Warning: This post has a bazillion pictures, because I'm putting up all the info and photos I had about this quilt.
It all started in 2016 when Elizabeth of
Occasional Piece Quilt got a group of us doing a bee based on words: AKA A Spelling Bee. It was improv words, each month the queen would post a list of desired words and we would make it happen. I chose a bunch of words having to do with beekeeping because it was my first year of being involved in that new hobby.
And then, as things happen, the words sat around for a long time. I added a couple of words that hadn't been chosen off my list, too. Every time I would pull them out, I would put them back because I didn't know how to start.
One of the hardest parts was figuring out how to put the words together. You see, I didn't specify a size, so they were all different. I finally figured out a layout I liked (above) and took the whole project up north with me.
Featherweight at the kitchen table.
Pressing/cutting station on the wood stove.
Layout on the dining room table and the bed (below)
I built the quilt from the bottom up, cutting strips from solid browns and making the puzzle fit.
More progress, but this is after we came back home.
Finally a top! I had a deadline, which was the quilt show in October, so that kept me motivated.
Piecing the back, with skeps, bees and flowers. The fabric at the top with the black background is special because my cousin who lives in the Philippines bought that fabric for me from one of the markets there.
I happened to have an extra block, that conveniently said Queen Bee, so I used that as part of my label and signature block.
Basting at church on the large tables.
And commence quilting! I didn't want to lose the graphic punch of the quilt, so I did "organic" straight line quilting - making occasional marks to keep from going completely crooked.
Brief panic when I thought I was going to run out of thread. Ordered 3 different colors off Amazon (invisifil) and got the right one!
Stitch and roll, stitch and roll.
Woot, ready for the hand work.
When I trimmed it, it didn't end up completely square, so when I washed it and it was still damp, I tried to do some blocking.
Here its hanging on the line. With clothes pins holding things together.
And done!
I didn't crop this picture on purpose. Look at all that ridiculous snow. We've had snow that has stuck 3 times already. 6" on Halloween. Unbelievable!
The details: 83" x 67"
Batting: Quilter's Dream Orient (because its what I had)
Thread: Invisifil on the top, Aurifil on the back.
People who participated by making words for me:
Lisa nymblefyngers IG
Brenda brendaandblue IG
3 comments:
That turned out so well. I’m trying to remember which words I did. You are motivating me to finish mine. I just need to add a spool border to mine. 🙁
Love that you lates it out starting at the bottom! Yes as Mary said above - you are inspiring me to finish mine!
Such a wonderful quilt! Love the backing, too!
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