It was back in summer of 2012 when I started this quilt. My first post said, ''I will have what she is having''. Click here to read about it.
It took me almost three years to finish this quilt! My plan was to finish hand quilting before going to India and have the binding ready so I had something mindless to work on after coming back. But as they say, plans don't always work out... I did not get to it until the middle of March.
I am extremely happy the way it turned out. It is warm and soft and quite colorful as you can see. Makes me think of spring and summer even though the lawn is looking quite wintery.
Painted Zigzag is entirely made with women's clothing from the Goodwill store. I liked the challenge of making something bright and beautiful with used clothing. It was fun seeing those prints together. Each block was like a new quilt. Once the blocks were finished it was even more fun to arrange them on the design wall and work on the layout. I chose to keep all the backgrounds in blocks.
Moving along with Painted Zigzag...
I hand quilted it with Valdani Variegated Pearl Cotton threads I bought when I was in Houston. They were a dream to work with. Went through the layers like butter.
I stayed with the obvious lines of the zigzag pattern. Seams were pressed toward the darker fabrics so it made sense to quilt on the lighter zigzag. At some point, when I had basted this quilt, I was thinking of machine quilting but, what can I say? I am a chicken when it comes to quilting a huge quilt on the machine. My shoulders just don't care for all that stress but if every evening I hand quilt a little at a time, at some point it gets done.
On March 20th when it snowed, at first I was thinking NO!!! But there was just enough snow on the ground to make me run out and use that clothesline again.
Can you see the binding? I ended up using all the leftover bindings for this quilt. I like how it extends the scrappy-ness of the quilt.
For the back, I used up some of my pink fabrics.. I am generally not a pink person but had enough to put a queen size backing together! I must have liked them at some point.
And now on to another news..and about that picture...
I taught a class at Burkholders Fabrics yesterday. Windmill is one of my favorite quilts from the book. I took plenty of samples to show my students.
I have taught this pattern few times before but this was my first time teaching a class after becoming an author. As an instructor, it is always refreshing to see work in progress by students and watching them enjoy making the blocks. It was nice to meet everyone from central New Jersey to Harrisburg and places in between. Victoria from The Silly BooDilly was also in the class. I am looking forward to their quilts.
I answered many questions regarding my fabric selections and inspirations. How I see myself as a quilter and what I expect from myself as a quilter. It was fun chatting with each and every one of them.
Here are few more dates and places I will be presenting and/or teaching a class in 2015.
1 May - I will be speaking at Tompkins County Quilters Guild in Ithaca, NY and also teaching a two day workshop. If you live near Ithaca, I hope to see you there. I will have lots of quilts with me.
13 May - Presentation at Calico Cutters Guild in West Chester, PA
I will be also speaking and teaching three classes at Mid Appalachian Quilt Conference at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. I blogged about it earlier. If you missed it, please click on the link.
http://therootconnection.blogspot.com/2015/03/mid-appalachian-quilt-conference.html
10 July - Presentation
10 July - Workshop - Windmill
11 July - Workshop - Hourglass Twist
12 July - Workshop - Peppermint Pinwheels
14 August - Presentation - Thimble and Thread Quilt Guild of Greater St. Louis
15 August - Workshop - Thimble and Thread Quilt Guild of Greater St. Louis
13 October - Presentation at Brandywine Valley Quilters, Concordville, PA
Phew! This was a long three posts in one!
Have a great weekend with family and friends.
Kavita is coming home this weekend... I am excited!
Sujata
It took me almost three years to finish this quilt! My plan was to finish hand quilting before going to India and have the binding ready so I had something mindless to work on after coming back. But as they say, plans don't always work out... I did not get to it until the middle of March.
 |
Painted Zigzag is entirely made with women's clothing from the Goodwill store. I liked the challenge of making something bright and beautiful with used clothing. It was fun seeing those prints together. Each block was like a new quilt. Once the blocks were finished it was even more fun to arrange them on the design wall and work on the layout. I chose to keep all the backgrounds in blocks.
What's this picture doing here? I will tell you about it at the end of this post.
Moving along with Painted Zigzag...
I hand quilted it with Valdani Variegated Pearl Cotton threads I bought when I was in Houston. They were a dream to work with. Went through the layers like butter.
I stayed with the obvious lines of the zigzag pattern. Seams were pressed toward the darker fabrics so it made sense to quilt on the lighter zigzag. At some point, when I had basted this quilt, I was thinking of machine quilting but, what can I say? I am a chicken when it comes to quilting a huge quilt on the machine. My shoulders just don't care for all that stress but if every evening I hand quilt a little at a time, at some point it gets done.
On March 20th when it snowed, at first I was thinking NO!!! But there was just enough snow on the ground to make me run out and use that clothesline again.
Can you see the binding? I ended up using all the leftover bindings for this quilt. I like how it extends the scrappy-ness of the quilt.
For the back, I used up some of my pink fabrics.. I am generally not a pink person but had enough to put a queen size backing together! I must have liked them at some point.
And now on to another news..and about that picture...
I taught a class at Burkholders Fabrics yesterday. Windmill is one of my favorite quilts from the book. I took plenty of samples to show my students.
I have taught this pattern few times before but this was my first time teaching a class after becoming an author. As an instructor, it is always refreshing to see work in progress by students and watching them enjoy making the blocks. It was nice to meet everyone from central New Jersey to Harrisburg and places in between. Victoria from The Silly BooDilly was also in the class. I am looking forward to their quilts.
I answered many questions regarding my fabric selections and inspirations. How I see myself as a quilter and what I expect from myself as a quilter. It was fun chatting with each and every one of them.
Here are few more dates and places I will be presenting and/or teaching a class in 2015.
1 May - I will be speaking at Tompkins County Quilters Guild in Ithaca, NY and also teaching a two day workshop. If you live near Ithaca, I hope to see you there. I will have lots of quilts with me.
13 May - Presentation at Calico Cutters Guild in West Chester, PA
I will be also speaking and teaching three classes at Mid Appalachian Quilt Conference at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. I blogged about it earlier. If you missed it, please click on the link.
http://therootconnection.blogspot.com/2015/03/mid-appalachian-quilt-conference.html
10 July - Presentation
10 July - Workshop - Windmill
11 July - Workshop - Hourglass Twist
12 July - Workshop - Peppermint Pinwheels
14 August - Presentation - Thimble and Thread Quilt Guild of Greater St. Louis
15 August - Workshop - Thimble and Thread Quilt Guild of Greater St. Louis
13 October - Presentation at Brandywine Valley Quilters, Concordville, PA
Phew! This was a long three posts in one!
Have a great weekend with family and friends.
Kavita is coming home this weekend... I am excited!
Sujata
So much to absorb in your finished quilt . . . love the snow photos and LOVE the quilt!
ReplyDeleteYou are so busy now!
ReplyDeleteLove the zig-zag quilt and the "repurposing" from Goodwill stores. i have been choosing my husband's shirts carefully for years with their repurpose in mind. This week i am doing a workshop where i hope to dye some bits and pieces with that in mind.
I agree. The photo of the quilt in the snow made it look so beautiful and warm. Congratulations on a treasure.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sujata, I love the zig zag quilt! I love the colors and especially that you hand quilted it. LOVE!
ReplyDeleteenjoy your visit with Kavita! Your finished quilt is awesome - great photos!
ReplyDeleteLovely quilt. It looks like a spring garden, full of color and texture. The quilting is perfect for this quilt, it wouldn't be as cozy with machine quilting.
ReplyDeleteIt is typically the kind of quilts that I simply LOVE!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, great photos!
Beautiful! I love the way you mix the "goodwill prints". I've been hoarding "goodwill prints" (I mean, every time I travel to the USA I visit goodwill with that purpose) for a while, but never seem to get to anything positive. Will give them yet another look. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteHad so much fun in your class, Sujata! And as I said before, your quilts were even more gorgeous in person!
ReplyDeleteAnd about the fact that you must of at one time liked those pink fabrics used recently on the back of your beautiful zig-zag quilt... so, true... I look at some of my old stash and can hardly believe that I bought certain fabrics, yet at the time I know I thought they were great. In fact I think I recognize some of your pinks from my own stash!
I remember you making this quilt, it's great to see it finished it's all it's glory with a fun pieced backing and photos in the snow. Your class sounds wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteLove the quilt. It reminds me of my grandmother's quilts...she always used up old clothes in her quilt and would tell me the story behind all the fabrics..."that used to be Betty's dress and that was your dad's shirt".
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely quilt - cheerful, happy, great movement! I love that your fabrics are used clothing. What fun to breathe new life into them.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to learning the windmill technique at the mid-atlantic mod conference later this month. I also love the idea of repurposing fabric from Goodwill see you soon.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore your Painted Zigzag quilt. Your fabric selections are just perfect.
ReplyDeleteSujata--I just received your book in the mail! I really love all the quilts and your methods are so well presented. I love it. thank you hugs, Julierose
ReplyDeleteLovely to see this one finished...Who needs flowers in the garden, when you have such a colourful quilt hanging on the line?
ReplyDeleteI adore this quilt. You've inspired me to start one, I think. I am in need of something easy and fun to do and this looks just like what the doctor ordered. Your quilts always make me so happy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful quilt! I love that all of the pretty fabrics came from clothing at Goodwill - how awesome is that? It shows so beautifully against the drab black and white snowy background. I'm so looking forward to seeing your quilts at Calico Cutters!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your lovely comments. I am glad that quilt is done.. Don't know if it is possible to hand quilt once the summer heat arrives.
DeleteI am looking forward to tomorrow. Bringing lots of quilts and stories. See you at the guild meeting!