Friday, December 29, 2017

Last 2017 Finish: Urban Trek

On my computer, I keep a Photos folder called "2017 Quilts." In it are the names of every quilt I've worked on in 2017. Some quilts are finished; some quilts are not finished. When reviewing them a couple weeks ago, I identified one that I could complete by year's end, and here it is: Urban Trek.

Urban Trek is a quilt pattern by Heather Black (Quiltachusetts) published in the March/April issue of Modern Patchwork magazine. I started it in April. It's pieced entirely from Kona solids. Colors are: Iron, Cerise, Glacier, Pond, and Sunflower. I began quilting while on a September retreat with friends. In the past week I completed the quilting, and today spent several hours hand sewing down binding.

I'd love to show you an outdoor photo of Urban Trek in a pretty setting, but we haven't seen sunshine here for several days. My indoor photo of the quilt on my design wall will have to do.
Urban Trek, 60" X 72"
Quilter's Dream 100 percent cotton batting is inside.

With such big expanses of negative space, I had a chance to have a little bit of quilting play. But I was very cognizant of not wanting to over-quilt. The simplicity of the design is what appeals to me, so I tried to keep the quilting simple too.

All the straight line quilting was done with a ruler and ruler work foot on my Janome 1600P.

In several places I added big stitch hand quilting. Not only do I like the extra interest it adds, but on an episode of Fresh Quilting (Season 2), Riane Menardi (VesselQuilts) talked about combining machine quilting with large hand quilting stitches for a modern look.

All the hand quilting is done with six-strand DMC embroidery floss. Before stitching, I separated the six strands and put them back together again, so the stitches would be distinctive. 


I got really good at machine quilting ribbon candy!

I still like the look of a well-done quilted spiral. Mine were done on my Bernina 440 with a walking foot.

This is the backing fabric. 

I'm happy with this finish, and even happier about counting 13 quilt finishes this year. Still, that 2017 folder of quilts will find 10 WIPs (works in progress) being moved to 2018. Please don't tell me that I'm the only one with a never-ending flow of projects! Linda

10 comments:

  1. What a fun quilt! I love the combination of machine and hand quilting! And no, you're definitely not the only one with that big backlog of ufo's. Happy new year!

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  2. congratulation on this quilt! it reminds me of a quilt a friend of mine made for color improvisation2. Her name is Ruth Bosshart-Rohrbach

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  3. Linda, this is just beautiful. Your quilting choices are superb. I have several quilt tops that have been hanging in a closet for going on 2 years now. I really need to pick up my quilting game and this is inspiring me to do so. I also have a tray of DMC floss from my cross-stitch days now decades ago. How big a needle to you use with the 6 strands? (Or how small a needle can you still thread might be the better question!) Again, very inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. This is SO inspiring! I am trying to select fabrics for a quilt that is kind of a mix of modern and traditional design while at the same time trying to decide how it should be quilted. You have such a fun mix of things going on here! BEAUTIFUL!!

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  5. Linda, this is so striking and very modern indeed. I love that you combined hand quilting with machine too. No, you are NOT the only one that has UFOs going from a 2017 folder to 2018. I have more than 10 people combined, I'm sure. If only I would NOT start new projects, maybe I could get these down to a manageable number (70+) down from 160 when I started counting years ago. I'm impressed with how many you finished this year.

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  6. Love your quilting and the mixing of styles! So fun!

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  7. Great quilt!
    In reading the comments, I'm wowed by the reading who has 70 UFOs going forward. There's no way I want to count all mine and find out!
    When I was in France, I purchased some perle cotton made specifically for quilting, which I think is finer than what we have here, and will replicate the look of your clever technique for helping the embroidery floss to stand out. Beautifully done!

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  8. As always, your quilting is stunning! I like the addition of the big stitch hand quilting! Inspired! I need to make a Photo Folder for quilts.

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  9. LOVE this! I really admire Heather's work and really like your version of her pattern. What a nice job on the quilting!! The combo of machine and hand quilting is really striking!

    And yes, I have a few wips hanging over my head! AND a family gift or two that needs to be started AND finished pronto!

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  10. Nope!! You are NOT the only one with a never-ending flow of projects.

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