I had originally thought that I would make this second version of my Sesen design back in June, but then life happened. I’m actually really glad that making the quilt got delayed. Due to other work this year, I opted to change how the pattern is written which makes the quilt come together so much better. I will be teaching techniques using this quilt and pattern at QuiltCon in Phoenix and releasing the pattern just after QuiltCon in early 2022.
Sesen
I used Kona Natural as the background and backing for this quilt. It is the first time that I’ve worked with Kona Natural, and I found it to be a very linty fabric. I needed to dust around my sewing machine repeatedly while I was quilting due to the lint that was accumulating. I even found that pausing to remove lint from my bobbin area more than every bobbin change made a difference. Every time my machine would drop a stitch, it was worth it to stop, dust, and start again. If you have worked with Kona Natural, have you had this same experience?
Note the papaya tree in the left foreground of the photo above. We started it from seed in March of this year and it looks like we will be able to start harvesting fruit in another month or so!
Sesen
Speaking of papaya, let’s talk about the other Kona Cotton solids I used for this quilt: Fabric A is Kona Papaya (the lightest fabric), Fabric B is Kona Kumquat, and Fabric C and the binding is Kona Coral. For the quilting, I paired Aurifil 2000 (Light Sand) with Kona Natural, 2277 (Light Orange Red) with Kona Coral, 1133 (Bright Orange) with Kona Kumquat, and 2145 (Yellow Orange) with Kona Papaya.
Sesen – Back of Quilt
I’m really pleased with how the grid quilted into the background allows the piecing to stand out, which is true even when viewing the back of the quilt. I always like to pair the same thread in my bobbin that I’m using on the top of the quilt. I also really love to use solids for my backings to create “whole cloth” reversible designs.
Sesen
Sesen means, “A lotus flower. This is a symbol of the sun, of creation and rebirth.”
Sesen
Interestingly, I finished the first Sesen quilt a little over a year ago. And a year ago yesterday, we moved from California to Hawaii.
Sesen
Sesen finished at 72 inches square, and while patiently holding the quilt for these photos around our property, my husband asked if I could make my next quilts an inch or four less wide. I can’t make any promises, but his request is noted!
Sesen
I started using side threading needles to help me bury thread tails when I was working on Pulsar earlier this year. With as many starts and stops as I had quilting the grid on the background for Sesen, I was glad to have those on hand again.
Sesen – Detail of Quilting on Quilt Backing
Now that this quilt is complete, I am hoping to turn my attention toward finishing the Old School BOM (the final block was released this past Sunday) and move on to making the bonus quilt from the large leftover pieces from Sesen. I doubt I can get both of those finished by the end of the year, but at least I know what I’m making next!
Linking up with Needle and Thread Thursday, Finished or Not Friday, TGIFF, and Beauties Pageant 156.
It’s a lovely quilt. So very “you” in all aspects, transparency, curved piecing, thoughtfully planned quilting. Congrats on the finish! (I haven’t used Kona Natural so I can’t comment on the lintiness, but I have found that more loosely woven cottons do tend to generate more lint.)
Your new quilt is beautiful and the quilt design brings it to life! Would you be able to share what brand of side-threading needles you use? That would certaintly speed up that process!
Thank you. I ordered SENCH needles and so far have used the longest size in the multi pack: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TAO1GZU/
Beautiful finish!
Gorgeous finish, Yvonne. I really like the way the quilting does all the things you wanted it to. This quilt seems to have all the great memories associated with it. Homegrown mangos definitely sound sooo good to me.
The quilt looks like it just grew right there in that lush setting. Don’t you wish!
Except we all know the fun is in the process, not necessarily the finish.
Love it. It looks like a tile ceiling I have seen.
Stunning. This pattern is bound to be hit at QuiltCon.
Sesen is such a pretty quilt, and your photos are lovely. How exciting to have papaya from your own tree! I haven’t sewn with Kona Natural, but I do notice that Kona fabrics are more linty than others. I usually try to clean my machine after sewing with Kona and always find a lot of lint!
Beautiful quilt! Will the pattern use applique or curved piecing techniques? And starting your own Papaya tree? Oh the joys of island life!!
Sesen is gorgeous, Yvonne! I love the colours, the design AND the quilting! The pictures around your property are pretty amazing, too. It’s hard to believe it was a year ago that you moved.
Oh this quilt is just glorious Yvonne! I am not a fan of orange; I mean I don’t dislike it, but it’s not on my radar but THIS—! Makes me want to go pull some oranges and make something anything ha. Your papaya tree is amazing too. How fast things grow in tropical places amazes me.
oh this turned out really beautifully, and I really admire all your matching of fabric & threads. I also like that you use solid backs. I did that for years and years, and somewhere along the line I changed that practice. But I really love how it shows off the quilting.
That is SO weird about the Kona Natural. I HAVE used it before, but maybe not to the extent you did on this quilt. I certainly don’t remember the issue you had.
What a beautiful quilt!! and it is a perfect one to commemorate your life in Hawaii!!! The curves are so cool. and the Quilting – it really defines the quilt!!!
The papaya tree is super cool!
This is so beautiful! And the back … is absolutely perfect too, it’s a wonderful 2-sided quilt.
What an awesome quilt and the colors are WOW! Love how you quilted it, too.
What a beautiful and elegant quilt! End of last year I watched numerous of tutorials to learn how to piece curves and sew orange peel. My intention was to play with vague pattern ideas I have with orange peels where the background is different on both sides… Of course, you are well ahead of the game!
I love side-threading needles! They make such a difference when burying threads and save your hands as well.