Sunday, May 22, 2011

Giveaway! and can this quilt be saved?

 So I'm making this quilt for my sister.  It's supposed to look like this excellent quilt... but I realized I don't have a good color sense.  (My mother's been telling me that for years, and the husband has even very delicately started in... hers is "are you going to go outside wearing that with that?" and his is a diffident "do you normally wear those two things together?")  Looking at it now, I see I should have made the stars out of the colored flower bits that make the stretched hexagons.  There are stars there, just you can barely make them out.

(This is the backing, with a red binding.)
So, does anyone have any hints for how to quilt it (at home - I don't do the "send it to someone else and have their computer quilt it" thing, although I do understand it's faster) so that the stars are emphasized rather than the oblong shapes?  Colors, techniques, anything?  Would using a thick/fluffy polyester batting (rather than thin bamboo/cotton) and putting most of the quilting in the non-star areas help?

(Redoing it is not an option - I don't have any more fabric!)

But now on to what you want... the giveaway!

Whether or not you're willing/able to give me "can this quilt be saved" advice, I have up for offer 2 yards of silk chiffon from Universal Fabrics here in Houston.  I bought it because it's fabulous, but I've got no idea of what to do with it, so I'm leaving it up to you. 

Here's a shot on a chair back so you get the scale:

And a close-up of the hilarious pattern, also showing how sheer it is (it's folded up behind itself at the bottom of the photo):


(I saw a greetings card once with various structured undergarments on it; the inside said, "thanks for your support!")

To win, just post a comment of any kind.  Quilting advice welcome, but not necessary.  A way to contact you (i.e. no "no-reply" profiles) is necessary, of course.

(Random) Drawing on May 26th.

Shipping note: I had some issues last time with the giveaway - I live next door to a post office, but it's open only when I'm at work, so I have to wait for a day off work when the post office is open (i.e. no holidays) to ship internationally (the machine will ship domestically any time).  I had a day free just after the giveaway, but a family emergency kept me from the post office on that one day, and it was over a month until I had a non-holiday weekday off work again.  So, this time, US/Canada only, unless you're willing to wait a while for shipping.  (If you're willing to wait, you can submit from anywhere!)

40 comments:

  1. I'm not a quilter, not yet at least...(I sew kids clothing, costumes, occasional bag or two, stuff for me--trying to put off the inevitable addiction to quilting that is sure to happen...) but I was able to make out the stars after looking closely. Maybe a zigzag stitch, shorter length of stitch to make it a bit bolder, but not quite an applique type of stitch, around the border of each star? Maybe in the red that the binding will be?

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  2. oh, and the fabric you're giving away is quite fun! silly! :-)

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  3. Could you quilt the stars in a different color thread? Or add more batting behind them? Sorry, I'm not very good at this!! Thanks for a chance to win!

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  4. Well, my advice is ALWAYS Keep Calm and Carry On. I would personally just keep going as intended, and quilt it to emphasize the stars, maybe using some red to match your bindings.

    Don't let anyone tell you that you don't have color sense. It's just a matter of practice. Some people like color wheels, I experiment. Color sense is like a muscle you work out. If you listen to people tell you that you have none, you won't keep trying.

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  5. have you looked at the free motion quilting project? it should give you some good ideas. I was too scared to quilt anything myself until i saw her tutorials, they're great~!

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  6. I don't know that anything will draw those stars out...maybe quilting those triangle with a bright colored thread so the thread emphasises the triangles? You could applique brighter triangles on as you quilt too?
    Love that silk chiffon. never worked with the stuff, but I think my daughter would love a scarf made with that fabric.

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  7. It took me awhile to see the stars, I did the same thing just recently.. to make my stars stand out I used a decorative stitch around them in a dark color and it worked... as for quilting, I have done free motion with my machine, and I did find it east to do loops and stars...practice on scraps first

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  8. I'm going to have to second Jessica Jo's thoughtful, elegant response of BOOBS!
    I sincerely hope you know that person!

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  9. That is the awesomest fabric ever. I love it. I have no quilt advice because I am a novice, but that fabric needs me.
    tara(at)thedress(dot)net

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  10. Try stitching in the ditch around your stars and then use a modern quilting techique to echo the star line at least once, maybe a couple of times. Hopefully that works!

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  11. I am fabric pattern challenged like you. You should see the cacophony of a quilt I am working on. Wish I had a good solution for both of us. Let me know what you do!

    bsyb100 at gmail dot com

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  12. No advice on the quilt, good luck with it! No matter what happens it have been a learning experience!

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  13. This is rather fun fabric. I'm not a quilter but I like the idea of highlighting the stars! jinglesells at gmail dot com

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  14. Dang, you are hilarious. Honestly, I don't know how you can save that quilt. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about the stars hiding. It's a big galaxy out there and sometimes you just can't see them. I love the fun fabric you are giving away. It will make interesting totes.

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  15. I don't have any advice :(, but I'd love to win.

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  16. You could probably quilt around the star design to make it more noticeable. I love so many patterned fabrics that it can be a challenge for me too to make the actual quilt design stand out!

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  17. cute! I'm a beginning quilter so I don't have much advise to offer but I love this giveaway!
    jacy468 at aim dot com

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  18. thanks for the giveaway

    radiyas(at)gmail(dot)com

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  19. I am not a quilter but I am an embellisher. Is that a real word? Anyway I would probably do something a little over the top around the edges of the stars to make them pop. But that's just me....I tend to be a "more is more" kind of person.
    I really like the fabric you are giving away and would make myself a fab dress of it.

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  20. No quilting advice. i just like the fabric.

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  21. Very cute fabric

    I can think of many fun things to do with it!

    I wish I had some advice for your quilt...the stars are hard to see..

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  22. I have No clue. Sorry. Could barely see the stars. :| good luck though!!! :D

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  23. I enjoy reading about how reality gets in the way of moving on. Ir, in your case sharing a not a good as you envisioned quilt top. I think you could try trapunto where you stitch another fabric to the backside around the area you want to emphasize and then add stuffing from the back to poof out that area.
    I love your giveaway fabric and I already know what I would do with it. Put a rolled hem onto the edges and make a scarf.

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  24. Ok, I'm not a quilter by any means but I think maybe if you did a dark or bright satin stich around the stars it might help them stand out more. You could take some deam binding in various colors and audition them to see what color would stand out the best. I hope that might be helpful.

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  25. Thank you for the great giveaway.
    atchisonsteph at gmail dot com
    I live most of the time in Canada, but also have a residence in the states, so I hope you can include me in the giveaway.
    That is wonderful fabric. I would stitch in the ditch to quilt it. There are so many different colors and things going on in the quilt that you need a quilting pattern that doesn't just add more pattern and color.

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  26. Thanks for the giveaway! Fun fabric!

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  27. That fabric is so cute!! I would probably use it as a lining for some kind of purse.
    I have no quilting advise though. Sorry. :(

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  28. I love this fabric! I want to make curtains for my weird closet/random added on room/spot where I get dressed and dance in front of the mirror room attached to my bedroom with this fabric.

    Advice on the quilt, use a contrasting color thread to outline the stars.
    If you're ever concerned about colors while quilting, get/make a color wheel. they're super helpful :)

    Thanks for the giveaway :D

    lafenwick @ me.com

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  29. Haha, that's so cute! Very unique pattern!

    reneelasater(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  30. I have made a few quilts but can't call my self a quilter. I usually end up just tying them off. I think that chiffon is a hoot!
    atouchofheaven2010[at]gmail[dot]com
    Mary B

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  31. I'm a beginner sewer - so no very helpful advice from me yet! Good luck with it!

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  32. Thanks for the generous giveaway!
    I am willing to wait :D

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  33. I don't quilt, but I lurve the fabric. And because you told me to.

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  34. I finally made it to your blog! I would like to start off by saying that my quilting experience is so minimum! I would think stitching around the shape might make it pop out. Maybe using contrasting color thread? I am sure some experienced quilters are screaming NOOOO. :)

    The fabric in the giveaway is super cute!

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  35. Maybe you could outline quilt the stars in a bright red to match the binding. Anyway I love the fabric you are giving away!

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  36. Grat fabric! I'm no quilter - sorry! Thanks for the giveaway. mamalusco at ortelco dot net

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  37. That fabric looks like a lot of fun!

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  38. Love the fabric, funny.

    helenhsin(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  39. READ THROUGH ALL Of YOUR DIRECTIONS BEFORE YOU START ANY PROJECT!!! You will be amazed at how much fabric scrap you have leftover if you read first! KERIHAG at YAHOO dot COM

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