I've Always Wanted to Make One

I am fascinated by quilts that are completely pieced with squares, rectangles and triangles, yet have what appears to be curves. My favorite of this is called Storm At Sea. I have always wanted to make one and I thought it would look stunning in silk, and it does!

The quilt is made completely with silk dupioni. The construction of the quilt is very simple. It's made from 3 basic blocks: a small square in a square, a larger square in a square and an elongated diamond. 

I used paper piecing for all of the blocks, because precision isn't my forte and precise points are important for this pattern. I found downloadable patterns here: http://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/storm-at-sea-quilt.html

I made the quilt top almost one year ago while I was in Key West last winter. I hemmed and hawed about how to quilt it. I looked all over the Internet for some ideas. Frankly, although I conside myself a decent machine quilter, I was intimidated by all of the open white space. So when in doubt, contact a professional long arm machine quilter. Barb Persing has quilted another silk quilt for me and she did a wonderful job, and she did a great job on this one too. 

I debated whether to finish the edges with a traditional binding or to face it, which is used for more artsy type quilters. I decided to use the traditional binding because of all the white. I thought that with a facing it would just run off the edge, especially when hung on a light colored wall. 

I liked Barbs comment. She told me that she loves quilting the silk because the stitches sink into the fabric, but she wouldn't want to piece it. 

I wish I were a better photographer so that you could see the iridescence of the silk. Here's a close up. 

Minimal quilting in the colored sections really lets the dupioni sing. I back all my silk for piecing with fusible tricot. It's important to stabilize it. 

I can't wait to share this quilt on its maiden voyage. I'm giving my "Sensational Silk" talk on Monday at the Quiltmakers of Boyertown. Maybe I'll see you there. 

Silk Blocks #10 & #11

I hope these flowers bring some warmth to my friends up North. 

 Please stay warm and safe.  I will be joining you in 2 weeks.

Where Did The Summer Go?

 

It seems like forever since I posted. I thought it might have been the entire summer, but when I checked the date of my last post it turns out it has only been a month. But a month in bloggerland js a long time.

I have been quilting, but 2 of the quilts I finished are gifts. Can't share those yet. I have also been working on my silk opus.

I need to finish it by November 10th. That will be the debut of my "Sensational Silk" lecture at Penn Oaks Quilt Guild. I want to share all the different ways that dupioni silk can be used for quilting. The guild meets in Malvern at The Frazier Mennonite Church. It's a very friendly group so if you're in the area, come out and see my quilts. For more info, check out their website: www.PennOaksQuiltGuild.org

I have also been having a lot of fun getting dirty rehabbing a property that my son and DIL bought. I'm the fixer of odds and ends. It's a house with lots of character that was built in 1875. It's in Wilmington, DE. If you're familiar with the area, it's near Rodney Square.

 

 

Front foyer.

Does anyone know anything about this tile?

It was used to seal off a fireplace.

 

 

 

And believe it or or, it was Henry's first birthday. Where did the year go? My DIL made him a fish themed party. She gave me a couple of tie dyed t shirts with directions on how to decorate them.

Does the fish look familiar? It's a baby shower quilt left over.

If you want to see the fish quilt, click HERE.

And one more t shirt, just in case the first one gets dirty.

And of course that is going to happen when there is a smash cake!

So what motivated me to blog today of all days? Our annual Fall vacation. I want to make sure I can share the photos with you.

Where are we going, you ask?

Bali!

It's a Textile Tour with lots of learning about batiks, making of batiks and buying of batiks. What could be better?

I will definitely share photos.