Tuesday, June 14, 2016

The Daisy Chain Quilt - An English Paper Piecing Project - Part 5

The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016
The Daisy Chain Quilt
Click on any image for a larger view.
It is time for another Daisy Chain Quilt update and today is cause for celebration for I now have a finished quilt top! Just under five months in the making ... many, many hours of late night stitching. What's more, I am so thrilled with how it turned out. 

The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016
The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016

There is no part of making this quilt that I did not enjoy. Choosing fabric is always a delight and (glue) basting the paper pieces is not so monotonous if you break it up over multiple basting sessions. It is part of the process and it is so satisfying to see a whole bunch of pieces ready for a long evening of whip stitching.

The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016
The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016
The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016

This is not my first attempt at English Paper Piecing but it is my first completed quilt top. This was my first time glue basting the papers and if it wasn't for glue basting this quilt top would not here. Glue basting was quick and effortless. I chose to leave in all the papers until the entire quilt top was complete and I re-glued less than 20 paper pieces during the five month period that this quilt was in progress. Once the quilt top was finished the papers were removed - I estimate that the paper removal took about 3 hours. Some papers were ready to pop out without a lot of effort, most needed some gentle persuasion. Very few papers (less than 10) had been stitched into and needed careful extraction so as not to break the thread. All up, no complaints and I will definitely glue baste again. And again.

The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016
The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016

QUILT STATS

Quilt top measures 67 inches x 75 inches.
First stitch 15 January 2016.
Last stitch 4 June 2016.
150 Daisy Chain Units (plus 12 half Daisy Chain Units).
1555 pieces.

The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016

Notions/Tools used:

1" Hexagon Centers
1" x 2" Jewel Pieces (6 for each  Daisy Chain unit)
2" Diamonds (six pointed star)
Acrylic Hexagon Template with a 3/8" seam allowance for cutting fabrics.
Acrylic Jewel Template with a 3/8" seam allowance for cutting fabrics.
Acrylic Diamond Template with a 3/8" seam allowance for cutting fabrics.
Water Soluble Basting Glue - both Sewline and Sue Daley brand glue refills. 
Straw Needles - Size 11.
Bottom Line thread.
Background fabric is Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in White.

The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016
The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016

I have to say that I am really happy with my stitches. You cannot see the stitches (thread) when looking at the quilt top; visible stitches can sometimes happen when whip stitching. I think the use of both the of fine thread and a long thin needle contributed to this result.

This quilt top will be quilted by Karen Terrens from Quilts on Bastings - a professional long arm quilter who also happens to be my sister - and I am looking forward to seeing how she works her magic on this quilt.

The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016

I am now eagerly planning my next hand sewing project. Ironically now that this quilt is finished I have invested (after much research) in a floor lamp so that I will no longer need to use the light from my iPhone - balanced precariously on a pillow - to see what I am doing. Imagine how much more I'll get done without the frustration of threading a needle without sufficient light.

The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 5 A Finished Quilt Top | Red Pepper Quilts 2016

I will be sure to post photos of the finished quilt as soon as it returns from the long arm quilter.

Thank you for stopping by,
Rita


RELEVANT LINKS:
The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 1
The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 2
The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 3
The Daisy Chain Quilt - Part 4

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28 comments:

  1. Congratulations and thanks for sharing! I've loved seeing your lightning-fast progress on this, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it is quilted. Each daisy is so fascinating. I could stare at these photos for ages! One question I had is how you handled the edges. Did you get straight edges by filling in partial shapes, or by cutting off complete hexagons? Or did you use complete hexagons and leave the edges scalloped/curvy?

    Thanks again for sharing all of your lovely work! It's so inspiring!

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  2. Wow, Rita, this looks gorgeous! I can't wait to see it quilted!

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  3. So beautiful!!!! My first EPP project I basted all of my papers in. My second I glue-basted, and it was exponentially more delightful!!

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  4. Your most fabulous finish to date! So good!

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  5. This is a masterpiece. I can just imagine how delighted you were to find the perfect combination of fabrics. Did you give Karen directions for the quilting or are you going to let her do her own thing? (She's quite good.)

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  6. Insanely gorgeous!!! How you managed without proper lighting is incredible...all those little points!!! Can't wait to see what your sister does!!!

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  7. Fresh, scrumptious and stunning. I enjoy watching your projects in photos as you sew and stitch. Your seams are gorgeous, and your color choices are superb. Very inspiring and I find myself taking extra care when I stitch. Thanks so much for sharing your talent with us.

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  8. What a lovely quilt top. I'm just taking my first little steps towards EPP, if my project looks half as good as this I'll be thrilled. You have my sympathies on the lighting issues, as I am all too aware of that challenge these days.

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  9. This is utterly amazing, Rita. It is truly a work of art. It showcases your beautiful taste in fabric combinations and your attention to detail. It's spectacular. And I can't believe how quickly you were able to accomplish the hand piecing. Well done, Rita. Very well done!

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  10. Congratulations on finishing this amazing top!
    My little hexies are sew basted and ready for summer travels. Thank you for the inspriration. I'll try glue basting next. Looking forward to seeing the finished quilt from you and your talented sister!

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  11. just so beautiful Rita 💗💗💗 I've so enjoyed watching this beauty come alive and look forward to the quilting too !! I'm inspired to make one now !! btw which light did you decide on ?

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  12. Magnifique ! I have no words.....

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  13. Beautiful! It's always such a delight to see your work.

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  14. Rita, it's mesmerizing! I never tire of looking at the combinations for for each star and how you fussy cut each. Beautiful!

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  15. Absolutely stunning! Well done!

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  16. Your craftsmanship is inspiring! What an ambitious project and fine finish. I look forward to seeing it with the quilting.

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  17. Simply gorgeous. I expect you will be hanging on to this beauty as a family heirloom.

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  18. Wow! What a gorgeous quilt top. Thanks for sharing the process with us.

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  19. It's a masterpiece. I sure hope you're planning on keeping this one! :-)

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  20. Oh Rita. This is intense. It is beautiful, and really so well done. My dad just brought up the idea of the old fashioned kaleidoscopes for entertainment back in the days of olden. This sort of reminds me of the beauty of that symetry.... kind of. You put epic dedication and focus in this.
    Wowie I love it

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  21. Your quilt looks fabulous. Love seeing your detailed photos. I didn't even think about extracting the papers and potentially breaking the thread. I have been know to 'yank' them out before. I shall be more aware from now on. Look forward to seeing what you are up to next in the hand piecing side.

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  22. I have enjoyed watching the progress on this quilt so very much. I'm working on Katja Marek's millefiore quilt and apparently I'm VERY slow at EPP and I'm astounded that this is already completed, especially with the other beautiful quilts you have been working on at the same time. I'm SO looking forward to seeing what your sister does with this. It's a beauty, Rita. I'm sure you are thrilled to have it to this point.

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  23. It's fabulous. Glue basting and pre-cut papers are the reason why I'm working on a queen-sized pieced hexagon quilt. I don't think I would have been game to tackle it if I'd had to thread baste and cut the papers myself.

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  24. Hello Rita, I have loved seeing your quilt and had to return to look at your mother-in-law's beautiful hand-pieced quilt too. I can't wait to see how your sister quilts your work as she is a fab quilter (she has done one for me :)). You are all amazingly creative with beautiful fabric choices, sewing and fussy cutting. Thank you for sharing your creativity with us!

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  25. Well done! I'm impressed with how quickly you worked this up. I'm sure it took many, many hours of stitching. Don't be concerned with your stitches showing, we love seeing the hand stitching on heirloom quilts and this will be truly be an heirloom. I cannot wait to see it quilted and finished. BTW, I just changed over to glue basting and I'm enjoying how quickly I can get to sewing my pieces together.

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  26. Your quilt is lovely! So many fun fabrics are featured. I'm still thread basting (and I actually like that step in the process), but maybe I need to give glue basting a try.

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