Well I’m still hand quilting this beautiful quilt, but I’m still enjoying the hand quilting too!
This is the gorgeous quilt from The Cottage Garden Quilt book by Kathryn Whittingham, so far it’s hand embroidered with raw edge applique, machine pieced and now I’m hand quilting it. On the whole I’ve worked out quilting designs which can be stitched in one direction which I think has made it a lot easier…and therefore more enjoyable! By that I mean rather than going around the little squares, I’ve quilted a leaf/petal shape which meet at the corners so I can stitch one side of a few petals in a row, then go back to the beginning and stitch the other side, it’s easier to do that rather than man-handling a quilt every time you need to come back. Three weeks ago I had quilted about three-quarters of the main design…
Whilst I haven’t spent quite as much time on it this time I’ve still made good progress…
I’ve finished quilting the central area. The churn dash blocks were quilted with two circles, the stars I quilted in the ditch as I felt quilting just inside or just outside the star wasn’t going to sit right. The pin wheels were quilted with a petal shape which then led me to quilt all the little squares with a petal/leaf shape. I think it works pretty well.
The embroidered blocks and the log cabins with a heart inside were simply quilted a quarter inch from the seam.
Once the main quilt was quilted I had to decide what to do on the borders, both the off white strip and the piano key border. I had the idea of stitching a scallop shape along the strip, linking up with every other piano key. I then thought I would have a ‘flower’ on one point and a single leaf on the next one. I pinned it first to see if it would work and although it was perfect on the two sides (i.e. symmetrical) it didn’t work on the top and bottom. So I decided to put a flower on each point…
…it’s much easier to sew to for the same reason I mentioned above, I can do a row of flower bottoms from right to left, then a row of the top half from right to left. All I had to go back for is the central petal. I made a paper template of the flower and I’ve just been marking it with dots from my silver gel pen.
So far I’ve stitched two sides, then I just have the corner posts to quilt and I’m within sight of a finished quilt!
I’ll be quite sad in a way to finish this quilt as I’ve enjoyed every step of making it, but I’m already collecting fabrics for the next quilt, The Seaside Quilt, the second book by Kathryn. If you fancy making this quilt (or the seaside version) please follow the link to Patchwork Katy.
Hand Quilt Along Links
This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another. If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.
Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Daisy, Connie, and Sherrie
I’ll also be linking up to Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday so please follow the link more more hand-stitched inspiration.
thecraftycreek 
Wow! That is GORGEOUS!
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Good to hear you are enjoying the hand quilting. It looks fabulous
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I’ve been enjoying seeing this come to life, and your hand quilting is beautifully done. What plans have you for this quilt when it’s entirely finished?
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Thank you, it will probably be used on a guest bed 🙂
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Lucky guest!
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Hello Margaret your quilt is gorgeous, you are so talented. Sorry I haven’t written for a while, I’ve been trying to catch as many posts as possible, but was recently diagnosed with cancer which seems to take over your life. I haven’t touched a stitch. Thankfully another blogger had a prize draw and I won two little wool quilts and I’ll be able to do those on my day trips to hospital. Your stitching is such an inspiration, so you don’t mind if I live vicariously through your beautiful work. Love Mandy xx
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Hi Mandy, so sorry to hear you haven’t been well, it does tend to take over for a while, one of my close friends has spent most of the last 12 months having various treatments with the added issues of the pandemic. You might find some simple stitching in your bag helps the hospital visits to pass., however if just looking at my work helps, I feel honoured. Look after yourself xx
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I love how you decided to quilt the piano keys! I don’t think I would ever have thought of that. So pretty.
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more & more beautiful each time!
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Gorgeous quilt and quilting! Enjoy seeing your progress!
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Oh I just love the back side of a hand quilted quilt!
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Isn’t she just gorgeous! You’re doing a beautiful job on this. I love the scallops and the flowers – that is perfect!!!!! This is by far one of my favorites 🙂
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You are so clever Kathy. Stunning work. xx
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This is the sweetest quilt! Your quilting is really adding to the charm. 😍
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I love what you are doing with this Margaret, it is just beautiful!
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Beautiful quilting. I’m not sure I have the patience any more.
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