a tale of two crazy quilts

My friend Jo of Three Stories High and I have been quilting alongside each other, in different parts of the country but together still. We both made variations of the good old log cabin quilt. Both are a little crazy. Because that's us, a little bit bonkers but oh so loveable.

Today we are sharing our quilts. Here is a teaser of Jo's quilt. Isn't it gorgeous? If you promise not to tell James (for whom I made my crazy quilt), I'll tell you a secret. Promise? Ok then. If I was lucky enough to be an owner of only one of the two quilts, I would choose Jo's. I love the colours and the generous proportions of the the log cabin blocks. Most of all I really like how Jo managed to make her blocks just a little irregular. It is not something I am good at, freestyle. My brain craves pointy corners and crisp parallel lines. My heart secretly pines for wonky lines but it is not making itself heard. 


Here is my own crazy quilt. I made it for James, with fabric exclusively chosen by James. I was tempted to swap some of his choices to take the edge of the craziness. I asked you all for advice and you said I shouldn' t and I didn't. 










All the fabrics of the quilt top are from my stash. James also chose the pattern. He is not a quilt block connoisseur of course, I showed him some options from which he could choose. I must admit, I am not a big fan of the log cabin block. I love the look of it but not so much the sewing. I decided to make a large centre to get further quicker. I might not show this type of block to Alistair, who is on the list next.... I really hope he wants something with circles.

James wanted an orange back, which we bought at Ikea. Cotton sheets are good for that, and cheap, too. Unfortunately they now only sell fitted sheets. I can see why, I myself wouldn't use flat sheets on my beds. For the quilter, this is a bit of a nuisance because once the elastic is cut off and the corner seams open, there are four corners missing and it might be best to buy a sheet a size up from your usual choice. The colour range is all pastels at the moment but we found one last orange sheet on the sale shelf.

I used a 80/20 cotton/polyester wadding because I know this washes well. Little boys manage to get everything grubby very quickly. I hand quilted the quilt. The needle faces slightly more resistance with this batting than luxurious silky/bamboo one I chose for my own quilt. When I noticed this, I briefly considered machine quilting to prevent wrist fatigue. I used thick grey cotton thread to stitch across the log cabin blocks. The stitches are generous and not particularly regular because I didn't draw lines to follow (practicing wonky lines). I didn't give James a choice for the binding because I had made some with the remnants of Sam's quilt backing. It is a darkish grey, which I think works well with the bright colours.

I haven't measured the quilt but it is a good size for James. He likes to wrap himself in blankets even when it is sweltering hot. I wasn't going to save this quilt for his birthday but he was so excited to see if finished that I thought it would be cruel to put it on a shelf for a month.



Jack likes it, too. He loves to bury himself in blankets or under cushions but this morning, he chose to sleep on top, sun warming his belly.

I have two blocks left. Don't ask, numbers aren't my strength.... I am happy to give those away so please let me know if you would like one or both. I am also going to purge my stash soon. I have fat quarters that are gorgeous but just don't make me sing. I thought maybe these could go to a new home, where they will be loved and used. Watch this space :-)

Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. Before you get on with chores or work or whatever, you should definitely visit Jo and see her crazy quilt. See you later! x

Comments

  1. It is totally crazy and now that I have seen the full colour onslaught I LOVE it. I wish I had done mine edge to edge like yours but my fabric strips didn't run that far and it was a stash busting affair. I don't have another one on the horizon but it sounds like you do! Loved sharing with you. Jo xxx

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  2. Both quilts are beautiful, but for pure, in your face colour, I would choose yours. It's so bright and uplifting.

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  3. It's fantastic, I imagine James loves it. Ebay is good for sheets for the backing, although it's a bit of a risk as to exactly what the colour will be. Lovely to be thinking about starting a new quilt as well, it's always good to plan something new. I can feel my thoughts turning to sewing a bit at the moment. I'm almost at the end of a little knitted blanket, so maybe it's time to make something quilty. CJ xx

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  4. Lucky James. The quilt is gorgeous with perfect colour choices. I’m glad you went with his colour scheme. Every time I see one of you fabulous quilts I feel it’s time I got busy. You make it all look so easy which I know is not true. Have a lovely weekend. B x

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  5. Congratulations om the process and the result.

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  6. stunning work. My dear mum died 16 days ago after a hellish 6 week battle with cancer (and man nobody expected her to go that fast. AT. ALL. I'm still stunned!). One day I'll go through the mountains of fabric she owns and start a quilt in memory of her - probably a nice easy one like yours!

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  7. How wonderful to have a friend to sew along with even if you are miles apart. Both quilts are lovely but you know what, I think James' quilt is a triumph. I am so glad you didn't change any of his choices. I love all that bright and happy colour and pattern. A most fabulous finish!

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  8. I love the quilt. All that cutting though, my hands would have died.

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  9. Gorgeous.Bold. Bright.Just my cup of tea. I love a stash busting project and am wading through the scrap stash now.

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  10. I love this quilt. My absolute favorite quilts are those made from scraps . . . so many fabrics and colors . . . they just scream, happy, happy, happy. Great job!!!
    Connie :)

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  11. What a wonderful quilt! You are the queen of colourful quilts, it seems! How funny that we both chose orange backings - mine was an old IKEA duvet cover. (Btw, I think they work better than fitted sheets, and you get double the backing, though I suspect they cost more. Ours actually came via the charity shop.) Anyway, it's a really lovely quilt. X

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  12. Loved it Christina, the wonderful array of colour made me smile. Such a lovely gift.

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  13. This quilt is full of pure joy!

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  14. This is amazing! I love the mix of colours, especially the orange back.

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  15. It’s a fabulous quilt and should do the little boy right through to Adulthood. I would use the blocks to make a squishy cushion if youcould bear to work with them a little longer. If I lived nearer I’d offer to do it- I’m crazy that way too. Sewing bunting today out of the heat for our upcycling project-hate sewing on the tape.

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  16. I love the colours and the craziness of James's quilt and I'm in awe of your neat corners and even blocks. I'm all a bit wonky when it comes to quilting!

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  17. Okay, really I love both you and Jo. I am in awe of your sewing and knitting skills, you both amaze me. I love both quilts and would be thrilled to have either. And to say that I made one would make my life! You are both so talented. Lucky James I'd say.

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  18. Gorgeous quilt! I have just popped over from seeing Jo's quilt and they are both wonderful. What a lovely idea linking up like this. I think you made the right choice letting him have it now, it is good that the children appreciate your sewing. x

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  19. Fabulous! I love it. I'm glad that you didn't change any of the fabrics which James chose as I think it's just perfect and it's when I see quilts like this that I wish I could sew. James must be thrilled to bits with it and I'm sure it'll get lots of use, by Jack too!

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  20. What a beauty. Jack looks like he likes it too.

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  21. It's wonderful, I love the colours and the craziness of it all and I'm sure it will be well used - by Jack as much as James! Have a great week. Jx

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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