People, I hand quilted an entire quilt!!
You can knock that off my bucket list! But seriously– I loved working on this quilt.
I made up the filmstrip quilt top last spring (using the tutorial from Crazy Mom Quilts). It’s not my first filmstrip, and I have a feeling it won’t be my last.
I used my favorite line of fabric– Hope Valley by Denyse Schmidt, and I love how the colors play together. In general, I am more of a fan of mixing lines of fabric, but these prints are just so lovely together that I couldn’t resist. I used perle cotton (size 8) for the stitches to get that chunky look.
I decided to back the quilt in Little Folks voile from Anna Maria Horner, and I would *highly* recommend this as a backing for a quilt you’re hand quilting. It’s so so soft and easy to hand stitch. I used a pastry line print for the binding, and I love how it frames the quilt.
When I started quilting (on my very first quilt, actually), before I had purchased a walking foot for my machine, and long before I started free motion quilting, I tried hand quilting. And I was miserable. It was hard to sew through the batting, and I couldn’t get into the groove. I thought that if that was what quilting was like, I wouldn’t be making any more quilts! When I discovered the joy of quilting on my home machine, I was hooked, and I couldn’t imagine why anyone would sew a quilt by hand. But slowly, my thinking on this matter changed. I love a long term project, and looked forward to having something to hand stitch in evenings and on car trips. Hand quilting this quilt saw me through all of our trips this summer, including finding a new place to live and making our recent move. It represents more than just my favorite fabrics, it represents the time and care I devote to this craft. I’m so happy with this quilt, and although I never thought I’d say this, I’m excited to get to work on my next hand quilting project!
And a note about the batting– one reason I believe it was so difficult to hand quilt that first quilt was because I did not use a batting that was optimal for hand stitching. This time around I took the advice of some of my knowledgeable guild members in Ann Arbor and went with Quilters Dream Request Loft Batting made from 100% cotton. It made such a difference!!
And– if anyone out there who happens to read my little blog is considering hand quilting, I encourage you to give it a try! And know that you might not love it the first time around, but that’s ok– there will always be another quilt calling your name on which you can give this a try.
(Simon can’t help but get in a photo of the quilt)
I’m linking up with The Bloggers Quilt Festival over at Amy’s Creative Side. Each Spring and Fall Amy hosts this wonderful virtual event that coincides with quilt market to celebrate all of these wonderful quilts, and I’m so happy to join in! Click on the link below to visit her site, and to check out a TON of gorgeous quilts!
Quilt Stats:
Size: 54″ by 62″
Fabric: Kona cotton bone and hope valley (front), little folks voile (back) and pastry line voile (binding)
Special Techniques: Hand Quilted!!! (umm, I’m excited about this, can you tell?)
Quilted by: Me! (otherwise this would be much less impressive)
Best Category for the BQF: Hand quilted, throw quilt, or quilt photography
wow, what a beauty!!! I love everything about this quilt.
What a fabulous quilt, and a great accomplishment! Good for you! I just love hope valley.
It really is a beauty – a wonderful addition to BQF!
Good to “see” you again Natalie. Love your quilt. One of my hopes is to learn to hand quilt also — this winter would be a great time. I think we had our last day of warmth and sun yesterday — today the dreariness of gray and rain is settling in. Thanks for the encouragement to hand quilt.
Fabulous!!! It was such a treat to see this in person… it is just so cuddly!!! I LOVE having a hand quilting project going, I’m incapable of just sitting. I’m finishing up a big one so now I’ll have to find the next worthy project;-)
That is a neat quilt. Glad you are trying hand quilting. It is a relaxing process. Quilters Dream Request is one of my favorite battings. I have found another batting equally good. It is called Katahdin (summer weight). It is 100% cotton and made in Maine! It looks and feels like Quilters Dream Request and works up just as easily. It is worth a try if you can find it. I have also used it for quilts that are quilted with a long arm. Fantastic results.
Very nice quilt!
It’s STUNNING! Excellent work. π
Such a great quilt and even more beautiful in person.
that took a lot of work, it’s beautiful!
Wow! Your first quilted project and its certainly not n a small project! Go big or go home π
It’s such a gorgeous quilt…I remember loving your last film strip quilt too! I definitely want to make one of these (some day…)
Love it!
this would already be insanely gorgeous by itself, but with the hand quilting? it’s stunning!
This is so much fun! I love all of the different fabrics that you used.
fabulous quilt and wonderful photos
Beautiful!!!
Everything about this quilt is terrific.
Gorgeous.
Just gorgeous!!
Great quilt! Congratulations on your first, and hopefully not your last, hand quilting experience!
Your quilt is wonderful and I LOVE what you wrote about hand quilting!
Hand quilted? Did you say Hand quilted??? I bow down to you!! Gheeze you have way more patience than me! It is a fun quilt. First thing I saw was a negative strip that would be fun with a photo quilt. I just might have to give that a try, but I promise, there will be no hand quilting for me!! π
Bello davvero!
Ciao
This is a really wonderful quilt, and such an achievement. Hope Valley is my favorite collection too, and I just finally made the decision to acquire it all (with the recent sales). I appreciate your insights about the hand quilting, too.
Very lovely. Thanks for the hand quilting encouragement, our ladies LOVE Quilters Dream Request for batting. I have stalled and had similar thoughts that I wouldn’t love hand quilting. Love all your ‘action shots’ of this quilt in a beautiful setting. Beautiful quilt in beautiful surroundings.
What an absolutely fabulous quilt – how lovely that it is all hand sewn too. Beautifull scenery too. Thanks for sharing. #263
I love this quilt– such great colors! And I love your new photo shoot locations, too! Are you keeping this achievement quilt for yourself?
This turned out just gorgeous!!!! Congrats on all the hand quilting!! yay! π
beautiful colors, love the quilt and the photogaphy
Love that you caught the hand quilting bug. Most of my quilts are hand quilted. It takes longer but I love the results. Love that film strip design. Great job.
Great quilt – the pattern is an eyecatcher! and the quilting is wonderful !
So much to love about this quilt! Film Strip is a favorite pattern and I love Hope Valley!!! Been hoarding mine and can’t seem to cut into it π Congratulations on the hand quilting.
What a beauty this is and all the more special for the time taken to quilt it by hand. There IS something special about a quilt that has been hand quilted. I love the stitchery … especially because it’s not “machine exact”. Thanks for the tip about the batting.
what a gorgeous quilt and a perfect pattern to showcase those fabrics. great job.
Hi! Your quilt is so beautiful! I love the pattern and colours you have used! Also your photos are so wonderful and for me it looks the same like in Finland. x Teje
Yay for the hand quilting! The quilt is lovely, and the photos are so beautiful, too.
Wonderful job, Natalie! I love hand quilting, too, but sometimes it is hard not to get the quick finish….patience is not always my strong suit! But the result is amazing. Just beautiful π
you are amazing!
I love it for so many reasons! And I totally agree with you about Quilter’s Dream! I’m a new convert to their batting! Gorgeous!!
This is SO gorgeous!! Congrats Natalie, it really is so amazing!!