Encouragement for New Hand Quilters! My VERY First Quilted Item (humiliating myself here, LOL)

[Hillbilly Hen]

Perfect!

 

[speckledhen]

Border is on. Now to do something with that center block-it just comes off too "cool".





Help me with the decision of what to applique over the center block, please. These are just slapped up there. First one is the same as the corner fabric. If you think a particular color family or a solid would work better, let me know and I'll check my stash for something along those lines:

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

I like the second one down, it matches the corners. But I like the original one too even though the color does not show up as well on the computer,

 

[speckledhen]

I brought in my DH, the artist, to help with this one. He says this next one would be his choice, because of the rusty brown flowers that pick up colors in the rest of the piece. It has tiny blue flowers, too, but you don't notice that when it's on the quilt, however, it also has brown and beige flowers and some tiny green in the leaves on the vines, so it pulls out most of the quilt colors in this one square.




Here is a close up of what is there now, which he says draws the eye into the center, like it's a hole in the quilt:



ETA: Yup, I like it. I think I'll use this one with the brown and beige flowers and the criss cross vines. I found a backing fabric for it and have enough batting, so as soon as I get this center block fixed, I'm off to the races quilting it. Should be done in a week's time, I think, barring other issues I have to deal with elsewhere.

 

[seminolewind]

Its soooo stunning!

 

[speckledhen]

I'm glad you think so! I appliqued that center square on last night and it really suits it so, so much better than the original, will put the layers together today and start quilting.

I have to find more of that series of fabric I used for the border-it's just gorgeous, I have to say. The manufacturer is Benartex and the series is Acorn Hollow by Nancy Halvorsen, if any of you quilters know manufacturers. Thousands of Bolts, the online fabric retailer where I buy lots of my fabrics, has Benartex but not this particular series. It may be discontinued, but oh, it's what I love, all those oak leaves and acorns, just like my mountain woods.

 

[CupOJoe42]

Beautiful!!!! I have tons of quilt tops that I've done , but haven't sandwiched any of them except the first one I did in class!! Wish I could find people close to me to quilt with!

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you! Some folks love the piecing process, some love the quilting process. I love piecing and I like quilting, but I don't love piecing or quilting huge projects, though I do them occasionally because folks want bed quilts.

 

[seminolewind]

I'm glad you think so! I appliqued that center square on last night and it really suits it so, so much better than the original, will put the layers together today and start quilting.

I have to find more of that series of fabric I used for the border-it's just gorgeous, I have to say. The manufacturer is Benartex and the series is Acorn Hollow by Nancy Halvorsen, if any of you quilters know manufacturers. Thousands of Bolts, the online fabric retailer where I buy lots of my fabrics, has Benartex but not this particular series. It may be discontinued, but oh, it's what I love, all those oak leaves and acorns, just like my mountain woods.

I've been partial to Moda and Thimbleberries most of the time. But haven't done any quilting in 9 years. I used to order alot of material from Handcock's of Paduca. In NY, where I lived I had an addicted quilter for a friend. She shopped at a homey quilt shop that had a weekend retreat once a year. It was in an old house on the water, they supplied wonderful meals, and all you did all day was quilt. You brought your own machine. I never made it out there. But it would have been fun.

 

[CupOJoe42]

I love Thimbleberries and Moda! Always drawn toward earthy tones, tho my first quilt was purples and blues. I'll have to take a picture and post it.