Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Freehand Baptist Fans by Bonnie Hunter

Below is a full view of my quilt I just finished.
 Below is Hubby's quilt that started the whole thing!

EDIT: And he now sets a $$$ amount before we get inside the LQS! Guess he learned!
You all know I am a faithful fan of the illustrious Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville fame. This quilt has taken me over a year to hand quilt using Bonnie Hunter's technique.
You can see it here:
 http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2010/05/questions-on-fans.html

This quilt has some history. Both have threads tied to my husband. The fabrics were a gift from my DH as a birthday present a few years ago. Little did he know that when he offered to cover any purchase I wanted to make at my LQS (Quilt of Many Colors in Leo, Indiana) as a birthday present that he was going to suffer sticker shock at the cash register. And oh the clerk was clever. She gave him a tour of the old converted home to LQS with a scrapbook album to look at too. All the while I was picking FQ's. I ended up with 37 drop dead gorgeous golds and light browns in Civil War fabrics. He then said he should get a quilt from his investment. So I made him a great Shaded 9-patch and gifted him with it. Everytime I saw him with it I had quilt envy. So...I made myself one too. And decided afterwards that is deserved to be hand quilted with Bonnie Hunter's Freehand Baptist Fans.
That was over a year ago. I finally finished it this last weekend. I LOVE IT! But then I loved it before it was born too!

So, I need another hand quilting project. Nevermind that I have three different Hexie projects going. And a container of Yo-yos that need to become something. My hand sewing time is very limited. I used to be able to sit in my great recliner for hours on end and quilt, quilt, crochet, and quilt the day away. But anymore my back has issues sitting that way anymore. I can handle maybe an hour now. And I am miserable long before that hour goes by. Sigh! But I can sit at the sewing machine for hours. Go figure!

 So here is my Kona Snow BowTie with the corner triangles added finally. I woke up at 4:00 a.m. one morning and decided to mark and thread baste this little quilt. It is 36" square. This is my first time marking a quilting design with a small lead pencil. By the time I had finished marking all 4 quadrants I was getting pretty good at tracing.
And saying a prayer that the marks will be covered by the quilting thread. And it is! Totally covered! I am so pleased. So today after helping out a fellow quilt friend by cutting out her entire quilt for her, I gave myself an hour in the "chair" and started quilting away. I am loving the results. The Kona fabric is also the back. And the ease that thread goes through Kona fabric is great. And I am sampling one of the Quilters' Dream Orient batting. It is silk and bamboo. It seems to have a lovely drape to it. It feels silky yet strong and the needle glides through it like hot butter. When I figure out a better way to get a photo of the quilting I will post about it again.
To my faithful followers, thanks so very much. I really appreciate your comments. I feel such positive vibes from all of you. I could not live without my blog now. Who 'wuda thunk?

XOXOXOX Subee

12 comments:

hared said...

I would sure like to see the entire quilt, Subee!

Gina in Missouri

Vic in NH said...

I was able to make out the lines of the pattern on the Kona, quite lovely!
Isn't it grand that we can all visit each other in the blogosphere without ever interrupting someone else's nap or supper hour? And yet we are there for each other even when we really need to be washing our hair or bagging up the trash. I love the internet technology!

regan said...

Your Baptist Fans are beautiful! They give that patchwork such depth! Love it!

And just a thought.....maybe you should look into getting a different easy chair.....one that REALLY feels good for the long haul. More back support, maybe. I don't know, but I know I love sitting on my living room chair for stitching, but the couch is awful.....but it's the same set, same cushions....everything....but somehow it makes a difference! Weird huh?

Maybe hubby will spring for a new chair! lol

annieB said...

Love reading your blog. You do so much. I too have done a few of Bonnie s mysteries

Quilter Kathy said...

Congrats on finishing the baptist fans...that's an amazing accomplishment!

Janet O. said...

Has DH made such an offer for your birthday any time since? : )
The silk/bamboo batting sounds lovely. I'll have to look into that possibility.
Very pretty little bow tie quilt!

GittaS said...

The colors are beautiful, your bow tie is great, I really like!
Many greetings from Germany
gitta

qltmom9 said...

I love those sweet colors in your bowties. That is going to be sweet. I like the idea of turning it and am trying to figure out how to do that with 300 some bowties.
We are getting snowed in and I am A-OK with it so long as dh can get home this evening. It was slippery when I went to get ds, but I am home now and need to sew.
Have you ever looked at the worn and washed fabrics from England? Your little bowties remind me of my favorites in Kim's fabrics. I love her fabs.
Lucy

Bonnie said...

I love Kona Snow. I had a big hunk of it but sadly, I've used it all up except bits and pieces. Sigh.

Congratulations on finishing the hand quilting. It is lovely. And, I really like the setting of your bowtie quilt.

You get so much done!

Elaine Adair said...

My goodness, this is another BEAUTY! I'd want it just for the design and fabrics, and your quilting is making it more beautiful. Good job!

(Word Verification is "moldier"!) LOL

Laura said...

I didn't know the pattern of your "birthday" quilts was a shaded nine-patch, They are absolutely beautiful and definitely on the to-do list!! I'm on my son's computer, and what a difference a large monitor makes in looking at your photos. Love your work! Was it you who mentioned using the Niagara starch in the pump bottle? I tried it and it's all I use now. One caution, however. Don't buy bathroom cleaner at the same time...I grabbed the wrong bottle and gave an Orca Bay blue unit a blast of bleach, haha.

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