Tuesday, December 16, 2008

flea market fancy quilt top


inspired by this quilt

Alissa was kind enough to share the specifics for her gorgeous Land & Sea quilt (thanks Alissa!). I used her measurements as a guideline for this quilt. Seriously, I'm starting to think I have an extra gene (or am missing a gene, possibly?) that prevents me from following a pattern/directions exactly. The quilt measures approximately 65" x 80". It went together very quickly.

And in order to prove that there are no quilting elves that live at my house (oh, my, wouldn't that be nice???) here's the breakdown of time that I spent making the quilt top which includes cutting time (this is especially for you, Leah S.).

I started yesterday afternoon and I spent:

2 hours (during nap/rest time)

1/2 hour before supper

45 minutes after the kids went to bed

45 minutes before the kids got up this morning

1 hour after breakfast

for a total of 5 hours.
Now I've got to figure out something for the back (from my stash), which is becoming more and more challenging.

68 comments:

Anonymous said...

how? how? HOW? does this time include cutting? i LOVE your fabrics, you have a great eye.

Amanda Jean said...

kangaroo,

yes, this DOES include cutting time. :)

aj

Unknown said...

Wow, i was going to ask if that included cutting as well! I am impressed and it is beautiful!

Jessica said...

See, herein lies my problem ~ I don't have the attention span to sit and quilt/sew for 2 hours at a time. Maybe, if my house was clean and laundry folded, bills paid, etc...I could sit and focus for that long. But my mind always wanders to all of the other things that I *should* be doing and then I feel guilty for indulging myself in some quiet quilting time....maybe I should hire a cleaning lady!! :)
Serioulsy though, your quilt is beautiful and you've inspired me to carve out more quilting time for myself. My goal for 2009 is to complete *at least* one quilt a month. Baby steps!

Unknown said...

Your quilt top looks great! I work like that too, little bits here and there, but a bit more after they go to bed. . . especially now that I'm working on Christmas gifts.

Jenn said...

I had to laugh about your comment about an extra/missing gene. I don't know that I ever follow directions EXACTLY...whether it's a recipe or a pattern. I seem to always be tweaking something to give it my own personal touch. Not always a bad thing I don't think...lets our originality shine through...at least that's what I tell myself :)

Robyn said...

Beautiful quilt top... I can't wait to see waht you do for the back! And thanks for the breakdown. If only my little one would take more than 20-30 minutes naps! :) Maybe when she gets a bit older... until then, most of my sewing happens after she's asleep.

Philigry said...

love, love this one. my heart skipped a beat when i saw it. i love the clean lines. that gray and green looks so nice together! one of my favorites! (do i say that a lot?)

Anonymous said...

I LOVE it!! I've been wanting to make a quilt like that for a long time. Would it be possible to get the specifics, or are they top secret? :)

Thanks for sharing the picture, it's gorgeous!

MichelleB said...

I love it. The colors are great. Do you think you and Alissa can share the specifics?

CJ said...

So is it the missing gene that and the fact that you don't follow directions what allows you to crank out the beautiful quilts??? I do NOT get it! Or at least I don't have it. ;) I worked on a pair of jammie pants yesterday. Cut them out, have them mostly sewed up. I should have been able to make a matching quilt as well. Hmph.
Beautiful quilt. Who is this one for?

Alissa said...

So so glad that my quilt inspired this! It's so beautiful!! And feel free to share the measurements if you want to! I can't remember off the top of my head (blocks are 10.5" square I think? right?) and the quilt's no longer my house to reference...

Kangaroo said...

sorry amand jean, i just re-read your post and i see that you said that already. my flabbergasted state was precluding me from proper reading, i suppose. nice job.

Anonymous said...

A total of 5 hours and you get this beautiful quilt top, wow! You are fast, fast! Great colors!

Anonymous said...

How in the world did you make that in 5 hours. Do you have an extra set of hands? Or are you a super hero? Maybe you need a new name...WonderQuilter. It looks beautiful...like an old fashioned English Garden.

Leah Spencer said...

Thank you AJ! I'm floating on your inspiring blog posts to get my 2 Christmas quilts done in time. Off to floor the pedal! ;)

Kerri said...

This is so beautiful!!! You really inspire us!! I really need to finish my christmas quilt. :)

Anonymous said...

Ohh! That grey, green and white make me want to cry!! I love it! I love the clean clear lines to this! You should run a quilt retreat or quilt B&B or for goodness sake, you should write a book! Very inspiring! Libby

beki said...

It's gorgeous, as usual ;-) I really love the green set off by the white.

Anonymous said...

Oh my, I cannot express how much I love this quilt. There are not words. So awesome!!! Thanks for the time breakdown - I had really chalked it up to quilting elves! How long will it take you to quilt a top that size?? That's what always takes me forever but you just whip the out!

Debbie said...

Once again, you amaze me! Can you share the measurements? It looks like a great quilt to start after the holidays.

KateKwiltz said...

I still don't know how you do it!

Maybe I need to get me one of those super-fast machines! :)

And who needs patterns? Running with inspiration (not scissors) is the best way to go!

lera said...

You did THAT (!!!) in 5 hours?!?!? I think we will need a breakdown of the quilting and binding, too. That's just incredible.

sammyjo said...

wow your on a mission :D i've been doing a quilt for my younger sister from your tutorial on ragged sqaures quilt and its taking me some time because i just cant seem to focus lol :D

Darci said...

Love it. I will have to go to the quilt shop now and get some materials to make this one. First I will need to sit down and do the math, I HATE that part of sewing, can I skip that??

Sara said...

Gorgeous! I am thinking I might have to try and make one like that - it looks fairly simple...

5 hours...hmmm! You are fast!!!

pratima said...

Lovely greens and greys! So beautiful!!

Anina said...

Wow! Is this your last 2008 quilt or are you planning some more between Christmas and New Year?

Anonymous said...

Stunning! I know my sister would Love this quilt in blues. Are you able to share the measurements?
Erin :)

Nanci said...

I was just starting to wrap my head around the cute little bags you made and up pops a new quilt. You are so talented and organized to be able to pull all this off and still blog about it so the rest of us can dream about making them. Thank you so much for inspiring me this year to start my first quilt which will be a gift for my son and daughter in law this Christmas.

Anonymous said...

It's so lovely. And 5 hours, now that's impressive!

Anonymous said...

Would you share the specifics of that quilt with me? Yours is gorgeous. Her's is gorgeous. I want one. :)

The Demanding Doll said...

Maybe you are the quilting elf. Please send address so I can send my scraps to be cut out. :)

....just kidding, kind of, sort of, maybe, okay, yeah, I am.

Heather - Dollarstorecrafts.com said...

Beautiful! Love the color scheme!

Heather

Mandy said...

I know what you mean by not being able to follow directions. I was making your little doll pillows last night (*squeal*) and I couldn't even follow your simple instructions! I just had to change little things here and there. I suppose it's b/c I want to make it "my own" and you must feel the same way deep down:)

Unknown said...

Well my breakdown would be 1 hour just setting up the fabric and another hour to think of cutting and then....
amazing work, and I will try your method of timing myself.
Happy Anniversary to me for one year of following your blog.
and Merry Christmas too.

anne said...

wow, love it love it love it, what are the specifics so we all can make one toooooo.

Anonymous said...

Hello! BEAUTIFUL quilt!!! Can you please let me know what the measurements are for the pieces for this quilt? I would like to make it, but unlike you, I prefer to have a pattern! ;)

Thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

Sorry, another question...Just curious, how long would it take you to quilt this kind of quilt? So stunning, you have motivated me to make better use of my time!

Heather said...

Oh my this one mught be my favorite. And yes I am aware I have written that several times now.

Amanda Jean said...

erin,

I am planning on keeping track of how much time I spend on the entire quilting process...right up through the binding. stay tuned! :)

aj

tcuts4u said...

Where do you get the ideas for your quilts. terri

Leslie said...

5 hours!! that is amazing.

camillaknits said...

Oh, if only more quilters were as intrepid as you. I'm sometimes overwhelmed (as a shop-keep who likes spontaneous patchwork with random fabrics) when people ask for patterns for everything from coin quilts and four-patch to log cabin blocks. And my family wonders at my xanax consumption inching ever upward.
You do beautiful work. I may have to make your blog a required study for those quilters who need of dose of "just do it". Bless you, good woman. C

house on hill road said...

oh, i love it, amanda jean! with my favorite fabrics, no less.
how big are the little squares (just wondering - i am working on an auction quilt for school...)

Kelly said...

AWESOME quilt!!! as usual :)

Anonymous said...

just love love the colours! So pretty. I think it's awesome you are keeping track of your time for everyone... let's them know what you can do when focused :)

Anonymous said...

I am feeling totally motivated to work on something similar over the Christmas break. I just realized why I am so particularly drawn to this quilt (and I believe you did another in that green/grey/white combo) ... Neiman Marcus used those colors on their shopping bags last year (may still) and i saved one for inspiration because the colors spoke to me. I absolutely love this quilt!

SusanInSD

Anonymous said...

Fabulous. I can spend 5 hours just thinking about a project. grin

P.S. Thanks for the FAQs....more good info.

Anonymous said...

Amanda - your blog has given me inspiration to almost all of my would-be quilts (me almost done with my master's thesis). If you don't mind, can you provide me with the measurement. I plan to use this pattern for either a layer cake for my sis or my Amy Butler's quilt. You can go offline with me at concerningzarina@gmail.com

a friend to knit with said...

you really do it so so well!!!

Victoria Findlay Wolfe said...

Looks great! anything that can go together quickly, thats my kind of quilt!

Anonymous said...

bonjour

je decouvre tous les jours votre blog et je l aime beaucoup *felicitation pour votre patch d aujourdhui je le trouve tres beau et cela m inspire
quelle grandeur fontles carres ,,
felicitations
MARIE CLAUDE
marie.sulpice@wanadoo.fr

Katherine said...

Green with envy over that lovely quilt. ;o)
My oh, you are a whiz at making the most of the time you have for creating awesome quilts. Hats off to you!

Amanda Jean said...

CJ,

I can't say who this quilt is for...yet! (sorry.)

aj

Amanda Jean said...

terri,

I think i will have to dedicate a whole post (or two) of where I get my ideas for my quilts. thanks for asking...it's really got my mind going. :)

amandajean

Erin said...

I LOVE this quilt. Absolutely gorgeous colors. I've never made a quilt myself (though I'm trying to get up the nerve) and this is totally inspiring to me.

Unknown said...

I love the quilt! Boy do you stay focused and on task!

Anonymous said...

As always, I am impressed. I love the ideas that you share. All of your work is beautiful. You inspire many. Thanks for taking the time to post ideas, tutorials, and such for us.

Andrea said...

Love the colours of this one....it's very cool, modern, like it belongs in one of those funky loft apartments with minimal furniture.

Almost done my log cabin, you know, the one you inspired us to do...oh MONTHS ago? Will let you know when it's finished, so you can zoom by and see it.

Crafty Mama said...

Your quilts are always so inspiring. I can't wait to try out the ragged squares, or the quilt-a-long quilt. Thanks so much for all of your posts. I look forward to them everyday, and am sad when there isn't a new one. Hope you and your family have a blessed Christmas!

Anonymous said...

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http://www.retailmenot.com/view/joann.com....



meh

Rebekah said...

I love this! It's got my favorite fabric line and my favorite color, green. I want to make one just like this :)

Sherry said...

Love this quilt AmandaJean. Hard to believe you got it cut out & stitched together in just 5 hours! You use your time wisely. :)

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous! Just love it. I really like the crisp lines. Definitely agree with your other noters, you have a great eye for color and composition.

Anonymous said...

Ditto some of the other comments about measurements... is it possible to get them? I just love your quilt style so much!!

Also, wondering if you can speak about color? I saw your post about the color book you've read (and ordered it from Amazon!) but do you have any rules of thumb? You have a really great color sense.

Jocelyn said...

Alissa mentioned that you can share the directions and measurements. Will you post them on one of your tutorials? Great quilt!

Chara Michele said...

Okay you are definitely going to have to share how long it takes you to quilt and add the binding too now :) Love the quilt top!