‘Tis finished, people.
Last night I set the last stitch in the binding and the label. It’s finally finished and ready to be handed over to Days for Girls next weekend, when our Saturday morning stitching sessions begin again after the summer break.
A couple of weeks ago, I handed the completed top and back and a large piece of batting over to a very kind lady called Judith, who is a long-arm quilter and who had graciously agreed to quilt it for free. On Thursday I got it back, beautifully stipple quilted, plus all the offcuts. For those not in the know, when a quilt is long-arm quilted you need to make the backing and batting at least 5 or 6 inches larger all round than the quilt top. I had been generous with both batting and backing, and I got one substantial piece and several smaller pieces of both back. Enough, in fact, to do the batting and backing for my table runner, also for Days for Girls.
I made binding from a number of partial or discarded jelly roll strips from other projects. I have some left over, but not, I think, enough to bind the table runner, so I’ll need to dig out more scraps for that.
So, without further ado, the photos. Appreciation to the Husband, who did the holding up.
And the label:
A final summary for anyone not already familiar with this lengthy project: the quilt front is made from scraps left over after cutting out the pieces that go into the Days for Girls kits. When I joined the group, I was horrified to see usable pieces being simply thrown away. It meant that all the donated money and fabric was being partly wasted, so I determined that I’d find a way to rectify this. Days Gone By is the result. The backing and binding are made from scrap fabric from my own stash, which had not yet found another purpose. The only new parts of this quilt are the batting and thread, without which it would not be a quilt at all. It’s a truly scrappy, minimal-waste quilt.
It has been a very long pull. Some of you may recall that a large piece of assembled hexies was lost at the end of September 2019, and I had to start again. It was hard, but start again I did, and finally we’re across the line. This quilt, the table runner still in progress and the cushion cover I’ve shown earlier will all be raffled to raise funds to purchase fabric and other supplies for more Days for Girls kits. Although we have been unable to distribute the kits we make because of Covid-19, we haven’t stopped making them, and when travel restrictions are finally lifted they will once again go to the women and girls whose lives are changed and improve by them.
On to the next DfG quilt. This time I think I’ll go for something a bit quicker to make!
Utterly utterly gorgeous… it takes my breath away. Every time I look at what you make it never ceases to amaze me how wonderfully gifted you are… & how selflessly you give your time and talent. U are one amazing human being my friend π
Aww, shucks. I’m glad it’s done, that it looks good, and that I can now start something new. It’s been a long time in the making.
And I have a hexie or two in there too & it was the quilt that started my adventures in quilting π€©
There’s a lot of invested effort by quite a few people. Worth every moment π
And you will put me in for the drawer ??
**draw
π
π
I’m not sure yet how they’re doing it, I think they’re selling raffle tickets, but I’ll buy you a couple if you like?
Yes please
Beautiful Kate, I love this quilt. Excellent use of fiddly bits, and you can never go past a hexie in my books
Thanks, Debbierose π I agree, a hexie quilt is hard to beat, but it’s always a bit of a relief when it’s done.
The entire quilt is too gorgeous for words – front, back, quilting by Judith, and every second of time that has gone into its making. Hats off to you, Kate π
It feels lovely, too, the texture is very rich and nubbly. I hope it raises loads of money for them.
Glorious, heartening, wonderful!
Something good that has come out of nothing… or at least, scraps that would otherwise have been thrown out.
There’ll be hot competition for raffle tickets yet again, I’m sure!
I know Vera wants to buy a couple! They are advertising it fairly widely, so hopefully a load of tickets will be sold.
Any finish is wonderful, but this one is very special and beautiful.
I think so too. The cause is so worthwhile, and even if it has taken f o r e v e r to make, I’m delighted to be able to give them something which will hopefully raise lots of money. A gift to our younger sisters, if you like…
I love process, and slow is good. But every project has a point where βfinishedβ is better. Glad you rescued those scraps!
As you know, I love process too, but there’s process and then there’s progress. Glad to have reached the point where both can peacefully come to an end!
What a lovely piece… and how nice to see I participated with a large piece on the back side π . It is so strange to read your group will start again while we are going to stronger lockdown rules from today….
Yes, I had that left over from making cushions for my porch! It has been too bright for some of my other projects, but it was perfect for this one! I’m grateful we are at a point where we can resume meetings, but I’m worried that another wave of infections is just waiting round the corner, where we can’t see it yet…
A real labour of love and with such a story of triumph over adversity. Such a worthy cause. Beautiful – this will be something for the lucky winner and their family to enjoy for generations to come.
It’s a real ‘story’ quilt, in the traditional sense. It’s also very cosy and cuddly, so it fulfils its primary purpose too. I am just beginning to think about the *next* one! Not hexies, but just as rich and varied.
Absolutely stupendous!!! I wish I could buy a few tickets! As gorgeous as it looks, I’ll bet it feels amazing too. Someone is going to be extremely fortunate to come out of the other side of the raffle with this beautiful instant heirloom. π
You could buy them, but it’d be fun and games getting the quilt to you if you won it!
I love that combo of the hexagons and the squares. Could you share a link for the raffle tickets if it’s open online (I’d obviously pay postage / shipping)
I love that too, the way that there’s an almost seamless blend from one to the other.
I’ll see what I can do! In the event that it doesn’t go online, I could buy a number for you and maybe you could ‘refund’ me via your shop, if you like?
Wow, that has turned out beautifully. Lots of hard work there and the fabulous quilting has really bought it to life too. This deserves to make oodles of money for the cause.
I imagine you don’t really want to see another hexie for a little while now.
I’m *almost* over hexies for a bit, but I still have the table runner to finish, which I’ll show on ScrapHappy day. The other good thing about the quilt is that it cleared some of the larger orphan scraps from my stash π
I think that deserves a drum roll! I know how long it takes to make something big with hexies – that is an awful lot of hand stitching! The result is beautiful!
It would probably have been finished faster if it wasn’t mostly worked on only once a week, in the Days for Girls sessions! I’m very pleased with how it turned out, and *one day* I’ll be ready to make another hexie quilt…. π
well done Kate! hope this lovely quilt will bring in lots of $$ at the fund-raiser!
Me too! I hope it means lots of fabric and thread, and other supplies, and new supporters!
Fantastic work. Love to use scraps and not see waste. Congratulations.
Thanks! It just goes to show that scraps really rock!
A wonderful finish and so beautiful!
Thanks, Moira! I’m proud of this one, it was magicked up from nothing, literally π
Definitely this will be one of my favorites of your projects.
I’m so glad you like it! I hope it will make its new owner very happy.
Of that, Iβm sure.
First off, the quilt model is stupendous! π
Secondly, great quilt – such work, had no idea you were so hexie crazy. HA!
Thirdly, thank you for introducing me to this wonderful and “shot of genius” organization. The visual of women washing undergarments in public…and the normal ‘rags’ has always tugged at my heart and heightened my own embarassment level for their sake. (I was terribly embarrased to even place the needed items on the checkout conveyor belt back in my youth). I can really see the difference fabrics used to replace the ‘rags’ make in everyday non-menstrual life, too. Wow!
Will be looking into this org in more depth during 2021.
Oh and fourthly, you’re so right: scraps really rock!
I’ll let the Husband know you said so! This is my 5th hexie quilt, and it’s very unlikely to be my last… Days for Girls is a brilliant concept and a thoroughly well set up and professional organisation, so I’m proud to be able to contribute. You don’t need to be able to sew to help, you just need to give a damn, so I hope you find a way to contribute to their work. My love affair with scraps will continue with more quilts produced on their behalf, since the production of scraps continues at the same pace as production of the kits!
It is even better than I thought it would be -totally wonderful and sure to raise a fortune.
Well, if not a fortune, then at least a respectable amount…
It’s a glorious quilt with a wonderful story behind it, well done Kate! I hope it raises lots of funds for Days for Girls
I think the idea that a little bit of the love that’s sewn into each DfG kit is also sewn into this quilt is appealing. It also makes the fabric donated more meaningful, because the waste is minimised. Such a fantastic array of colour and design – perfect for a quilt like this!
It turned out beautiful!! Of course. I’m glad you handed over the quilting of it to a long arm quilter. Also making a more simple project next time will give you time to get other things done. I do remember the loss of the first start of that quilt and it broke my heart. I wonder who would have taken it and not checked for the rightful owner. Spilled milk at this point. You made this in record time. I love the back too.
Next quilt I make for them will be QAYG, so I don’t need to ask for someone to donate their services, I can do it as I go along. It will also make the backing easier, because the individual pieces can be smaller. This quilt is great, but it has taught me a few lessons for next time π
WOW! It turned out lovely!
It’s a happy one, isn’t it?
YES!!!
I adore the backing ~
I do too, and not least because it used up quite a few pieces of fabric I was never going to use in a quilt front for myself! Win-win π
Absolutely gorgeous
Thank you, glad you like it π
Wow, it’s finished, what an effort! I hope it’ll raise a lot of money, it’s worth it! You were lucky to get aid from a longarmer, that certainly saved hours of work.
It would have been weeks of work, I suspect. Quilting something this size on a domestic machine is definitely not my idea of fun…
Nor mine! There is a good reason I usually stick to baby sized quilts. π
Oh wow! It is such a beautiful, joyous quilt Kate. I agree with the others ~ you have such a generous soul and are an amazing human being. π
Ah, get along with you! I’m always happy for the opportunity to help and if anything I do actually makes a difference, that’s the cherry on the top. I had fun making this, and I’ll be happy to make more quilts for DfG in the future.
Days for Girls is such a great project! While I haven’t been in on it, a local guild member has pulled a bunch of people into her orbit to work on it. Thanks for adding this to their resources. Good work for a good cause!
… and fun! I really enjoy the Saturday morning sessions we have here. Everyone brings different skills and there’s usually a lot of laughing, coffee and cake. What’s not to love?
Beautiful! Congratulations!
Thank you! It’s great to see it finished, and ready for the fundraiser.
So glad for you! Your quilt is beautiful. I got to a point on the vintage linens QAL to layout and see how goes together…found out I did pinwheel too small…and decided I needed some wee bit of color behind crochet features.
Sounds lovely! I hope you find the motivation to finish it.
Spectacular work Kate! ππ
Thanks, Kate! It was a big job, but worth it!
Clicked through on your link, because I didn’t know what you were meaning (newer reader) – a great concept. Sad though that covid-19 stopped the “sending off” but so happy to hear that the local chapter kept making.
Love your finished quilt which I have been following along on. Definitely a drumroll is required.
The distribution didn’t grind entirely to a halt; DfG has been able to continue providing kits to many areas still, and were able to get some out by means of the Mercy Ships, but our main area of distribution was the Pacific, and transport has been greatly restricted. In any case, I currently hold enough DfG scraps to make several more quilts, so slowed production isn’t going to hold me back!
absolutely stunning, well done for persevering. Very generous to give it away.
It has never felt quit like *mine*; it was destined to be a fundraiser from the word go, so I was able to avoid attaching to it!
The quilt is simply lovely. Much like the heart of the maker. You are the kind of person who makes a wonderful friend because you care and you act on what you care about.
Thank you for making the quilt and thank you for sharing it (and evidence of your talent) with us.
Oh goodness, you’re too kind. I’m glad to have made it (and even gladder to have finally finished it!).
Hi Kate
dont know if you remember me, from the group- Vino – now back in NZ. Your quilt is simply stunning! Has it been sold? Did you start a new one yet? Sorry to hear about your injuries! Take care! Best wishes for 2021!
Hi VIno! I’m so glad you like the quilt. It hasn’t gone yet; they’re planning to raffle it soon, together with two other prizes I’ve made/am making. I’ll probably start the next one some time soon; heaven knows I have plenty of scraps to choose from π The broken toe is a pain, but doesn’t stop me using my hands.
How lovely to see it all finished. I hope that it raises loads of money for the cause.
Me too! There’s a lot of interest, apparently, so with luck the hard work will have been worth it.
It’s beautiful! I love the transition from squares to flowers. It’s like a tiled courtyard in a fairytale, with a magic garden growing in the middle.
I also love your resilience in starting again, and persistence in getting it done.
Thank you! I’m so glad you like it, and I agree, that transition is one of the things I particularly enjoy. It’s just a pity that you can’t feel the nice squishy, nubbly texture too…
[…] You’ve seen the completed cushion cover (third prize), and more recently the completed Days Gone By hexie quilt (first prize), but I’ve finally got the table runner finished as well, the second prize. This […]
Kate, you’re amazing. What a beautiful trio of work (I’ve been to see all three). Thank you for using your creativity for such a good cause. I’m certain you’ll quickly sell out of your raffle tickets, and someone nearby will be delighted to take one of these prizes home. Well done!
I’ll be buying one of them myself in the hope of winning the table runner. I’ve become rather attached to that one!
Wouldn’t that be something? Good luck.
Fingers crossed…
Wow, itΒ΄s looking great!
Thanks! I hope it will make its new owner very happy.