04 December 2014

Quilted Skies

(affiliate links to my designs)

Crepuscular Rays


Five and a half years ago, we bought our first house, following two years of looking and growing further and further discouraged because prices were out of our reach.

Finally, we found a few fixer-uppers that weren't totally destroyed we thought we might be able to afford. We spent a month studying these homes, and I shot the sunrises and sunsets almost every day.

One cold stormy night, I got bored and began digitally quilting my sunrises and sunsets, thinking a compilation might be the perfect addition to our new home, if we ever got one.

This is hanging in my living room now!

We finally were the top bidder on a home that had previously sold, but the deal fell through. It went on the market again, and within three days, 14 people had bid on the short sale. Three months later, the home was ours! So much for "short" sales...

After moving in, I played with my Quilted Skies collection a bit more. The above image decorates our living room wall. It celebrates all the heartache and time that went into getting a home of our own.

I entered one of my favorite images in a photography contest, with a theme of imaginary book covers, and didn't win anything, but months later was told by one of the judges my artwork was the sleeper entry of the entire competition.

DSS #21: Book Cover - Exclusive Month-Long Challenge

I then decided my digital quilting might make nice greeting cards.

Quilted Skies I Love You

Quilted Skies Apology Card

Love You, Mom

It didn't take long to wonder how my digital stitching would look on fabric. That was about the time our computer bellied up. The new computer will not run the perfectly good printer and no drivers will be updated because the manufacturer wants people to buy new printers.

Yeah, right.

I did get one print out of the old computer, and I stitched it up into a wall quilt that sold almost immediately when I listed it on Etsy.

The Real Thing; A Mini Quilt of Fabric; full-size to come, eventually

Earlier this year, at the suggestion of Mrs. Micawber, I decided to try my hand at having my digital designs printed on fabric by Spoonflower. It's a little pricey, but man, does it turn out well! And Spoonflower's colors have so much more visual impact than what I printed at home.

My third Spoonflower attempt was a collection of my Quilted Skies series, and it arrived just before cycling season took off spinning in full gear. So my test print had to wait until now.

Quilted Skies Pin Quilt

And oh, how worth the wait it has been!

Quilted Skies Pin Quilt

Quilted Skies Pin Quilt

Quilted Skies Pin Quilt

Not true free-motion quilting, but more machine quilting practice nevertheless. My grandmother might be proud. She always taught me the back needs to be as good as the front, or rip it out and do it over again.

I didn't have to rip anything out in this wall pin quilt!

Quilted Skies Pin Quilt

My grandmother always taught me the back has to be as neat as the front, or rip it out.

Quilted Skies Pin Quilt

The back and sashing are leftovers from other projects, as are the thread and batting. It measures 24.5 inches across and 23 inches long. It will hold a LOT of pins!

Quilted Skies Pin Quilt

Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Crazy Mom Quilts.

21 comments :

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you, Lizard! Thanks for all the inspiration you provide and all the patience you continually ooze!

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  2. Awesome job indeed and lol that was some short sale, 3 months of waiting had to be a pain in the butt.

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    1. Yes, the wait was nearly insane, Pat, but in the long run, oh, how it was worth it!

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  3. You have had luck with the house purchase and this work is very pretty!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Geistige! I do think we had a tiny bit of good luck, with huge handful of blessings thrown in...

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  4. Fascinating story and a beautiful quilt to boot!

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    1. Thank you, Celtic Thistle! What a beautiful screen name you have!

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  5. Wow! What a story and the quilt is gorgeous. Great job.

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  6. Congrats on finally getting a place to call home. I loved your reading your story. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thank you, Zenia Rene! I had no idea people would actually read the story; it seems like they often just look at the pictures, so I really appreciate your comment!

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  7. Beautiful quilt! It took us a while to find a place of our own as well so I can relate at wanting to have a bit of homemade to make it warm and welcome.

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    1. Thank you, Karisma, and I'm so glad you were able to live the dream, too. Yes, it is marvelous to fill the home with homemade!

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  8. Oh wow it looks amazing - the colours are just so stunning!

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    1. Thank you, Carie! Makes me second-think printing on my own printer if I ever get one compatible with the laptop... Spoonflower does such an amazing job!

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  9. It is beautiful, thanks for the back story. My mom would be proud of the beautiful back too.

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  10. Wow, Deb, the black thread really makes that beautiful fabric pop!

    I keep the piece you sent me sitting on the desk in front of me as inspiration material.

    Spoonflower was my suggestion? Gosh, I don't remember that. It seems to have worked out well for you though.... :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Sue! I still want to do a challenge with the twin to the piece on your desk. Gosh, hard to believe we'd initially planned to do that in August, and here is is nearly 2015! Wow...

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