Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Time To Get This One in the Hoop!

There's this quilt top that has been nagging at me for months now, wanting its turn in the sun. I call it Flock of Geese or my 'bluebird' quilt. It was brought to the quilt top stage back in early fall of 2014, so you have to know its been very, very patient with me.
Flock of Geese getting sandwiched and ready for quilting!
When this one was finally all together as a quilt top, I felt a definite disconnect to it. Starting out I didn't want any brown in the quilt at all and well, you know me. Brown usually finds its way into many, many quilts around here! The fact that the wide sashing strips are practically a solid brown? Well, for one, that made me squirmy as to how it was ever supposed to be quilted, and two, tho it's a very old fashioned look {in theory}, this one didn't end up looking that way at all. Hmm...

Honestly? The entire vibe was probably more modern than I was accustomed to producing. Just a little hiccup at the corner of expectation and outcome! But this does happen occasionally as I've finally, finally started to clue in. Duh! My ideas and style seem to evolve faster than I can often mentally process. I dabble in this and that, push the boundaries of where I want my colors and/or quilt elements to play and wallah! The results can be unpredictable, and yet, oddly exhilarating too! And yes, that's undoubtedly why I predictably backtrack into the old and familiar on occasion. Like taking a long, hot soak in the tub and trying to completely unwind.  
Flock of Geese
Fast forward to today and I'm totally scratching my head as to why this would ever have made me uncomfortable in any way, shape or form? It's such a me quilt! lol  It is also interesting to note that the fabric for the birds in this quilt is the same exact fabric I used in a border for Scrappy Tulips, the quilt I just finished stitching prior to Cherries & Improv. pictured below. Totally different usage of the fabric and yet, it was a great sparky element in both quilts! Have I mentioned before that I love, love, love stitching on old quilt tops at the same time as working on the new? And stitching back to back older quilt tops with completely different moods? Such an interesting perspective all the way around....
Binding strips for Cherries & Improv.
Gotta a busy week ahead so am trying to get some hand work ready to go. Once this binding is sewn together and then stitched onto the quilt, I can have myself a binding marathon squeezed in between all the crazy bits of our life. Onward ho!

11 comments:

  1. Lovely flock of geese with bluebirds--I need to get some
    of my flimsies ready to hand quilt as I just finished hand quilting Mme Eagle and am left empty-handed here...(oh no!!) I think hand quilting is totally addictive..and I am hooked... so relaxing
    hugs Julierose

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  2. Sounds like you're going to have great fun quilting this! Enjoy, and looking forward to seeing how you quilt it.

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  3. such immaculate flying geese and love the bird fabric too, I also use brown, black or brown are my first choice for sashing and borders as I think they make the rest of the quilt pop unlike using white etc, happy quilting

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  4. Audrey me gustan tus gansos volando!!!
    y me gustan tus tonos verdes

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  5. What an interesting quilt, so fresh and modern. Looks very good. Warm greetings

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  6. Ah, so many quilting possibilities here! Have fun with this one! I just love blue-brown combinations and this one is so bright and lively.

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  7. Wow, that must be an old top. I don't remember seeing it and I thought I'd been following you longer than that. Guess I have to scroll through the back years now to catch what I missed! Love, love, love those birds!

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  8. Silly me. I thought the blocks were laid on a table in the first photo. Love the bluebirds and the fact that you used the fabric again.

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  9. Love your flock of geese. Glad it's made it to the top of the list.

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  10. It is lovely, my friend. Love the birds and the geese. Have a great week.

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  11. I have followed you for a long time now and almost forgot about this one! It will be fun to see what you do in regards to the quilting :)

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