Wednesday 19 June 2013

WIP Wednesday

I've been working away on my Sailboats quilt.  A couple of weeks ago my friend Helen (yes, the one with that cushion) gave me some pointers on machine appliqué and let me use her (rather lovely) Janome Horizon to appliqué the stars onto their background squares.

This was a deviation from the pattern - it instructed reverse needle turn appliqué, where you needle turn appliqué the lighter background pieces to the star fabric.  That method would make sense if, for example, the stars were light and the background was dark, but for this pattern it seemed like an unnecessarily large amount of work, so I went with machine appliqué instead.

Sailboats quilt in progress 

I then stitched the star borders together and added them to the central panel and the first border.  After that I created the third and fourth borders using lots of little pieces of the blue and red fabrics I used for the boats and the stars.

Sailboats quilt top finished 

Above is my finished quilt top, and below is the quilt top from the book (Le Petit Monde de Jacqueline Morel).  

You can see that I changed the colour scheme up a bit - I think mine is a bit crisper and more modern, while the original has a softer, vintage feel to it.  I also changed the placement of the boats, mainly because I liked the look of some more than others (and to be honest, I thought the little one in the centre of my quilt would be the most difficult to make and therefore I only wanted to make it once!).

Old Sailboats Quilt from Le Petit Monde de Jacqueline Morel

You might also have noticed that my boats are reversed from the ones in the original quilt.  This is because the pattern instructs you to use templates to make the boat blocks.  I'm sorry, but no way was I going to do that - it would have been a disaster for me.  Instead, I copied the boat blocks from the book, and used the copies as foundation papers to make the boat blocks.  This was far more accurate (and therefore satisfying) for me.

I now have the quilt top basted and am planning to quilt it this week or this weekend.  I have a question for my readers though - something which has been bothering me for a while.  I will be giving this quilt at a baby shower, and I would really like to put a label on it, but I don't know what to say.  My friend is having a baby boy, but he doesn't have a name yet (as far as I know - and it's not really the done thing here to name your baby before birth).  I'm sure this is something many of you have encountered before, so I would love to know - what do you do in this situation?

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced, and Kirsty at Quiet Play:

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced Paper Piecing Party


P.S. You might want to check back tomorrow for a giveaway I have planned.  Only if you like fabric though! Updated - giveaway here.

31 comments:

dutchcomfort said...

Love your version of the quilt, it looks crisp and cheerful!
Will you be putting the label on the quilt before you quilt it? If not you could fill in the label except for the name of the new baby boy and add it later?
Or you make a fun label now and only baste it to the quilt and make a definite one after the baby is born?
I’m not very good at making labels, I almost always forget that final step.

Anne said...

Wow, this came out so well! Beautiful work. :) You could just do a label that says Baby maybe? Or something more generic? I'm terrible at labeling my quilts, so I don't really have any good advice. :)

craftykat said...

Love the sailboats! Nice work. As for the label - how about embroidery after you have quilted it? I usually wait until the baby is born to appliqué the name on before quilting - or in the case of my own son I was way eager and made the quilt then made a matching cushion cover with his name when we decided.

Vicki said...

I really like the color way and the applique! I think you have a winner here!

Jo Jo said...

I'm terrible at adding labels myself, but a lovely lady made my son a quilt before he was born and she just put 'Baby Jones' and her initials and the date (well, embroidered it). He still loves that quilt and will not be separated from it even though it's pink, yellow and blue (and has ribbons on), but it has a flannel back and it is very soft! Yours is soooo gorgeous Adrianne, I'm sure it will be well loved. What a lucky baby :)

Marlene said...

Love your version of the quilt. What a difference it makes using the bright fresh colours. If I am making a label before the baby is born I will often write 'Welcome to the world' and the year then 'Made By'.

Jess @ Elven Garden Quilts said...

It's lovely Adrianne! I'd put 'made with love by ...' Or something - although I haven't actually labelled a single quilt so I'm probably not the best person to advise you ;o)

Marit said...

I love your version! I agree it looks very modern - I think your mixed low-volume background adds to that. You could says something like "to a little prince" or something like that...

Salsy said...

This is a gorgeous quilt.... beautiful work. Put what comes from your heart.

June said...

I too love your version, and agree about a generic label, the last one I made for a baby was actually for my friends who were the grandparents so I worded the label to x and y on the occasion of the birth of their first grandchild.

Susan said...

Its gorgeous Adrianne! With regards the label I would leave a space and write the name on later or say "baby 'surname'" as suggested previously. Good luck with your label, whatever you decide, the quilt will be loved!

Laura C @ littleandlots said...

I love this! I can't believe the boat blocks are meant to be pieced from templates--what?! That's nuts. I'm with you on the foundation piecing, all the way. I've never labeled a quilt, but the momma might want baby's name and birthday on it. If I were you, I'd gift it, and then privately offer (or offer in the card) to add the baby's name and birthdate after the birth? That is, if she lives close to you. I know she'll be thrilled, this is a marvelous quilt.

sarah elizabeth :: {no} hats said...

Starting to feeling like a bit of a broken record, but still totally smitten with this.

Julie said...

great finish! I like your version better.

Tina Craig said...

Very nicely done! I'm totally with you on the machine applique and paper piecing. Love your palette.

Janine @ Rainbow Hare said...

This is a great pattern and I really your colours :)

Sarah @ sarahquilts.com said...

Lovely quilt! Good changes from the pattern.

I just put my name and the year on the back of my quilts (using a fabric pen). That way they can pass it along to someone else if appropriate. But I can't part with them without at least signing... otherwise no one will know who made them when they get hung in a museum, right? ;)

sophie said...

What a wonderful quilt! Your fabric choices are perfect.

Julie said...

Looks good - definitely prefer your colour choices over the original.

Anonymous said...

Wow. What a fabulous quilt. Love your fabric choices, you are right about it making feel more crisp.

Susan at TheBoredZombie.com said...

I love it! It is really fantastic!

Could you put a label on with your name and the date and leave plenty of space for the baby's name to be added? I like the idea of offering to add it at a later date too.

Adrianne @ On the Windy Side said...

Thanks so much for your lovely comment!

nicole said...

Love it!! Bottom right corner boat is my fave! Love the AMH print for the boat and the Seaside print for the one sail is perfect! I also like the idea of labeling after the baby arrives, if possible :)

Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation said...

I love your colors in this quilt, and I agree, they definitely feel more modern than the original pic. I love that there are many different types of boats rather than one pattern repeated.

:) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

Michelle@factotum-of-arts.com said...

I love your version of the quilt. What a great gift. Is there a way to add the label post birth?

Elmosmate said...

Your version looks wonderful! I brought a disk with some borders and have a template with basic washing instructions at the bottom and adjust text as required, and stick freezer paper on the back and feed it through my printer! Always with name of quilt, maker and date. If its a special occasion i will add a comment "for Keri on her 40th". maybe for "mum and dad" to celebrate their new baby. Iron it on then you can change it to add name later if you/they want.

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

The colours and other slight changes really make your quilt shine. Great work! I love it when people feel free to change and improve on an original pattern or idea - makes it much more your that way too.
I'd offer to add the label after baby's birth.

Kristy @ Quiet Play said...

Fabulous quilt! I prefer your version to the original. It's just lovely!

As for a label - I'm no good at those things. I'd probably just go with "Made with love by..." and the date! hehe!

Vera said...

Oh wow, that looks fab!

Anonymous said...

This is so beautiful and special quilt!

memmens said...

This is stunning and I think you had the right idea on paper piecing it!
Could you write on the label to 'Baby Surname'? (Obviously using the surname of the family and not the word!)