought about simplifying rather than taking a complete break? For example, you could host every other Friday or the last Friday of the month.
ReplyDeleteCute quilt.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful
ReplyDelete:)
OMG! Every post from you becomes my favourite quilt EVER and gets added to my to do list! I love this quilt SO much x
ReplyDeleteDid you backstitch on this, or pull all the threads through to the back by hand? It is super cute!
ReplyDeleteFun quilt, it worked up so nicely. Regarding your question about the link up.. I love it but I don't know what's involved on your end in maintaining it. If you need a summer break by all means take one. We'll be here when you get back. Enjoy summer and the kids I understand they grow up way toooo fast.
ReplyDeleteI love the little pops of purple!
ReplyDeleteI love quilts with circles and this is such a lovely color combo. I enjoy your linky as others but will understand if you are not able to do it every Friday.
ReplyDeletePlease, please keep the linky party going for the summer, it is my favorite linky party.
ReplyDeleteSucha a beautiful, beautiful quilt. I'm dying to see how you quilt it (not to put any pressure on you, though) I love your linky party, I always visit some blogs and sometimes I participate. But I fully understand it if you need a break.
ReplyDeleteFun finish!! I hope you carry on with finish it up Fridays, they help motivate me to get things done:)
ReplyDeleteI love the colors and how the background is a beige gray. Fun. I did a quilt similar to this, but with four quarter circles that came together to be circle. I did it when I was fairly new to this world of quilting, so it's a bit wonky and far from perfect. But I'd like to try your idea someday. I also love raw edges on quilts and almost everything else! If only my machine had a blanket stitch!
ReplyDeleteI'm all for keeping the party on all summer if you are! I love celebrating my finishes here! And I agree with those who say a finish doesn't really have to be a quilting finish. Celebrate whatever you managed to get done in a week. We all have victories that aren't sewing related, right?
ReplyDeleteWow, that's quite a list of people linking up with finishes! I love yours! I am recovering from carpal tunnel surgery, no finish here :-(
ReplyDeleteI vote for no break! : )
ReplyDeleteStunning quilt top!!! Love the colors she chose :-). Keep going with the Finish It Up Friday!! It's a great motivation to get stuff DONE!! Lol
ReplyDeleteIt's like you read my mind (I've been doodling circle designs for a quilt, too)! Love this pretty quilt for your niece and know she will delighted with it.
ReplyDeleteI would miss it if you took a break, but leave the decision in your hands... I know how crazy busy summer holidays can get.
Happy Friday!
I LOVE it! It really keeps me on target :) If you are feeling particularly sneaky, you can do what I do when life is nuts and schedule all of your Finish Friday's in advance ;) I love that BLOGGER trick ;D
ReplyDeleteOMG...your circles are perfect. Love the color combinations!! Happy stitching, Pauline
ReplyDeleteI very much appreciate finish it up Fridays and would love to continue through the summer
ReplyDeleteLove the circles. Just do what is best for you and your family. It is a great linky party but if there are other things you need to do, then we'll all understand. :-)
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to make a circle quilt but have hesitated because I have never appliqued before. I love circles and polka dots.
ReplyDeleteLove the circle quilt! Beautiful! Summer can be craZy! I really enjoy your Friday linky. It does motivate me to get things DONE! That being said, it is your call as the one hosting it whether or not it will work for you and your schedule this summer.
ReplyDeleteI like this! It gives the appearance of being quick and simple, but I'm sure it was very tedious stitching all those circles so perfectly, and without fusing!!
ReplyDeleteI recognize a bit of the fabric from your stash.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could have a modified finish it up Friday for the summer (every other week), as life gets busy and people are more important than projects.
looks fantastic, i love polka dots and this is a giant set of them :-)
ReplyDeleteMy girls were little once too and I remember the thousand happy chores of summer. That being said, I hope you manage to continue with finish it up Fridays. At the end of the week, it is so nice to have a happy place to go to and see all of the wonderful, inspiring works of quilt art here. I like to spread it out over the weekend, enjoying all the posts at leisure. So with purely selfish motives, if you can squeeze it in, that would be great:). Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love it. I am in the process of making 3 I spy quilts, a patch work from my childhood and have just taken on a christening blanket. :)
ReplyDelete