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Fun and FINALLY Done!

K8Orlando
11 years ago

The Fun & Done (quilt as you go) picnic quilt is finally done. These things are supposed to be quick and easy but I started this one 2 years ago. I'll never do another. I got bored with the QAYG squares and abandoned them, just adding a large quilted border to get it to the size I wanted. I have to admit, as much as I didn't like the method, I ended up really liking the quilt! I'm calling it "Magic Carpet".

It had it's successful debut this evening at an outdoor jazz/blues fest at our local botanical garden (Leu Gardens).

Kate

Comments (22)

  • grammyp
    11 years ago

    Great pic! Is that your yard? I wanna come visit.

    beverly

  • K8Orlando
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Not my personal yard, but I wish it was. It's Leu Gardens, a truly beautiful botanical garden in the middle of town. Come visit, Beverly, and we'll go there! They are usually only open during the day, but twice a year they open the garden at night for a jazz and blues event. We pack picnic lunches, chairs, wine, etc and get to hear great music AND walk around the gardens in the dark. It's one of my favorite Orlando things.

  • grammyp
    11 years ago

    Sounds like great fun. We used to do that in San Antonio. I have a worn out quilt with lots of memories in it. I'll work on DH, to get up a trip.

    beverly

  • vacuumfreak
    11 years ago

    Kate, I love it! Never done quilt as you go, but thought about it.... maybe not after your experience :o)

    Great job nonetheless!

  • geezerfolks_SharonG_FL
    11 years ago

    Great job on getting your Fun and Done done and that you like the quilt. It looks pretty laying there at the gardens.

    SharonG/FL

  • murphy_zone7
    11 years ago

    Love it. And so glad to see that it is being USED, as a quilt should be!

  • teresa_nc7
    11 years ago

    K8, the quilt turned out beautifully! Is this going to be a picnic quilt in the future also? Lovely setting for a music fest in the park!

    Teresa

  • msmeow
    11 years ago

    Kate, congrats on finishing it! It looks great. I bought a Fun & Done pattern at the Jax quilt show. Did you get their special template for trimming?

    I've lived in Orlando over 30 years and we've never been to Leu Gardens! I'll have to bug Mark to take me sometime soon.

    Donna

  • magothyrivergirl
    11 years ago

    Lovely! Did you add the border in the same QAYG method?
    I am at the border stage on my 4 year old QAYG --- well....I also have to handstitch the backs of all the blocks --- it's never going to get done!

    The gardens are georgeous. Looks like the perfect setting to enjoy the evening! Beautiful couple :~)

  • K8Orlando
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I did the border a little different: I added the top and back border fabric, then laid in the batting, then quilted it. It was a little awkward but it worked.

    I didn't hand stitch anything except the backside of the binding. The blocks were sewn together, then topstitched on the top of the quilt to look like sashing.

    No templates were used. I cut the backing 10.5 x 10.5 and the batting 8 x 8, then trimmed the top to match the batting after adding the strips.

  • littlehelen_gw
    11 years ago

    Cool...looks a perfect quilt for the setting!

  • nanajayne
    11 years ago

    It may have taken 2 yr. but the results are worth it. Never have done a QAYG but have given it some thought..Guess it isn't such great idea.
    Makes a great picnic quilt. The jazz fest is my type of event. Sound like a great setting.

  • loisflan
    11 years ago

    Kate, good for you for sticking with it and not letting it become a perpetual UFO. It looks very pretty. I wish you would post a close-up so we could get a better look at it.

  • K8Orlando
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Lois, here are a couple close-ups:

  • littlehelen_gw
    11 years ago

    Love those fabrics! How Fun are those!!:)

  • beth7happy
    11 years ago

    Wow, k8 !! The best of both worlds!! :) quilt is fab!!!

  • ritaweeda
    11 years ago

    Those fabrics look amazingly like a bunch of upholstery samples given to me quite a few years back. I knew a person who ran a fine furniture store, and she gave me all those samples that they were going to throw out because they were discontinued. I still have some buried up in the closet somewhere, I need to track those down and see what's left. I have used a lot of it over the years, made a couple of lap quilts.

  • K8Orlando
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    The fabric is primarily Kaffe Fassett, with a few Philip Jacobs pieces added in. I love every one of them! It's fun to watch people with the quilt because so many of them touch each block. Bright colors turn us all into children and we want to reach out to them, like a stack of pretty toys.

    The birds in the 4 center blocks and the border fabric are from the Jaipur collection by Bethany Reynolds. I bought the Jaipur print and border on sale over 3 years ago but didn't know what to do with it. It seemed wild enough to stand up to the graphic, vivid prints of Fassett and Jacobs! I know it's a crazy bright quilt but I'm pleased with it. It looked at home in the tropical garden!

  • loisflan
    11 years ago

    Kate, those prints are scrumptious! And how clever of you to stop with the QAYG squares and use the center and borders to get the size you wanted. It's a great quilt and how fun to use it at the jazz/blues fest. Thanks for taking the time to shoot the closeup photos.

  • quiltnhen
    11 years ago

    Love it! Great prints.

  • bev2009
    11 years ago

    It's beautiful! You're so much braver than me. After taking that much time to complete it, I don't think I could lay it on the ground. But it does go perfectly with the surroundings and I'm sure it may the evening that much more special.

    Kind of reminds me of guys with their muscle cars with the hood up at drive-ins today. I can imagine the woman walking by eying and ogling your quilt. LOL

  • calliope
    11 years ago

    Yes, I would reach out and touch the fabric too, Kate. It's perfect and so tropical.