A quick follow up to to two posts in late October 2017: Additional on “Additional Conversations” and What’s on the Design Wall.
In late October 2017 I completed a quilt from recycled materials (denim, home decor, clothings, etc.) called Additional Conversations. My original plan was to hand quilt the piece, then my plan was to machine quilt the piece, and then growing inpatient and nervous on quilting a 59″ x 55″ denim quilt I turned it over the the long-arm quilter for “quilting by check”.
Well here is the completed quilt, I finished it with facing rather than binding:

I’ve hung it my living/dining room area along with the other quilts that fill my living/dining room area:
I appreciate the work by the long-arm quilter and I’ve decided that I am going to be more fearless in the future and quilt all my own art quilts from this point forward.
I had a specific vision for the finished quilt and I feel I could have realized it if I had quilted it myself. It is difficult to direct someone else to quilt a quilt in your vision as each person brings their own eye and perspective to a project when it is collaborative.
This experience has encouraged me to take more risks in the future and believe more in my abilities (and give myself the opportunity to learn and grow in those abilities)!
I have NO confidence in my quilting. I need to work on this.
I love your art!
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Thank you so much and I bet you will get machine or hand quilting under your belt soon along with your other talents 🙂
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What a gorgeous, bright quilt, Tierney.
Hand quilting through thick fabric is not for the faint-hearted. If I may make a suggestion — if you start off with a smallish piece made from soft fabrics and with cotton batting, you may also fall in love with hand quilting.
As you might know, I prefer to hand quilt and have never had a quilt professionally long-armed (another tick to the “model of self-restraint”?). I have been hand quilting for so long that it has become second nature and meditative relaxation time for me.
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Thanks Mariss and I have hand quilted (well my fake version of hand quilting) the recycled denim pieces “Recycled Love” and “The Recycled Road”. But these pieces were 18″ x 40″ so they were less daunting. I would like to become a proficient hand quilter on regular weight fabric – I love hand quilted quilts from traditional fabrics (as opposed to challenging recycled fabrics – ha!) Thanks for your comments 🙂
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OMG it’s beautiful, Tierney! You are amazing artist! I’m the same on the NO confidence in my quilting I too need to work on that. My brain is stuck on “I hate quilting” that I can’t vision a strategy for quilting my projects.
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Thank you so much! I had machine quilted and hand quilted smaller pieces but large pieces seem daunting. 🙂
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Lovely work! Such a great collection of colours
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Thanks so much 🙂
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Tierney, I’m speechless! 😊
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Thank you 🙂
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Very very good!
As to fear, even if you quilt things yourself, as I do, it can take a lot to get over the fear. Trying “harder” designs always takes a deliberate decision to step off the edge. Usually it goes fine! And usually, even if it doesn’t, it’s okay! Most stitches can be unstitched if needed — as discouraging as that is, it’s really not a big deal.
I believe you can do it! Next time… 🙂
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Great point – most stitches can be unstitched! Thanks for your ongoing encouragement and inspiration 😀
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Gosh, that looks great! Those colours together – wow! I love it! And as for quilting your own work… Yeah! Go for it! I always get a bit nervy before I jump in and learn a new skill, but I’m always glad afterwards 😊
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Thanks so much! I agree – it will be scary at first but I will be happy once I jump into it. 🙂
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This quilt is beautiful!!!
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Thanks so much 😀
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Your quilt is beautiful–the colors glow!
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Thanks so much 😀
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Another beautiful finished quilt! It’s incredibly vibrant (how those colours dance and converse. They definitely don’t sit still in my eyes!). I’m happy to see it hanging with the other quilts and books in the living room! You have a beautiful space. I was just curious: how did you come up with the name for it? (sorry if you mentioned this elsewhere/in a past post). Cheers! 🙂
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Thanks so much 😀
You kind comments are appreciated and yes my living in an eye dancing riot of color ha! 😀
As far as the name I will explain it when I write up the artist statement- I have to think it through again – I forgot the full inspiration story for the name 😀
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Another favorite for me! 🙂 I think you’ll be happy quilting your own quilts, especially with the personal nature of your art quilts. Your skills will only improve. Maybe I’ll see some displayed in my area of the country one day?
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Thanks so much! I am going to believe in myself and take risks 🙂
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This is such a beautiful quilt! There is so much movement in it. I have never tried hand-quilting. I’m not big on taking quilting risks as I’m always so keen to have the project completed by then!
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Thank you so very much for your kind words😀😀😀
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