Blooming Batik 9 Patch -- "Fire"This picture makes my heart sing. My Blooming 9 Patch in Fire inspired Batiks and Prints is complete. The finished quilt is 83" x 93" (making it very hard to find a good place to lay it out for pictures) without a border. Since The only border that would make sense is the same fabric as makes up the dark edge bits and I wasn't smart enough to think about stashing a few yards of that when I started the project, I don't think this quilt will have a border beyond what you see here.
When it comes to quilting, I know that I am not and will never be a technical artist. The truth is, I don't really have much desire to actually do the quilting part, and I doubt that I will ever be a truly sophisticated user of my sewing machine. What makes me so gleefully happy about this project is the color and how it came together. When I first started knitting, I was really in awe of people who could work well and design well with color. Making a quilt top, for me, is about the color study.
My goal for this project (as I mentioned in a previous post) was to work with a color pallette out of my standard zone (blues, greens, purples) and to try to evoke an idea. I have always shied away from yellows, reds and oranges. I don't wear colors with yellow undertones very well, so don't tend to work with them in my knitting. But a quilt project is the perfect place to play with colors like that, since a housewear item doesn't have to complement my skin tone. So I started with that notion and decided that I wanted to evoke the idea of warmth and fire.
The fabric in this quilt is mostly composed of batiks -- batiks are my first love when it comes to fabric. I gravitate to them like I gravitate to silk yarns when I knit. However, there are a few standard prints in there as well (mostly in the red zone). Were I to do it again, I think I would select all batiks, because the properties of the batik and standard cottons were different enough that in some places is made the sewing more challenging than it needed to be.
I'm still deciding on the backing, but leaning heavily towards black minkee so that it will have a bit more soft and inviting quality to it.
When it comes to quilting, I know that I am not and will never be a technical artist. The truth is, I don't really have much desire to actually do the quilting part, and I doubt that I will ever be a truly sophisticated user of my sewing machine. What makes me so gleefully happy about this project is the color and how it came together. When I first started knitting, I was really in awe of people who could work well and design well with color. Making a quilt top, for me, is about the color study.
My goal for this project (as I mentioned in a previous post) was to work with a color pallette out of my standard zone (blues, greens, purples) and to try to evoke an idea. I have always shied away from yellows, reds and oranges. I don't wear colors with yellow undertones very well, so don't tend to work with them in my knitting. But a quilt project is the perfect place to play with colors like that, since a housewear item doesn't have to complement my skin tone. So I started with that notion and decided that I wanted to evoke the idea of warmth and fire.
The fabric in this quilt is mostly composed of batiks -- batiks are my first love when it comes to fabric. I gravitate to them like I gravitate to silk yarns when I knit. However, there are a few standard prints in there as well (mostly in the red zone). Were I to do it again, I think I would select all batiks, because the properties of the batik and standard cottons were different enough that in some places is made the sewing more challenging than it needed to be.
I'm still deciding on the backing, but leaning heavily towards black minkee so that it will have a bit more soft and inviting quality to it.
This quilt is absolutely stunning! What about binding it with either a black batik that has small bits of the colors in it (or black & grays), or even with the black minkee of the backing? A solid black would be a framing element, if you chose to go that direction.
Absolutely beautiful. Great work! You must be very proud - and rightly so. :)
You're finished already, blimey! Absolutely gorgeous. I wouldn't use a border, it looks very beautiful as it is. I like the way everything in terms of pattern and colours runs right to the edge, much more organic and flowing. A border would act like an artificial constraint and destroy the effect. Please leave as is: don't fix what ain't broke.
Fabulous. It has a real 3D textured look to it. You should be very proud of it.
That picture makes my heart sing too. Just beautiful!
That just makes my mouth water! It's Gorgeous!
And I must completely agree with you on batiks. I'm a once-in-every-seven-years sort of quilter myself, but I have to admit that when I go to quilting stores with Mom they tempt me.
That is absolutely gorgeous! And I love how the colors give a 3D kinda look.
Absolutely stunning! That looks like one of those quilts that you see when you go to an "art quilt" display at the museum! No kidding. I agree with Kathy that a black border would be beautiful and I'm already on record as supporting the black minkee backing. Your flame vision comes across beautifully.
Your quilt is fabulous! The colors really do portray warmth and fire.
Congratulations!
This is glorious! Do you think you would make another one in a different set of colors?
Wow! That is spectacular! You may have inspired me to take up quilting again.
Looks beautiful! And the minkee will be so snuggly!
It's gorgeous. I hardly know what else to say about it, but a result like that makes me want to have more hours in the day, to try more things.
quite beautiful!
This quilt takes my breath away!
It's amazing. I see this sort of thing in the quilting store occasionally, and wonder how one could possibly create such a wonderful work of fabric art. I have only made two quilts and they were both very pedestrian.
That looks awesome.
When you're finished with this, do yourself/us all a favor and take the time to stage some professional-grade photos of this quilt. You, the quilt, and we deserve it!
Congratulations on such a stunning visual impact!
Your quilt is positively amazing. It looks like it's alive and somebody should have a bucket of water at the ready to put out the flames. Simply exquisite.
Oooooooh - that is gorgeous! We just spent a week in the San Diego & that quilt looks like the sky did coming home from Sea World to Carlsbad on old 101 along the ocean. The sunset that night was particularly spectacular & looked very much like half your quilt (don't know if I explained that clearly - if you folded the quilt in half, it would look very much like the sky did that night as the sun set over the ocean - there were dozens of people pulled over to the roadside wherever there was any space to park - just to watch the sunset.)
It is absolutely stunning. Your choice and placement of color is perfect.
I am a blog "lurker" and rarely comment but I wanted to let you know how gorgeous the quilt looks. I'm not a quilter and know almost nothing about the process so I can't make any judgment on its construction. The color patterning is beautiful - eye catching!
That's beautiful, and realistic enough to scare me.
The quilt is beautiful.
So gorgeous! I just love the texture of the red border and the glowing center. You have a wonderful gift for
color and value.
And what a wonderful color study it is! I feel the same way when I dye yarn-I know I don't follow all the "techniques" but I just love seeing how the colors go together.
Theresa, if I knew that I could get a similar effect, I'd be tempted to try one. Where did you get the pattern?
Maria in NY
wowwwww! one of the most amazing quilts ever, for sure. keep up the inspiring work!