Four years ago we spent Christmas with our son and family in Virginia. Amy and I had a wonderful time visiting quilt shops and although the economy was doing fine at the time, I did my best to keep it that way. One of my purchases was a Moda charm pack with unusual (for me) colors and patterns. Amy had just taken a class called Tessellations and so I used the charm pack to try it myself. I loved the result and brought my little top home and quilted it. I should have added some borders to it, but I didn't, for whatever reason, and I was never happy with how it turned out. Too small. Night before last, I decided the time had come and I ripped it all apart, down to the little pieced top.
Here is the redo with borders added:
and a closer picture of the tessellations:
I am so happy I found a fabric for the new borders in my stash. In fact, I must
really like this fabric, because I found three different cuts of it on my shelves!! And now I have a new table topper for spring.
Yes -- spring -- with just a hint of Christmas. I love it! The neutral shades with which we painted the farmhouse are really brown tones. I especially love to use greens, reds and browns.
ReplyDeleteIt's good you remodeled it. I can tell it makes you happy and feels like something put right and that's accomplishment so it's probably another buffalo down, right?
Yup, bulls-eye! The fabric I used for the border was (all!) bought in the last year so I definitely didn't have it when I brought the top home. I guess I must not have had anything I thought would go with it, so I just finished it up thinking it would be okay. I used it, but it always bothered me. And you're right--it does make me happy now. And brings back memories of Amy and me stitching away in her sewing room. :-)
ReplyDeleteWOW, you ripped it all apart? I wish I had your ambition! It's darling, a good rescue!
ReplyDeleteWell, you KNOW you like the border fabric...LOL
ReplyDeleteSort of like me - I know I REALLY like a pattern when I find the same one I just bought already in my pattern drawer. Should I admit that I've done that more than once?
I'm glad to hear that someone else "re-buys" things. Yes -- patterns, books, even pantry items. I remember that I need / wanted it but not that I bought it.
ReplyDeleteBTW, what exactly is a "tesselation?"
Well, we know from my last trip to Costco that I rebuy chicken stock!! And fabric! :-)
ReplyDeleteA tessellation is a geometic pattern where all the pieces are the same shape and fit together with no gaps between them. If you look back up at the closeup picture of my little quilt, you will see shapes that resemble pinwheels and they all fit together even though they are formed from multiple blocks. They're kind of interlocking.
I've been making a list of Simplicity craft patterns in order to be ready for Jo-Ann's next sale. I love doll patterns and retro stuff. It's what I do -- I collect patterns.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll use up that chicken broth eventually. Meanwhile, it's a part of your "readiness."
Thanks for explaining tessellation. I suppose you sew them together by means of some well-planned process.
I think I brought a copy of the instructions home with me, but I probably couldn't figure them out again if I tried. :-) I remember you stitched and then used a template to cut an usually-shaped section from the sewn-together fabric pieces, and somehow you put *those* pieces together to create the pinwheels. You see why I had to rescue what I had--I'm not sure I could make another! I do remember that I was amazed how it all worked out.
ReplyDeleteAck!! Make than *unusually* shaped. How is it I can read and reread my comments and I never see the errors until they appear for "real?"
ReplyDeleteMike and I have discussed typos. You never see the errors until you press "publish," or "print." And it bothers me because I like to do things well. But in the world of blogs I think we have to relax a bit, especially with the comment frames because you can't correct them. I knew what you meant.
ReplyDelete