Feb 21, 2011

Art Quilt - finished!

I finished my quilt today. Talk about a work in progress! I started this project last January.... that would be 2 January's ago to be exact. Here's the very first post about this quilt. I really did intend to finish it last year!!



In my family I'm the creative black sheep of sorts. My parents and one of my sisters have the thought process of an engineer. They think in numbers and have to be exactly precise when they're cooking, sewing, crafting or building. They are amazingly accurate in everything they do. Then there's me... I have no patience to measure or to read directions. I just want to do my own thing and if I like the end results then great! if not, I'll toss it and start over. (I have a feeling my parents often ask themselves where I came from and what went wrong with me :)) I would have made a great hippie. What I'm getting at, in a round-about way, is that with this project there were no rules, no boundaries, no directions, just creating something fun for myself! I'll be the first to tell you that everything about this quilt is technically wrong.

I didn't measure any fabric.
The edges are raw.
I used almost entirely re-purposed kids clothes.
and I most likely used the wrong thread type as well.




I spent days sewing each of the 6x6 squares but then I couldn't decide on how big it was going to be or how I was going to finish the edges and because it wasn't a project that had a deadline, I packed it all up and put it away in the closet for another day. Another day turned into 12 months of not having to think about it. Then last week, I saw it posted on Pinterest and I was really embarrassed. When I like a craft project I can finish it rather quickly, as in a day or two..if not just a few hours. This quilt had been sitting in the back of my closet for 13 months. I decided on Saturday, that today-was-the-day and as soon as I put Chase down for his nap I started sewing. I finished the edges late last night. It's not as big as I would have liked, but I also don't have that big of a sewing machine either!! It also didn't put much of a dent into my fabric collection... but another one of these quilts may be in my future soon...maybe a little blue & green one. :)

While I was taking photos of it today, Alaina picked out her favorite squares. Which is funny, because that's exactly what my sisters and I would do with our Great Grandmas quilts. She really loves the pink bus squares!! I need to find some more of that fabric it really was too cute! :) Here's our top 8 picks:











I love the colors. I love that the fabric is almost all recycled. I love that there are crazy threads everywhere and I love that it's finished.



Messy little Inside-Out Art Quilt - checked.

44 comments:

Jenny Holiday & Aaron said...

Ohhhh it is just so so happy and cheerful and lovely!!

Makes me smile big!! :)

xo

Nitasha said...

OMGOODNESS!!! This is gorgeous!!!

Elle's Studio said...

Tara! This quilt is AMAZING!! I can't stop thinking about it - love all the colors and the raw edges, plus the different stitches you used. Beyond incredible!!

Joanna said...

I was wondering about your quilt the other day. :) It turned out wonderful!

Joanna said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Danielle said...

OMG OMG OMG OMG....this quilt is BEYOND AMAZING!!!! I absolutely love it, and I adore everything about it ~ the fabrics, the layering, the colors :) Just incredible!!!! I'm in AWE!!!!

Tara, you rock girl xoxo

aprilmariecole.blogspot.com said...

Simply beautiful!
Job well done :]

radmegan said...

WOW I LOVE the quilt!! WHERE on earth did you find that vw van fabric? I've been looking for it forEVER!

Thanks- and GREAT job!!

:)
Megan

Unknown said...

Gorgeous! Sometimes beautiful work takes some time & it's so evident here. TFS!

Anonymous said...

Could have been me with the 1 day turning into 12 months... Reminds me of finishing my summery Granny square blanket from last year (or was it the year before?).
This quilt has something magical and I love all the threads and layered fabric and wonkiness - so self secure!
Yvonne

Anne said...

Love all the random layering of rich color and texture in your lovely willy-nilly fashion! Well worth the wait...

Inspirational to any perfectionist!

TFSYT,
{-AS-}

Sarah said...

I love this! Had to pin on Pinterest right away! :)

Kim H. said...

I think this is great! I love the colors and how it is just fun to look at! From an engineer's perspective, I have always been so envious of people that can have the freedom and creativity you have! Look at what your creativeness created! It is beautiful.

curlyqmosaics said...

I am totally in love! I am going insane over all the fabulous colors, textures and patterns. Love how you incorporated the crocheted piece into there as well. I know this quilt will be coveted for many generations to come. It is absolutely breathtaking to say the least!

MrsPolkaDot said...

Oh my.....This is the most beautiful quilt I ever seen!!! Absolutely LOVE what you've created! :)

Michelle Wooderson said...

Ohhhhh Tara, it's wonderful and quirky and cute and colorful....I love it! I took a quilting class where I made traditional blocks..it was kind of confining and too perfect for me. I like your method of quilting better!

Trees said...

What a gorgeous quilt! That time invested was soo worth it.

Jennifer said...

oh my goodness...it is gorgeous!! love all the layering and the beautiful colors!

Mireia Sala said...

Ooohh!!! It's lovely !!

Natasha said...

It's gorgeous, I am rubbish at measuring too. it gets in the way of the creative flow sometimes. Well done on finishing this project.

Bonnie said...

that is gorgeous!! I am the same with projects, if i enjoy them, they are over quickly, but if they take long I do them slowly or pack them away for "another day" I love your finished product!

Julie Ann Rachelle Interior Design said...

LOVE!

Karey said...

As I told you before all the colors on your blog are so cheery! And the pieced project is no different. Beautiful!
Don't feel bad, I rarely complete a project unless it is a card. I have not completed a class project either! Ekk one day I will.

Christine said...

ooh, this is just the most delightful thing! Absolutely splendid!

Brenda said...

oh, Tara, I just love this so much! It's so colorful and sweet, and perfectly imperfect. You are such an inspiration to me. I just adore your work so much. I think I'm going to try this on a tiny scale and make a little blanket for my daughter's doll bed.

Brittany H. said...

Aww, this is so sweet, and looks like so much hard work was put into it. I'm going to forward this over to my mom, she also makes quilts.

PS- I'm hosting my first GIVEAWAY on my blog! Please come and see!
X

Chris said...

Such a super creative and fabulous quilt! Your fabric choices and layout are just as cute as cute can be. I love it!

Artist Cridhe said...

I love it, the colors are truly wonderful!

MaraMay said...

It takes my breath away. It's so beautiful. What a treasure to have for sure.

sophie said...

I just adore this quilt!! god bless you for being so "imperfect" as you say!! to me your style and way of crafting is perfect!! I had to add this quilt to my pinterest!! I also used the idea in a page of a mini album I am making. it works great to mix paper and fabric !! thank you for the inpsiration!!!

Lexi said...

AH MA ZING!

liberal sprinkles said...

hello I clicked over from Pinterest. What a simple yet wonderful idea. It's beautiful!

Anonymous said...

That is absolutely gorgeous!!! Wonderful job!!! Definately a work of art to be proud of. :)

ayumills said...

Oh my goodness I am totally in love with this!

Unknown said...

that's really the greatest, the most fantastic quilt i've ever seen!!!
i absolutely love this one!

Gracie said...

This is the most beautiful i have ever seen!

Tereza Crump said...

oh my, this is so beautiful and inspirational! Now I know what to do with all those clothes that I am stashing away for some future project. Now I know what to do with these sweet vintagy feminine pink fabric I bought and never used! My DD8 will love to do this project with me... like you she doesn't measure or is precise with anything, she just FLOWS!! LOL

TFS! Tereza

SyLykke.com said...

I love your things... all of it... Inger Johanne from Norway

Amelia Ariella said...

SO pretty!!

Cindy said...

it's beautiful and it was totally my inspiration for this one that i made....

http://camerasandchaos.blogspot.com/2012/04/getting-more-sewing-done.html

thanks for the push to get mine done.

cindy

Breesmimi said...

This is just sew cute! Love that you didn't "follow" the rules and created a wonderfully original piece that speaks to your heart and the heart of your children! It is wonderful!

Breesmimi said...

Sew sweet and cute. Love that you didn't "follow" the rules and just did your on creative process. Most of all I love that this quilt speaks to your heart and to your children's hearts. Way to go!

Oxford Impressions said...

I love your creativity with the quilt. I'm pinning it and will make one like it some day. I love the layer effect. Using this technique could make a nice heavy winter quilt and I've got plenty of scraps to accomplish it. Thanks for sharing !

Shabby Marilyn said...

First time here, Love that it's no rules, my style! Great Colors! Great for old girl dresses, prefect!