I’m really pleased to be able to mark my final long term WIP off my 2020 goals; my Modern Plus Sampler quilt is finished!
Modern Plus Sampler
The air quality here continues to be atrocious, so no outdoor finish photos of the quilt. I have been suffering through a bit of depression; I could handle being home and only going to the grocery store for needed supplies. But for 7+ weeks I haven’t been able to go outside on my evening walks or even safely walk to my mailbox. There have been a few days with decent air quality, which have been welcomed reprieves, but by and large I feel like I have missed out on my ability to be outside and enjoy my favorite time of year. Enough belly moaning, let’s talk about this finished quilt!
The “background” and backing for the quilt are a Kaffe Fassett Shot Cotton (Pudding), and after a first wash, the quilt is super soft, pliable, and cuddly. It didn’t want to adhere to my design wall after its first wash, so I used four pins at the top to get it to stay in place for a few photographs.
Modern Plus Sampler
I used 50wt Aurifil 5003 (Wine) to free motion quilt a stipple. Stipple quilting was honestly one of the hardest motifs for me to learn when I began exploring free motion quilting. The entire time I quilt a stipple now I am thinking to myself “make a curve, partial curve, partial pebble, keep it round….” somehow that kind of mantra has helped me a lot. You can also get a closer look at how the print binding finishes and compliments the finish in the photo above. I opted to sew it on to the back and then attach it to the front by machine.
Modern Plus Sampler
I had originally pulled all these colors thinking about my nieces, but they have a lot of quilts from their aunt. As providence would have it, I brought up the quilt in conversation with a friend, and so their neighbor is going to be receiving this quilt to hopefully be a comfort through some hard times.
Modern Plus Sampler
And here’s a peak of the backing. This quilt is going to be so snuggly!
I thoroughly enjoyed the Modern Plus Sampler quilt along, which was hosted by my friends Cheryl (Meadow Mist Designs) and Paige (Quilted Blooms) and was in celebration of their book, Modern Plus Signs (I also made the Kaleidoscope Plus quilt from the book).
It feels great to mark of one of my big 2020 goals. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still have a few long term projects, but for the moment it’s only a hand quilting piece that I take with me when I travel. How are you progressing on your goals for the year?
Linking up with Finished or Not Friday.
Congrats on your finish Yvonne. The recipient is sure to love it! The quilt I made from Cheryl’s book is one of my favorites. I’m happy to hear how soft the shot cotton gets after washing. I recently used shot cotton as a backing but haven’t washed it yet. I hear you on the stippling – it’s not nearly as easy as it looks. I keep telling myself “keep it curvy” when stitching it out – I’m happy to hear I’m not the only one who talks to myself while quilting! LOL
This is so funny, “like minds” here. Modern Plus is one of my favorite books, I love the quilts I made from it, & especially enjoy seeing yours completed so beautifully. I talk to myself while FMQ-ing & plan on trying your mantra next, mine is not resulting in a meander as lovely as yours. I’m sorry you can’t be outside, walking in the woods is the best way to spend time, other than quilting.
Yvonne, that binding was the perfect choice! Beautiful finish! I’m sure the the quilt will be comforting and I certainly wish better days ahead for you!
This is such a nice quilt, Yvonne, and I’m sure it will be comforting to the recipients. It’s interesting that you struggle with stippling. I have the hardest time with that, and I think it’s part of the reason I stay away from free motion. A friend told me to think of a dog bone to get the rhythm, but that doesn’t seem to work either. Anyway, the quilting works for your quilt, and I like the way the binding ties everything together. I sure hope your air quality clears soon so you can be back outdoors.
Beautiful! I also had an incredibly hard time with stipple and I’ve never managed to learn it. Yours look great though. I hope the new owner will enjoy this quilt. I totally understand what you mean about depression and I hope the air quality for you clears up soon!
Oh, Yvonne, your quilt turned out beautifully. I like it all over the place. I have not machine quilted yet and am quite in awe of your skill. From my East Texas upbringing before the Bop years….You done good.
I guess we entered “on the inside looking out” quite unaware of all the changes that would bring….and for so long. COVID wasn’t enough, then the fires and smoke. Alas. I have other friends in your same boat in California and Oregon. I think and pray for you all. I haven’t been out just a whole lot (North Texas) in the last several years. Therefore I was fairly accustomed to staying in when it became necessary in March. But after a while it did start getting on my nerves a bit. I am thankful that I am still able to occupy and entertain myself. We are blessed to be able to shop on the internet. Well, it is what it is…..and the best we can do is take care of ourselves and encourage others to do so. When this is all past, I believe we will all be different and prayerfully Better. Some of it is our choice. Be kind to ourselves and be thankful….it could always be worse. …..I’m not preaching….just thinking out loud. 🙂
I’m SO sorry that you’re missing time outside right now. Autumn is my favorite season too. And then winter, which I also love, especially when we have snow, and it’s been projected that we’ll have some this year. Last winter was a bust as far as snow was concerned and I was very disappointed. It’s so beautiful looking out on a landscape when the sun glitters over a crystalline snowy landscape. Agh! I’m babbling, sorry.
Anyway, the quilt is superb! And the border is simply delightful!
Great finish. Sorry to hear about the air quality issues – that stinks.
A beautiful finish. I love the binding which seems to tie it all up nicely. I’m in awe of you being able to quilt that large a quilt on a domestic. I finally sent my sampler out to a longarm quilter in May and was really pleased with it. We’ve had some of the smoke from the No. California fires filter into No. Nevada and several weeks of not being outside (having asthma makes it worse). Schools started with kids back in school as long as the windows could be open, which they couldn’t because of air quality issues so they went back to remote learning. I ended up walking indoors for 2 weeks with a mask on but was finally able to move back outdoors. It is pretty cool in the mornings now so I’m having to change the time of my walks. Wishing you well and hopefully smoother sailing soon.
this is just so beautiful!! I love the colorways you chose, and it is just so striking. You adapted well to an inside photo shoot! I am so with you about having to stay inside – it just smells like a campfire all the time, and the ash raining down is just annoying – I feel so bad for those that are losing their homes and livlihoods… sigh… sending you big clean air hugs!!
Congrats on a very nice finish and for meeting one of your big goals for the year. Sorry the fires have been so bad. Air quality was bad here for a few weeks in September when the fires were so bad. But it’s cleared up a lot since then. Fingers crossed the colder weather brings snow and the fires die down.
love your quilt! really cool! thanks for sharing & stay well & safe! 🙂
It’s really beautiful, Yvonne! I consider that to be a very un-Yvonne palette … I bet it was fun playing with different colors. And I covet your stippling skills — your turns are so perfectly round. : )
I can imagine being stuck inside is getting to be too much. People weren’t meant to be closed off from nature or from each other. Praying for some more reprieve for you soon!
Well what a lovely finish! I’m sure it feels SO good to have it done AND to have a new home to go to to bring some cheer. Perfect!
I’m so sorry about you not being able to get out there – I really hope things get better soon! I love your sampler. I started that quilt-along but then realized I made a silly cutting mistake and didn’t have enough fabric to re-cut so I just abandoned it. I have made quite a few of the quilts in the book though – it’s a fantastic book! 🙂
I love this finish! The pinks are great and I am sure the recipient loves it!
Such a beautiful quilt finish. I have always loved plus quilts. I love the bold binding. When I first learned FMQ they taught stippling as basic. It was much harder for me at first than loops. But now I find it almost zen to quilt a stipple. Ever since my son mentioned it, I see fidget spinners when I stipple. This beautiful quilt will definitely bring comfort during these hard times.