Back in January 2014 when I was still very new to quilting, I purchased a fabric range called "Woodland Critters" by SPX Fabrics and attempted to recreate a quilt pattern that I had seen a photo of in a magazine. I was very new and unskilled, could not sew an accurate 1/4" seam, was not good at half square triangles or for that matter at quilt maths and I did not have a pattern with directions to follow. I had taken the finished quilt to a professional long arm quilter later that same year and was laughed out the door. The quilt top sat folded up and discarded in the "drawer of shame" ever since.
During January 2015 my friend Julie Psarras @HeritageKeepsakes - a long arm quilter - was visiting me in Bendigo. Before she left that day she insisted on taking with her one of my completed quilt tops to be quilted. At that time I didn't have many full size quilt tops completed, so despite the poor quality of this one she insisted on taking it with her to perform her magic. I gave her carte blanche to do whatever she wanted with it. I was in no rush to receive it back and had told her to give priority to her paid work. Imagine my surprise when a large box was delivered to me a few weeks ago.
Here is the final product. Photos taken at Bendigo Domain Retirement Village (please don't look too closely at my piecing it is far from perfect):
Not only am I totally in awe of Julie's fabulous quilting, I am absolutely amazed at how cleverly she has managed to disguise or camouflage many of my piecing & joining flaws. I cannot thank her enough for bringing this quilt back to life, it no longer deserves to live in the "drawer of shame".
Here are some close up photos of Julie's quilting:
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Julie Psarras can be contacted via her website:
or via her blog:
How terrible for someone to be so discouraging to a new quilter! I'm so happy to see your work honoured by a kind soul who insisted on quilting it. This quilt will be a great reminder of how far you've come, and a push to keep learning. The endless possibilities for trying new things is the great thing about quilting.
ReplyDeletelooks awesome, amazing that you would take on such a complicated quilt top as a new quilter! it's fabulous & I love the pic with the pig!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant achievement and the quilting brings it to like, heck I never piece perfectly hahahahhaa Now if I could find a friend like that hahahahaha
ReplyDeleteThat is a work of art. How awful for you to have your work disrespected. That quilter should be ashamed! Beautiful work both on the creating and the quilting!
ReplyDeleteWow! What an incredibly kind and generous gift from your friend. Nobody should ever have their work 'laughed out of the room' ... I hope you enjoy using your quilt, and are proud of all you achieved in making it xx
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