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Sneaking under the wire!


Amy'sCreativeSide




I wasn't going to enter the Bloggers' Quilt Festival but after seeing all the wonderful quilts out there I decided that I would enter at the last minute!  I was going to enter 'Going in Circles' but that's already been in a show this year (The Great Northern Quilt Show at Harrogate - see this post if you're interested in seeing more)so I've decided to share a different quilt with you that I've not shown on my blog.








I started my sashiko sampler quilt in 2007 when I'd been quilting for about six months.  I'd seen a sashiko cushion at a local quilt show (the first I'd ever been to!) and had instantly fallen in love with the intricate stitching designs and I knew I wanted to create a sampler quilt using some of the patterns.  I bought The Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook by Susan Briscoe and set about choosing which of the many designs I was going to use.  I used a hera marker to create the stitching grid and stitched the designs using a variegated quilting thread rather than traditional sashiko thread as I wanted a more delicate look to the stitches.

From memory each square took approximately two or three hours to mark and stitch but it took me about 15 months to complete the quilt as I kept starting other projects!  I decided to leave a ½" frame around each design and then add sashing to the blocks in a batik that has similar colours to the quilting thread as I wanted to keep the look of the quilt quite simple with clean lines as a contrast to the stitched designs.  Here are three of my favourite designs - sorry about the photos, it's a grey and drizzly day here!









The quilt lives on my settee and it's lovely to snuggle under on a cold evening as it has a comforting weight to it!

Quilt stats:  (my first quilt stats!)
Block size - 7" square
Quilt size - 76"x50"
Fabric - solid indigo (no idea what type but I got it here) and a Kaufman batik
Wadding - Midnight Dream Poly
Quilting - in the ditch around each block
Thread - YLI variegated quilting thread 'Danube Blues'
Hand stitched, pieced and quilted

I hope you've enjoyed my entry into the Quilt Festival - I've certainly enjoyed looking at lots of the entries (but I'm afraid I haven't managed to visit all of them!!)



In case anyone is wondering my chocolate flapjack turned out beautifully and it went down very well with my friends at the Knot studio (where I go for classes and workshops) this morning!

I forgot to take a photo before I packed them in the box - oops, bad blogger!

And it wouldn't be a post on ATWD without a photo of the man dog himself, would it?!


Well I don't know about you but I'm exhausted after all that typing...it's a dog's life!

Thanks for popping in, I'll hopefully see you again soon!


Comments

  1. That is a super quilt Helen, I can well appreciate the hours you must have spent working those patterns, thanks for sharing it.
    Off to check out that recipe.......

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  2. Lovely sashiko, Helen! I've never tried it but always admire the look. We make a similar treat in the summer, no oven required. Our recipe includes peanut butter. Hmm. Think I'll make a batch now!

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  3. that stitching is so great! Well done! :)

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  4. Beautiful sashiko quilt! I have a book on that subject but never tried it until now.
    I love the colors and the variegated thread, and I have a piece of the batik sashing fabric, too. :-) Bought it in Denmark.

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  5. Oh my, that stitching is to-die-for Helen! I'm so glad to hear that it is on display and in use every day.

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  6. OMG Helen, that is totally awesome!!! I just do not have the patience to make one measly block, never-alone a quilt - bravo!!!!!

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  7. Beautiful, even stitches on those blocks. I love the overall effect

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  8. Wow, this is such a treat, Helen! I adore Sashiko ... one day I will make something like this ... one day :)

    Congrats on a beautiful quilt ...

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  9. oh wow Helen. I totally reiterate my comment from yesterday... beginner my ****! You're WAAAAY better than that. Your stitching is just immaculate.

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  10. I love your quilt. I've never seen one like that before, so subtle and fresh.

    Your flapjacks look deliscious. What is in them?

    Archie.....well he is just gorgious as always.

    Have a great day!

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  11. Well the BQF has saved the best for last because that Helen is an amazing quilt. Wow! I`m speechless and that doesn`t happen often.

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  12. Wow Helen that quilt is beautiful. Good Luck! x

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  13. OMG that's amazing! Beautiful work you have every right to feel so proud of it!

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  14. I'll second what Jan has just said: OMG! The hours that mystery have taken. The patience...of which I have very little. The end result. Sublime.

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  15. Dam predictive text. Supposed to say 'must' not 'mystery'!

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  16. WOW what a quilt! That is some acheivement after only 6 months of quilting, I dont think I can claim to progress that quickly. Well done in a superb make!

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  17. That quilt is amazing! Love those delicate stitches! :)

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  18. WOW! I love your sashiko quilt H! I did a bit of sashiko at college and it's sooooo time consuming, but I love the results. Truly stunning! So glad you've shared it with us and a great choice for the BQF. Jxo

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  19. That is lovely. Now I want to do one of those too. I need some focus :)

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  20. really neat quilt!

    Margaret
    msolomo1@maine.rr.com
    www.quiltsoflove.blogspot.com

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  21. Congratulations on a wonderful entry into the festival! i absolutely love the quilt...and Archie!

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  22. LOVE your stitching -- what a labour of love! Beautiful.

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  23. What a beautiful quilt! Really lovely sashiko quilting!

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  24. Hi! Your quilt is fantastic! I'm so happy you shared it! Again one mor Japanese inspiration to my list! I love all those stitch blocks and blue colours! Kisses to sweet Archie! xxx Teje & Nero

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  25. Your quilt is incredible, Helen. Perfect stitching. And it is huge, no wonder it took you 15 months. It would take me 15 years!

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  26. Oh My Goodness! What beautiful hand stitching you do. It is perfect!! Another BEAUTIFUL quilt :)) Thank you for sharing............... and to Archie for his cute pose ;) Ellyx

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  27. stunning quilt!
    Thank you for sharing.

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  28. Done a bit of sashiko but it is so slow - abfab quilt - the result of great stitching and vision Helen!

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  29. Wow the stitching on this is amazing, lovely quilt

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  30. Oh Helen. L-O-V-E. Sigh, well I love all things asian inspired and sashiko is just about my favorite kind of quilting ever. Thank you, Thank you for sharing this! I am loving it so much!!!

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  31. Amazing Helen! Your stitching is phenomenal! This quilt is so striking...almost as much as Archie!! :-)

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  32. What an beautiful quilt. I love the stitching and am in awe that you could do it so well.

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  33. I love your quilt and your wonder dog too. hugs from Italy

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  34. OMG Helen, that is amazing!! I've never seen Sashiko before, but you look like a total pro :) x

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  35. This is really impressive. Such lovely stitching. I wouldn't have thought to use quilter's thread - that's a great idea! You have a truly great quilt!

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  36. holy crap! that sashiko work is amazing!! wowowow!

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  37. I love the embroidered lines - beautiful! Vanessa xxx

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  38. Archie The Wonder Dog was that you on Graham Norton's show this morning? You get everywhere!

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  39. Am having a nose around your great blog and came by the Sashiko quilt. The funny thing is that I have been contemplating for about a year now to start a Sashiko quilt and you pretty much did what I want to do. And this is great as I now know how beautiful it can be. This is such a stunner and give sme bags of motivation to start mine. When I do I might have to bug you with tons of questions though.

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