Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Dare to Dresden Blog Hopping Progressiveness

Hello there!  thanks for dancing along on the Dare to Dresden Blog Hop!
Sponsored by the perpetually inspiring Madame Samm and Cheerleader Extraordinaire Christine L of Quilt Monster in my Closet

This blog hop is a feast for the eyes!  Who knew a design like 'Dresden Plate' could have so much variety?  ...be so modern and fresh?  ...and be sew popular among quilters of all ages?

I have to confess, a friend of mine has an antique Dresden quilt that I have always admired made during the 30's - with those wonderful, cheerful colors we quilters know so well... unfortunately, I don't have a photo of it to share with you, but I did draw out a similar design in EQ7...
  the thing is... that classic Dresden quilt I crave also has a pieced border that involves lots of those little wedges in a scalloped effect.... and I still don't know enough about EQ7 to draw custom scalloped borders - so try to imagine this with a couple hundred little red segments going all around the edges!  Yup, some day I'll make that quilt.  Really I will... it's on my bucket list!

In the meantime, however, I can share this with you - although this quilt has had an interesting journey from my sewing room to many places and back again!

It all started with Flickr... a splinter group from Old Red Barn quilt-along called Around the Bend and Across the Pond joined forces to create progressive quilts - the kind where you make a block or a row and pass it along each month - each person adds to it and sends it along to the next person on the 'tour' until the 'finished' top comes home to the originator.

I joined the sub-splinter group - the "Free Form Robin: Be Free Bees"  yes there were so many who participated - we had to become TWO groups - the A's and the B's - who decided to proceed with very few 'rooles' (if any) and sent this off to the first unsuspecting victim er participant:  
I had made the Dresden block from a few sample strips just to 'test the waters' of a new template.  I liked it a lot, but had no idea what to do with it after it had lurked around my sewing room, on and off the design wall for almost a decade.  Sew, last January - a whole year ago - I packed it up with a siggie block, a journal and a few of the fabrics that I had intended to use with it...
...and kept my fingers crossed for about eight months!

I didn't have any rooles for my starter - just a few fabrics to inspire and a plea that no one would use ALL of these fabrics and not leave any for the next participating quilter!

My quilt top underwent many mysterious and marvelous journeys (with progress pics posted to Flickr, of course!) and returned to me in August 2012.  After debating with myself for several months about how to quilt it, this is what I did:
it is very closely quilted...
... with bright "orange glow" OMNI thread... by Superior - seriously, that's the name of the color!  ORANGE GLOW --- LOVE IT!!!!
And - I'm thrilled that another participant decided to add two MORE Dresden plates to the corners - still leaving me enough of my original fabrics to use for the binding!  All of the little siggie blocks are pieced into the back.  I feel sew fortunate -I love how this quilt turned out - I hope you do too!

Now, if you haven't already been there, be sure to visit the other bloggers today. 

Charlotte H @ “that Other Blog”
Granny Good Stuff (you are here!)
 
 
 


62 comments:

  1. You really got lucky with your quilt "on the run". It turned out just marvelous.
    regards from Sweden.

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  2. Wow, that takes a lot of trust and it paid off! How fun!

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  3. Love this quilt! I have several quilts that others have worked on and they have stories to tell! True conversation pieces!

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  4. That's a beautiful quilt with such a fun story. Thanks for sharing!

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  5. What fun! and you ended up with such a beautiful quilt!
    Thanks for sharing!

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  6. I am definitely going to go the Round Robin route on one of my own blocks - how wonderful your quilt turned out. Thanks for sharing this story - Judy C

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  7. What a lovely and colorful dresden project...
    conn_and_vans_mom(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  8. What a great way to make a quilt.. So many inspiring pieces were added to your dresden. Congrats. Thank you for participating in the hop. Hugs and Happy Hoppin'

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  9. Beautiful- what a great group you were with in this quilt - Love it!

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  10. Wow! That is one gorgeous quilt. Good job!

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  11. WOW! The quilt is gorgeous! So many different blocks, but such a very inspiring quilt.Awesome. Thank you for sharing.

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  12. WOW..traditional blocks in a modern quilt. It is AWE...SOME and quilt with a journey to tell. Thanks for the inspiration and for sharing with us today, happy stitching, Pauline

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  13. Wow there is a lot going on in that quilt. Log cabins, Dresdens, etc. Looks like fun.

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  14. Very creative ! May I say "Granny, that's good stuff "!

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  15. That turned out really great. Lots of different types of blocks and they all work together so well.

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  16. It looks wonderful. You did such a nice job on it.

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  17. That is so stunning! I love quilts with lots of personality and this sure does!!

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  18. Delicious! Love the design and the colors!

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  19. What a Modern way to do a Dresden Quilt! I see a block of the month there!

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  20. What a pretty quilt! You and your friends did a good job.

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  21. Beautiful piece...thanks for sharing. Robin

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  22. Stunning Dresden quilt! Thank you for sharing.

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  23. I AGREE! Block of the Month for sure!!! Just lovely!

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  24. Your quilt is adorable. Thanks for sharing

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  25. So nice that the result of your round robin was a beautiful quilt.

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  26. I just love the evolution of your quilt! It's so unique and modern and full of love from all of the participants. Great quilt!

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  27. Great story about your quilt. The quilt is fantastic. I love all the colors. Thanks for sharing.

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  28. Gosto muito desta sua colcha,também costumo aproveitar essas ocasiões para tirar as coisas do armário,parabéns.

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  29. I hope you're able to begin your vintage quilt some day soon. I enjoyed hearing how that quilt group worked - the quilt turned out lovely.

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  30. That's so different and beautiful!

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  31. What a unique quilt you have. Thanks for sharing.

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  32. Oh my how your lonely little dresden made friends along its journey. What a beautiful quilt!

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  33. I really enjoyed your quilt Thanks

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  34. Rosemary B here: this is really nice, and very colorful and special. I love the fabric pattern choices too
    thank you for sharing today

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  35. Your Dresden's are beautiful....I love the fabric that you choose for them.

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  36. Great looking quilt the way you decided to quilt it. I like the way it turned out.

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  37. I love hearing the story behind your quilt! How neat. It really turned out beautifully, too.

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  38. I love your Dresden quilt and the story! It's beautiful! Thanks for participating and inspiring us!

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  39. Now if your quilt could talk think of the stories it would tell.. Very pretty.

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  40. How wonderful! It's amazing what can be created when touched by so many talented people. Your quilt is just beautiful! Thank you for sharing it with us, awesome job!

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

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  41. What a neat story. Your quilt turned out great. Love the orange thread. Thanks for sharing.

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  42. there you are....quilt is lovely...and U R now up well you know lol

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  43. that's a fabulous quilt, such a nice change from bee blocks

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  44. What a unique approach to a Dresden quilt. Very nice.

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  45. Very creative - love the Orange Glow thread!

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  46. Hi!!! It is very beautiful!!! I love the orange glow too!!! Very pretty!!! Thank You

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  47. Wow. I would be so nervous working on someone else's quilt. This is fabulous.

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