My sincerest thanks to all the amazing people who gave me their two cents worth on how to finish “Shadows of Auntie Green”!
It is done! Shadows of Auntie Green – my April Island Batik Ambassador quilt is finished. A few days late, as forecast, but I hope you’ll agree, they were days well spent.
There were two parts to the finish of this quilt that I asked you to help me with. The quilting and binding decisions.
I had wondered whether the background of this quilt should be more heavily quilted to emphasise the appliqué. My gut feeling was that I wanted to add more quilting.
And as for the binding, I had no idea where to start. My options were limited and I wasn’t convinced by any of them.
The Quilting
Your responses to increasing the quilting density on Shadows of Auntie Green were quite mixed, but favouring more quilting over all. And the honest truth is, I agreed and I tried adding more quilting. Twice. And I unpicked it both times. This quilt is really SLIPPERY. So I found that getting a smooth quilting line on a small stipple or similar was nigh on impossible. Even with quilting gloves on. I didn’t have too much trouble outlining the appliqués, so I did not appreciate how hard this would be. So I settled for some ruler work in the border (my first try at ruler work!). And decided that, at least for now, that the quilting is done on this. Or, should I say, the quilt decided.
The Binding
The binding….. well, I am ecstatic with how the binding has finished off this quilt. When I wrote the previous post, I truly had no idea what to do for the binding. The only Island Batik fabric that I had that I felt looked “right” – of course I didn’t have enough of. But two readers, Jennifer Thomas of Curlicue Creations and Janie, floated an idea that I had not considered…… no binding, or just a white binding to finish the edge with no fuss. Let the quilt speak for itself.
And then Sandra of Musings of a Menopausal Melon. mmm! quilts suggested a flanged binding. Which I admit was tempting, but…. really, I am already on borrowed time with this project. And then I thought…. what if I go with a white binding….. and a “cheater’s flange”? I could add a tiny strip of colour to the white binding using 12wt thread….. that would certainly be in keeping with the shadow appliqué. and be just subtle enough to edge the quilt without distracting from the appliqué.
And that’s exactly what I did.
I bound the quilt in the same Egg White batik as I used for the background. I also covered the binding with organza. With the organza over the top of the binding, it almost looks as if there is no binding at all. Then I stitched around the inside edge of the binding three times with three different colours of 12wt wool/poly thread from Madeira. I used a royal blue, then a light purple, and then a sky blue. And it turned out just like I envisaged. Which is not always a given! 🙂
I love it!
Do you know what else I love?
Changing the topic slightly…. I love when people show me their Beary Colourful Bears from the free BOM we are doing as part of the Monthly Color Challenge. Here are some of the orange bears from April’s challenge shared on the Clever Chameleon facebook page:
You can also find Jean’s orange bear in her blog post at All Points of the Compass. Head on over to Jean’s fun blog for all things orange and a lovely snippet of Wordsworth.
Thank you!
I really do want to thank everyone who took the time to comment on the finish for Shadows of Auntie Green. Even though it is hard when you are not with the quilt to see the exact colours, your input was highly valued.
I find when I talk with my quilting friends about a quilt, my mind jumps to ideas I would never have thought of by myself. And the same thing happened as I read through your comments on this quilt. Who knew?!! So, thank you!
And thank you to Island Batik for April’s Vintage Quilts Inspiring New Creations challenge! I would have never, ever made this quilt without the creative nudge from Island Batik. This quilt just makes me feel happy to look at.
And if you’ll humour me just one more moment, I’ll tell you one of the things that makes me happiest about this quilt……The longer you stop to look at it, the more things you see. Just like I found with the original Aunty Green’s Coverlet. How great is that!
When I get some time I am going to add a hanging sleeve to this quilt…. and it’s going to be hung in our bedroom. That’s exactly how pleased I am.
Sharing on my favourite linky parties: Crazy Mom Quilts, Love Laugh Quilt, Free-Motion by the River, Quilting Room with Mel, Inquiring Quilter, Quilt Fabrication, My Quilt Infatuation.
Beautiful quilt Dione! Thank you so much for the closeup photo!
Stunning, gorgeous and beautiful! I love what you did and the hint of blue is perfect in the binding. When I worked at a quilt store, we called it quilting by committee, and it is some of the most helpful things about being in a group. Congrats on a wonderful quilt!
Absolutely beautiful.
Dione, your quilt is awesome! The finish you chose on it is perfect!
Love how you finished it with the organza and the wooly thread. Perfect!
Janie
Everything about this quilt is spectacular! I love applique and have never tried Shadow Applique, so seeing all that you did really helped me understand the whole process. I hope that some day to try it myself after seeing your final quilt. Which is so lovely, I would hang it some place close to look at it often also. Thank you for sharing and a great success!
It’s just beautiful!!! I like the white binding to finish it off, it really didn’t need more… can’t wait to see it in real life! xx
Beautiful!! It’s been fun to watch your journey on this… I love how you did the binding with the faux flange. Well and truly worthy of being hung on your bedroom wall 🙂 I haven’t started my bears yet but sure do hope to have a catch up weekend of them soon!
Auntie Green, Wow!!! The edging, the sparkle, and your grit and determination to get it finished. This is a true keeper of all time. Beautiful !!! Yes, my Mr Orange was all happy with himself, and Mr Green is going to have just a hint of prime blue, the BSc colour, somewhere in his hidden hood, and a rock hammer, as that is what our Grandson uses in his Geology studies. Hope I can take some what I call ” Family leeway” with this.
That really came out pretty! Love the use of thread as a faux flange, brilliant!
You have done a lovely job – very impressed with the concept, your results, and thanks for all the tips! Beautiful!!
Dione! I am just quivering looking and looking at your photos and reading about what were the final ultimate decisions and WOW you done good girl! It’s truly incredible and damn right it should be on the wall! I hope you enter it in a competition..I. JUST. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. it. and I’m tired and a bit grouchy because I am at a standstill on my own very late, not nearly as worthy of being late project as yours… I do know that I am going to do a flanged binding on it, and I do have a sort of good plan for the background, (incidentally I think the lines are just perfection. No more is necessary; they are classic and classy together.) but then the centre of mine is being a PITA. Maybe I should put it out and ask what people think. What you said at the end about making you think or see the quilt in a different light or way resonated with me. It’s so true; one of my favourite RSC quilts ended up so awesome because of a random suggestion by a reader. Oh this is just so exquisite. You really managed to capture the sheen of the organza in the one photo; I know it would be even more ethereal in person. What a worthy ambassador you are!
PS Sorry to go on and on, but yes! I thought that exact thing – huh? There’s no binding? Did she face it? Awesome. 🙂
This is a most amazing and gorgeous quilt. I’m not surprised that you plan to hang it in your bedroom. There would be space in mine for it!! I am totally inspired with your fresh take on an old design. Love the binding!!
That is just beautiful. The flanged binding is so perfect. Asking for help is a good thing! 🙂
Shadows fo Auntie Green is amazing! Not only is it beautiful, but your use of new materials for an old technique is absolutely inspiring. Love it!
I love how it looks! The faux flange is a perfect finish–great solution.
beautiful quilt
Dione, Shadows of Auntie Green is amazing! I’m in awe of someone who can create such a beauty,,,,the patience it must have taken. The flange piping is perfect. Well done.
Masterpiece. Truly. Amazing journey, amazing quilt. Great decisions along the way. Thanks for sharing this on Wednesday Wait Loss.
I can only echo what your other commentors have said, this is clever and also very beautiful.
Lovely quilt Dione!