But I need to get this quilt sent off to the Alliance for American Quilts contest and fundraiser, so I finished it for real yesterday and this morning.
Here is how I did it...
If you notice the corner triangles have that fused craft batting on them...I used this to stabilize the silk charmeuse of the triangles and give myself a good base for embroidering my leaves and stems.
I had to add equal weight to the center portion of the quilt so that it wouldn't look baggy on the front. Here I have used a little spray adhesive on some batting cut to size for the interior square, and smoothed it into place.
Next I did the same thing with an overall piece of batting, cut to the exact size of the finished quilt and spray/smoothed into place. I planned on using the "envelope" technique to attach the backing to the front/batting layer, and did not want that batting in my seam allowance.Disaster nearly struck at this point, though.
I foolishly used my spray adhesive to spray the back of the quilt, not the batting. My aerosol can malfuctioned and a whole lot of the propellent came fizzing out, and soaked through to the front of my quilt, leaving some circular stains on the silk charmeuse. I know from experience that those stains can't be removed either.
Many panicked expletives later....you will see how I solved this.
But first, here is a shot of the trimmed corners after the back has been sewn to the front. You can just make out the seamline along the edge of the batting.
And here is the opening being whipstitched closed after the quilt has been turned right side out.
And here is the finished quilt.See those butterflies?.....
Enlarge the picture with a click and you'll be able to tell the fabric behind most of them is a little discolored.
But I really like how they look, the random scattering of them on top of the totally symmetrical corners. And I never would have thought of putting them on there if I hadn't had to fix my disaster. So, hey!
I think the edge is finished pretty nicely for this little 15" X 15" quilt.
Here is the back...
I decided to use 4" wide lace for the sleeve, because I like how it looks and also because I am sick to death of making quilt sleeves. What can I say, it is the truth!Now I have to create a 75 word "artist's statement" which I will mercifully spare you. Then I will send this all off to North Carolina....
It's not too late to create a quilt for this great cause. I loved making this...you'd enjoy making yours, too. Here are the contest rules...have a look....
16 comments :
Well it was gorgeous "unfinished" anyway. I didn't know the difference. I like that lace - will do it in needlepoint.
Sometime my mistakes challenge me the most with finding a solution. Your butterflies are perfect.
Oh! BTDT with that spray adhesive! I'll never use it again. I used it on the Forget Me Knot vest and the same thing happened. I tried everything under the sun to remove that nasty stuff. The best product I found was Goo Gone. It smells awful, like petroleum, but it got most of it out and you'd have to know where to look to find it. I used some Tide on it afterward and the smell was almost gone. I went ahead and finished the piece and then went about stain removal the day I was to send it out to a show. Crazy, I know. I actually brought it to work damp, used the Tide, rinsed good and hung it in an unused, yet warm closet to dry. A little touch up ironing and I shipped it out on the way home from work.
The butterflies are the perfect solution - they fit in and looked "planned".
the butterflies look great - like they are supposed to be there! hte finshed quilt is beautiful, as always
Actually the butterflies help balance all the white middle and are a nice touch. Sometimes goofs are good!
A beautiful, wonderful, completed project Allie, and the Butterflies ARE perfect.
I am loving Spring in the Garden quilt too. You would get tired of hearing from me if I commented every thought I had on in. Your interpretation of the flowers, and how you go about creating them, and THEN sharing that info, is just fantastic.
You are inspirational.
Well, Allie, I think the butterflies are great! Very nice piece.....you do good work!
In golf, when you hit a really bad, ugly mistake shot and it ends up to be good after all, we call it a mandy.
Nice mandy with those butterflies.
I LOVE how the blue and the butterflies balance everything out!!
Allie, you must begin to write thrillers! I read your post from the beginning to the end in one breath to learn how you solved your spray-accident! It turned out great!!!
If all disasters could be that beautiful! Really well done Allie!
Hi Allie, Bloglines finally hiccupped and out popped several of your latest posts... I am enthralled with the steps of each flower you're doing. Bummer about the spray glue but what you gained by the "coverup" looks great.
Glad to see your weather finally broke... Amen!!
Don't you love it when mistakes are solved with something that works even better than what you had planned? It's what I love most about the creative process.
Your quilt is beautiful.
So very lovely! My heart stopped ever-so-briefly when you mentioned the disaster, but oh! How beautifully the butterflies do their work.
Bravo!
Absolutely NOT a boo boo, but a creative opportunity! It's a lovely piece!
I like the use of the lace for a hanging sleeve -- thanks for passing this idea along.
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