Sunday, October 2, 2016

Done at last

Not a very bright picture as the sun was still behind the buildings this morning. Maybe I will try again later in the week. I began this as part of the "Nine Patch Adventure" on the "Celebrate Hand Quilting" facebook page.  Maybe back in November of last year.


Finished last night, October 1st, the size is 71 inches by 88 inches and I was hoping to use up lots of two-inch blocks in my scrap tin. Looking at my tin now, I have hardly made a dent in the stash.

This is a detail of all that blue quilting.

I don't think it did much to hide the variety of white and off-white fabrics.

The quilting in the blue border hardly shows at all ...

... but if you look closely you could find a few rather long stitches that were accidents when I was trying to pass the needle through to the next row instead of stopping and starting over.

Anyway, a man riding by on a fast horse would probably miss those bloopers.


Thursday the tiny flowers on the kinmokusei (sweet olive) burst in bloom throughout the neighbourhood.

I had passed this small potted tree on Wednesday and seen the tiny buds looking like pimples on the branches and wondered when they would bloom.

Usually it is the sweet smell that gets you to look up into the trees but this year ... maybe because of the rainy summer or heat ?? the trees have out-done their usual performance and if a flower that tiny could be termed "showy", they have made the grade. So ... fall marches in, bit by bit. Happy October!

24 comments:

  1. I'm sure any man on a horse would be glad to slow down and look at your beautiful quilt.!! Those small pieces, your colour co-ordination and the quilting, so lovely. Blossoms out in your autumn, what a pretty tree. Here, our flowering cherry blossom trees are just coming into bud.

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  2. Your colour confidence makes this a real stunning quilt. The blue quilting is making the white and off white areas even more interesting. I think your idea of quilting the border from the back was very smart as no quilting stitches would show up amongst all those tiny flowers.
    I went for a Sweet Olive walk in the beautiful autumnal weather today. How can a metropolis be so fragrant? Happy October? Tomorrow the rain is back again...

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  3. Beautiful quilt,love the combination of the 2 sizes of nine patch. How did you work out where to put the different colors? 24Tangent@gmail.com

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  4. It's stunning! Congratulations on the finish.

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  5. Well I'm not on a horse but I didn't see the bloopers. :) Another beautiful one Julie! blessings, marlene

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  6. Hi Julie! Beautiful quilt as always! I like to know about the sweet olive! It is gorgeous! Hugs, Sandra

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  7. It's absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! I think I've said it before - I think the variety of white and off-white fabrics make it GLOW! And your color placement is wonderful - as always - ;))

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  8. Wow!!!! Amazing!!!! Fabulous!!!! Stupendous!!! I'm out of words. And I have to say - I looked at the whole quilt the first time and saw it as just white with colors - when you mentioned the quilting not masking the different whites I had to scroll back up and look again - and sure enough - then I saw the different whites - because I was looking for them - but did not see them the first time. So I think that makes the blue quilting a huge success - as no one is going to notice the whites unless it is brought to their attention. Such a lovely quilt - I adore nine patches - and the color combos are fantastic. The border is perfect and the quilting sublime. Oh I do love this quilt.

    The Sweet Olive is lovely - such a treat to have such fragrance in the autumn. Have a grand week my friend - and what shall you quilt next?

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  9. Your quilt is beautiful and your quilting is beautiful, I love how it looks on the quilt.
    That is a beautiful plant, would love some of those in my yard, but doubt they would thrive in our climate.

    Debbie

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  10. I think this is a wonderful finish. Your work is beautiful. I love the variations in the whites and creams. I think it works really well. Congratulations!

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  11. Your quilting is amazing. I can't imagine myself doing that by hand! Love and miss Kinmokusei despite the fact sometimes that smell over comes and gives me headache.

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  12. Congratulations on finishing, it looks amazing. Doesn't it make you feel good when a quilt is all done. Now to think of your next project!!

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  13. what a beautiful rainbow of colours, love your quilt

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  14. So much to celebrate - to finish such a lovely hand quilted quilt some of whose colours echo the plant in your photograph and those squares will remind you of other times and other projects.

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  15. This quilt is just my style as I've said before, and it is even better now that you have finished it. The different kinds of while give the quilt depth. If you gaze at it awhile you'll see what I mean. You couldn't have done a better job if you had planned it!

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  16. Nice finish. It looks scrappy, like it is supposed to. I like the blend of whites and off whites.

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  17. I am NOT looking for stitches that are uneven .. it looks beautiful from here xx The colours play beautifully together and you should be very proud of your work xx

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  18. Hi Julie, your quilt is stunning ! The viewer sees the way that the colors blend and harmonize in the foreground, so the diamond-like effect of the nine patch is what strikes the viewers' eye. The very slight disparity in the background shades is really not evident, whether or not one is on horseback. LOL ! :-) The quilting is magnificent. It really sparkles, so enjoy your lovely work, which turned out so successfully. And, what a great idea to hang it so smoothly on the fence -- great photo ! Hugs and blessings, from Marina and Daryl Lynn

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  19. Oh!!! It looks like a jewel box! Or a stained glass window! And your quilting is amazing!!! All that quilting in those little spaces! When did you say you started this quilt? And how long have you been doing the quilting? It seems that this went together quickly... how is that possible?

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  20. JUUUUUULIE ! Incredible, FINALLY I find you back ... and of course, with a gorgeous quilt !

    Oh, my friend, I must say I've kept away from my blog vor a veeeery long time - you might remember that my "Friendship Threads" blog was hacked 2 years ago, and I was so much disgusted and discouraged that it took me some time to even think about creating a new one. Now I've done it, so "Notes from My Corner" is my new blog, yet I must say I'm quite lazy to keep it updated. I'll try to post more often in the future, I promise :)
    But the most important thing is that I'm slowly getting back in contact with quilter friends on the Internet, including you of course.
    I do hope you won't be angry at me for having been quiet for such a long time. We'll catch up, won't we ?

    In stitches & friendship,
    Nadine

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  21. Congrats! It is a beautiful finish♥

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  22. Another stunning quilt Julie!! If anyone even notices the occasional too long stitch amongst all the loveliness I will be surprised. Our first snowfall today. No flower blossoms to be seen.

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  23. Love, love, love this quilt! Your hand quilting is delightful.

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  24. Beautiful quilt!! You always inspire me! I like seeing the flowers too At my family homeplace, there is a tea olive that blooms in the fall, with white small blooms, and they perfume the area with the sweetest smell.

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