Tag Archives: It takes a village

It takes a Village – Finish

I started this quilt, “It Takes A Village”, back in December. I think February, March and April, I listed it as my monthly goal for “A lovely year of finishes” but could not get it done. Well, I am ecstatic to say that have finally finished it!!

ItTakesAVillage_Front

It Takes A Village, started out as one of my Quilt Design a Day designs. I actually kept pretty close to the original color scheme.

QDAD_FlyingGeeseBrownLinen_3August2014

While pulling the fabric, I decided to switch out the lighter brown for a Cotton and Steel print. I thought it added some interest into the quilt, while the background color was similar to the design.

I tried a couple of new things with this quilt:

  • I bought a new tool – a BLOC LOC Ruler for a triangle in square. I loved it! It made it much easier to trim up the triangles and it improved accuracy.
  • I was inspired by Angela Walters book “Shape by Shape”, and decided to quilt each individual triangle, with one of three designs.

I used Aurifil for my quilting and it provided the most amazing texture to the quilt.

ItTakesAVillage_Quilting

For the back, I wanted a patchwork brick feel. However,  when finished, the back did not look right with lines moving horizontally, so I flipped it so the lines ran vertically. The final design decision I made, was to pull one of the colors out of the Cotton and Steel print and use it as a main color in the back and binding. It landed up being the blue, the pink just didn’t work for me.
ItTakesAVillage_Back

Here are the final details for the quilt.

Details

Name: It takes a Village
Dimensions: 48″ x 48″
Design: Michelle Wilkie

Fabric:
Yarn-Dyed Essex Linen Flax; Kona Chocolate; Kona Silver; Kona Oyster; Cotton and Steel – Tack; Back + Binding: Also includes Kona Lagoon

Quilted: Walking foot. Triangles: Quilted using 3 designs; Negative Space: Circle represents a Town Circle while the lines are pathways through the village to add movement.
Thread – Aurifil (50 wt): White – 2021; Light Beige – 2310; Turquoise – 2810 (used for 3 triangles + binding).

Linking up with Amanda Jean over at Crazy Mom Quilts for next week’s Finish it up Friday. I will be writing it up as a pattern and hope to release it next month.

Linking up with  Adrienne for 2015 Finish along, as this was one of my goals for Q2 to finish.

2015 FAL at On the Windy Side

Quick update – close to a finish

It takes a village….is getting closer to a finish. I spent sometime last night quilting more of the triangles with 3 designs (here and here).

IMG_4251

I have quilted about 20 of the triangles and have about 26 to go. Last weekend, was so productive I am hoping for the same success this on weekend by finishing this project up this Friday or Saturday.

Village_Quilting

I will definitely be releasing the pattern for this one….a question for you all though that are interested in it…. See the last row, you have 3 triangles and then two triangles. The negative space inbetween would you like the measurements as individual squares (Two (2) 4.5″ squares) or as one piece (One (1) 8.5″ x 4.5″?? Which way would allow you to line up the rows + columns the easiest??

Linking up with Lee over @ Freshly pieced for WiP Wednesday.

It takes a Village

You have seen some snippets of this project on my IG and Blog feeds the past months. For some reason, this quilt has taken me forever!!  Its not overly complicated. I had deadline pressures, which made me procrastinate and really not enjoy working on it. You know how that goes….and its not really about the project at all.
IMG_3310

I decided that I would fix the issue by submitting another project, and just take the time I need to finish this the way I want to finish it.
Pyramid_QuiltDesign

Great news is, I no longer need to hide the overall quilt from you all, since I am no longer submitting it as a project. The actual front of this quilt is almost complete –  just quilting a couple more rows, and then the triangles to go.
Village_Quilting

This design was one of my early QDAD designs. It is one of my husband’s favorites. It reminds him of a village, the triangles representing roof tops. I added the circle quilting to represent the town center.

I am actually loving the brown/neutral color palette. Surprisingly, loving the C+S tack fabric print, which helped me pull in that blue solid that appears today, in the back but also will appear in the binding and quilting thread color.

Isn’t it amazing what happens when you just change your perspective, and now this project works for me!!I think I actually might make my A lovely year of Finishes deadline this month!!

Linking up with Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts for Let’s Bee Social.

Sew Fresh Quilts