Ever since I saw this quilt in a picture that Kimberly at The Fat Quarter Shop posted on her blog from Fall Market, it has been at the forefront of my thoughts. The quilt is in the book titled "When the Cold Wind Blows" by Barb Adams and Alma Allen of Blackbird Designs. I didn't tell anyone what I was thinking about because -- well, I just didn't.
This weekend while Jane and I were at Calico Horse, I showed her the quilt in the book. (And in process of taking that book down to show her, I knocked every single book off their display. I hope no one from that shop reads my blog. I truly don't want them to know I was the one who did that!!!!!)
Anyway, Jane did not discourage me from doing this quilt. In fact, she was sort of supportive of the idea. However, I didn't look at her when we were talking to see if she was rolling her eyes at me. :)
So last night while watching TV, I decided to try one. I made the templates a couple of months ago. This block is 5.5" unfinished.
This little blasted thing took me two hours to needleturn. There are 291 baskets in the quilt. If I did one a week, that would take me almost 5.5 years to complete just the basket part of it.
I absolutely love this quilt. Probably more than any quilt I've ever seen in the 7.5 years I've been quilting. But I'm a realist.
I already have a Jane Stickle quilt in the works. I have a Dear Hanna in the works, although I'm making this with a friend and my job is to do just the appliqued blocks. I have about 110 blocks made out of 190 something needed for the Dutch Treat quilt. Those are only the ones I can think of right off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are others.
When I was pulling the blue and white shirtings for the James River Blues quilt this weekend, I went ahead and separated out all the black and white shirtings. I have plenty of those, probably more than enough to do this quilt. The baskets are made from fall colors - gold, orange, green, brown, black. Plenty of that fabric around here, too.
I truly appreciate the readers who visit my blog. I value your comments and opinions. I'll do whatever you say. So I'm asking .....
Yes? No?
30 comments:
I think you should go for it. How about if you take a Saturday and make a big bunch of these baskets, maybe they sew up pretty fast, you never know. It's a very cute quilt. I think I should look for that book.
Oh, that's a very vintage looking quilt. You should do it - really. You love it so why not?
You have the fabric from your stash. Each basket you needleturn will go faster than the last.
Have you considered making the block slightly larger? Less baskets to make for the quilt.
It will be beautiful!
xoxo, LadyBaltimore
I too have been eyeing this project for weeks...have debated, called myself stoopid....but I'll do it if you do!
Ann-Maree in Sydney
Yes, you love it, make it!
yes you need to make this quilt
I love it too, I started a basket quilt similar about 2 years ago and I baste baskets to have as my to take along project all the time
I always have 10 prepped ready to go
probably only sew about 10 a month or less!
but thats ok
I cut a pile of shirtings for this quilt too a few weeks ago with friends..
yes we are all going to do it too!
iathie
Go for it...it will get faster...a friend of mine is doing it and she prepped a bunch of them and now she stitches them whenever she's sitting. She's got it down to 1 hour to needleturn them. Her friend can do one in 45 minutes. You can do it!
So it takes you 5.5 years. Big deal! If you don't do it, in 5.5 years, you'll say "Man, I could have had that finished by now!"
I say yes use it as a carry about project. Take it with you and stitch while you wait. The worst think that will happen is you make a smaller quilt at the end.
And if you don't do it? In five years you will wish you had!!
absolutely yes! and like LadyBaltimore says it will get easier and faster as you go along. That 5.5 years will be whittled down to something like 2.5 years or maybe even less.
it sounds like you're 3/4 of the way thru the Dutch Treat already, and these blocks are a lot simpler than those are.
GO FOR IT!
How bout doing a small version... Something that you could hang on a wall?
With those other projects, you don't sound like you will freeze to death if you don't make a bed sized quilt... (Especially in So Cal. or LA)
I think you should make it, and here are my suggestions to make it go faster:
1. Enlarge the size of the basket using a photocopier, and
2. Use premade bias handles or ricrack.
Another alternative is to alter the style of the basket so that it has less curves. In this way, you will be able to iron under a seam allowance and stitch much quicker.
Good luck with whatever you deside.
What an adorable quilt! I love it! You must do it! Maybe make it wallhanging size and do one block a night while watching TV. It will be done quicker than you think!
Or if you are a stickler for the bedsize, instead of doing needleturn by hand, do it by machine either using an invisible thread on zigzag stitch or fusing them on and doing a buttonhole stitch. I love the buttonhole stitch and it will give it a bit of dimension, too. Have fun! :o)
Go for it!!! We will be here to cheer you on! I love this quilt. I think that I might have to go on a search for the book! :~)
Go for it! You will always wish you had if you don't. No matter how many you finish you can always make something with them if you change your mind about a bedsize quilt. Love you, Gwen
Well, it is such a neat looking quilt and it would give you something to do while you watch TV....it would have to be a LOT of TV in order to finish it. ;-) You could use up some of your stash. So, yes go for it!! I think if it were me I would probably increase the size of the block though.
Cathy
I think you should make a miniature quilt and make a wallhanging! Best of both worlds!
If you really love it you should make it because you'll just keep thinking about it until you do.
You could always make a smaller version or set a plain square in every other block to leave room for some stunning quilting.
I love the meditative quality of handwork. I started appliqueing some 1940 dresden plate blocks a couple years ago. I pick them up whenever I feel like it. It won't bother me if it takes me ten years to finish that quilt.
Vicky-If you absolutely LOVE IT TO PIECES-go for ir. I personally do not care for baskets, but I have a couple of quilts I feel the same way about one after 10 years is all together and I'm starting the hand quilting on it-I work on it as much as I can, but my mind is always jumping from one thing to another. Yesterday I spent most of the day finding designs I want to make Little Pillows from. I want a whole big bowl full of them. Probably tomarrow I'll be looking for another chicken quilt to do. God only knows. Hugs, Bobbie
I just found your blog and thought I would comment because I too have this book and love that quilt (along with all the other ones in the book) but when I read that the little ...block... took 2 hours! urg! I would only consider it if I could machine applique it or some alternative-- like sew it to a stabilizer and turn the basket inside out so the edges were then all finished. Good luck:)
Do you hear that? It's me LMAO that you're starting another project! (This coming from someone who has too many projects started. hee hee) I say do whatever makes you happy....just don't send it to me! And you can't buy any fabric to make it. LOL
You should absolutely do it. You love it, and yes, it will take a long time, but it's a labor of love, right? And I'm with jlk -- if you don't, in 5 1/2 years, you'll wonder why you didn't.
I saw that book... I saw that quilt.. the only thought that came to mind was.. VICKY!!!!
Of course do it. It's georgeous. But you don't need to do the dreaded needle turn. Just go here: http://bunnyhill.blogspot.com/2009/02/perfect-harmony-of-thread-needle-and.html
and read through Anne's tutorial (not that you probably don't already know how) and do it by machine. Believe me, it'll be just as beautiful and you will feel such a sence of accomplishment.
I agree with Carol, Go for it! I love this quilt.
Life's too short - just relax and enjoy! Do it, Vicky!
I started a similar project a few months ago but sadly it sits languishing. I need to get back to it - very soon as it's a perfect hand project.
Enjoy!
I think that basket quilt is exquisite. Now here's the thing---a couple of things actually. I will bet you anything that the needleturn process will go a lot faster once you do a few of them. Second, you could always opt to do the quilt smaller. A lap sized quilt over a chair or the back of a couch would be gorgeous, and you would have it to snuggle under while you watched tv or read a book. And as others have said, the time is going to pass any way, you might as well have a beautiful quilt at the end of it!
If it makes your heart sing, make the quilt!!! Because you like it, it will work up even faster.
You have to make it! Like you I first saw it on the Fat Quarter Shops blog and it as been in my mind ever since. Until I read your blog I didn't know where to find the pattern. Not any more the book arrived yesterday. I'm going to start it on the weekend. I think mine will be scrappy. BTW I don't care how long it takes - the process will make me happy.
Sweet! I have been looking for the book that contained this project all morning. Thanks for blogging. Oh, and I plan to make this quilt, too.
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