Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Nine Patch Swap and Doll Quilt

I feel a little slow sometimes. Darlene and I have been trading 3" nine-patches for months, I had my alternate fabric all picked out and most of the top completed way before Darlene had found her alternate fabric of double pink or even started on her piecing. I only had one corner of 20 patches to sew but there it sat until last weekend. As you can see this one was done weeks ago. It was time to get mine finished before a few more months go by, so I was determined to get it done. Thanks Darlene for your wonderful nine patches, I cherish this friendship quilt made by 2 quilters miles apart.
Then I got on a roll and with the left over nine patches and got busy making this small quilt. All these nine patches were made by Darlene except for one. You can see one corner seems a shade darker, well I know better than to leave my quilts on the floor with a cat around. Sometimes they have little hick ups in the middle of the night. If that happens it will almost always be on my quilt if left on the floor. That'll teach me to pick up my quilts. As you can see I also didn't continue the border all the way around. I think it adds character to the quilt. Antique quilts will not always symmetrical and were finished when they ran out of fabric. Hubby doesn't think it looks finished. What do you think should I continue with the border all around?

29 comments:

Paula said...

I really like the way your swap quilt is looking. I think the red really brings all the different fabrics together. They all play nicely!

As far as the small quilt, I would probably finish it with sashing all around...BUT, I really like the "I ran out of fabric" look, just haven't been able to bring myself to do it! LOL Whatever you decide, I know it will look great!

Unknown said...

Wow, what an amazing quilt Wendy, and what a wonderful way to always remember a friendship that has grown from it. Love your small quilt, hmm I'm not sure I'd be game to leave it as is, but then that's just me.

Fiber Babble said...

While I'm all for asymmetrical borders, this one does look unfinished.

But wait! It IS unfinished! If you use a red binding, it just might be fabulous!

Jeanne said...

Wendy, I just LOVE your nine patch quilt! I'm sure it was lots of fun trading blocks with Darlene. My sister and I did that, too. Always fun to see what fabrics were used. Great finish!

Knot Garden said...

Well, I would say leave the small quilt as it is. To me it looks interesting like that, and not at all unbalanced. I think the uniform pattern can take it, and with binding on it will look finished.
The nine patch on point looks amazing - great job!
They both have a lovely old-fashioned look.

Lissa Jane said...

I love your 9 patch.. I am just finishing off some 9 patches for a swap and have done 80 so far, 9 patches are so versatile.. I am putting them on point like you and they are civil war repros..
the smaller quilt, I'd have to finish off the border.. but then again, I have a thing about square quilts.. all my quilts are square.. how freaky is that?


Lissa
Australia

Peg - Happy In Quilting said...

Both quilts are so nice....

Rose Johnston said...

I have loved watching this swap quilt progress.....such a wonderful idea for two friends!!! Im not sure with the other one, i think id have to finish the borders, yet with some lovely bindings it just might work!!

Joan J said...

Love the 9-patch. I thought it was full-sized until I read further. Just beautiful and so nice to share such an accomplishment with a friend.

Karen said...

OMG Wendy - that nine patch quilt is amazing and beautiful. It would look wonderful in my home, LOL. Very sweet and a great treasure that you shared the process with another quilting friend.

I like your little quilt the way it is. I think sometimes we can get hung up on what we think we have to do. I say keep it the way it is.

hugs - Karen

Karen said...

Hi Wendy,

I love the nine patch on point. It is just beautiful and the red really make the colors pop out.
The little quilt is so cute too. I would have to finish it, but that's me. I do love your work and the quilts do look so much like antique quilts.
Thanks so much for sharing once again.
It was so nice to visit with you and your friends at club yesterday.
Hugs,
Karen

Darlene said...

OMG, OMG, OMG, Wendy, your quilt is wonderful. I'm so excited that you've finished it. :-)

The little quilt is adorable - if you bind it with the same red it will appear to be framed and look just fine. Whatever you decide to do will be great.

Ready for a new swap????? Teehee - I'm just teasing! LOL

May Kristin said...

Your nine-patch quilt is beautiful!
When it comes to the little one I like the idea of just leave it the way it is! But I think I probably would turn the quilt upside down, put on the binding as Darlene said, or use a dark contrasting binding! Good luck! Look forward to see what you have done!

Carole said...

WOW! It's sweet! What a fun swap it has been!

I don't have an opinion, I like them all! I know, I'm so difficult! lol

Thanks for sharing! Hugs!

Kim said...

This 3" square quilt is sweet perfection! Beautiful!

If you are satisfied with your plan for the tiny quilt, stick with it. I can see hubbies rational about the border, I tend to need things to look balanced, but you did say that you want it to look like an olden days quilt...

Needle, Thimble and Thread said...

My favorite block is a 3" nine patch.

Leave it the way it is and hundreds of years from now people will ask why? And they will, just as we look at the quilts others left behind and ask the same thing.

Judy said...

The 9 patches are spectacular! I can't wait till Carol and I have enough! I've gotten woken up 3 nights of the same cat hacking fur balls...they sleep right near us. I understand. I keep the door to my quilting room closed for that reason, and they like to "play".

I think it's fine as is. If it were mine I might do the other long side leaving off the bottom...or do the other side and then put a plain piece on the bottom..no corner stones.

Unknown said...

I think I would just bind the mini quilt as it is. Both quilts are just lovely, this sure is a great way of swapping.

Pam said...

Both quilts look great Wendy. Nine patches make such pretty quilts - so simple but lovely. I think I would put the continue the border all the way around. It does look a bit unfinished. But then once it is layered, bound and quilted it would look finished.

Happy Easter

Libby said...

Oh please leave the borders as they are . . . it gives the little piece such character *s* Both quilts turned out wonderful and such a nice memory keepsake of your swap with Darlene.

~Bren~ said...

Beautiful...I think a binding would give it the finished look it needs!

Ginger Patches said...

Love both of those quilts! I think if you like it with one side different then leave it...it will look great no matter what once it's quilted and bound!

Quilts And Pieces said...

Oh man I just LOVE your 9patch quilt! It is sooo wonderful! Now you have me wanting one!

Chookyblue...... said...

nice quilts........lucky you had some left overs.......

Lea said...

Aaawwwwwwwwweeee, It's SOOOOOOOO beautiful!!!!! I love it, love lt!!! and love it!!! *S*
Love your doll quilt also. It's simply marvelous. I need to make this one too!*S*

Stina Blomgren said...

It´s beautiful...just beautiful...and what a memory...:O)

Kim said...

I just love this quilt that you have hanging on such a beautiful hanger. :)

bingo~bonnie said...

I la,la,LOVE all of those minis!!! Beautiful quilt Wendy!! All year I've been hosting an on going quarterly mini 9 patch swap assigning differnt colors each round. Do you mind if I share your photo with my gorup for inspriation for them? I'll link you blog of course and give you credit. :)

Isn't it fun to swap blocks??? Love from Texas! ~bonnie

Julia said...

I find your site super brilliant, I wish you every success because you deserve it, good luck and again well done for this superb site!


Voyance gratuite