Taken Aback

Last winter I retrieved a "never finished" quilt top from the year before, fixed some piecing errors, added a border and skipped anything more I had planned.  I wanted it DONE, kept it simple, layered it, and quilted it.  I pride myself on no UFO's.

The quilting was a chore.  The fabrics fought me.  The metallic/silk thread sounded bad when I quilted and did strange things right before my eyes.  It was distracting and I didn't enjoy it.  The background fabric with tiny piecing added huge knots of seams underneath.  The sewing machine broke, a spring fell out as it tried to get over the lumps.  I kept quilting.  I didn't need the presser lifter, I had the knee one to use.  The lever kept falling off and landing on my quilt.  I kept going, I wanted this thing DONE.

Knowing it already had problems, I spent way too much time quilting it. 

After it was finished and I dipped and swirled it in tepid clear water to remove marking, I had more problems with a hand dyed fabric that bled.  Then there were some skewed tiny triangle pieces from the quilting process so tips went in all directions.  Generally I thought it was not the best, would keep it for a class sample maybe.  I haven't even given it a name.  It is a Delectable Mountains pattern, about 43" square.  Detail of quilting, below, and from the back.

Last week while doing some photography I needed a warm neutral backdrop, and saw the back of this quilt rolled up in the corner on the floor, in total rejection.  I picked it up, pinned it to the wall, backside showing. 

I was so taken aback!  I love the back as a wholecloth and I have left it hanging on my wall and enjoy it so much.... from the back.  I think this fabric might work for a wholecloth design and might give that a try on another quilt. 

Meanwhile I'll enjoy the lumps and bumps of thread here and there on the back, lots of traveling where the thread build-up is a bit much, but the look of it is very pleasing.  Somehow the feather fronds look so elegant "in reverse." 

Lesson:  Try to make the back look as good as you can.  You never know when it will be the front!

Hope your Monday brings you a tiny bit of quilting time, and maybe some fresh veggies.

Diane

Oliver was actually yawning here, after I woke him for his birthday photo, but he does look extra fierce!

Oliver is 3 Years Old!

We made it!  Oliver turns 3 today, despite eating thread, escaping to the wilds of our yard once, eating tape, eating styrofoam, eating whatever isn't normal for cats to eat.  Oliver is our dear adopted cat from the Wisconsin Humane Society, and he has finally figured out we are his forever people.

Last year we celebrated with a delicious fudge cake and a #2 candle.  This year it is all about Oliver, so his favorite food (he is a cat Vegan) is Brussels sprouts, so I hollowed them out, added candles (his Dad wanted to light them, NOT!) and woke him up from a nap for the photo op.

He looks tired and crusty, not his usual pink-nosed self, but he perked up immediately when the delightful aroma of fresh sprouts wafted about him.  Tuna?  No way.  He loves his veggies and dry cat food and lots and lots of water from any faucet in the house. 

What a wonderful cat he is, and how happy he made us, two retirees who were worried we were too old for a cat.  He keeps us young and gives us love and fun and joy. 

Happy, happy birthday, Oliver.

Diane

Oliver at WI Humane Society

One Year Old

Oliver at Two !