Friday, May 21, 2010

Blogger’s Quilt Festival

It must be Spring Market time because Amy is hosting another  on line Quilt Festival.  Allow me to tell you a little about my entry.

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I had been thinking about this design for quite a while but I didn’t even want to attempt to put pencil to paper before all my swaps and Christmas gifts were put to bed.  So around the beginning of December 2009, I started the preliminary sketches.

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I knew I wanted to include both stitching and piecing as part of the overall design, so I did the initial layout on graph paper.  It took me a couple of days just to finalize the layout, even before attempting the line drawings for the stitched blocks.  I needed to complete the layout first in order to determine the final sizes for the stitcheries.

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I researched and studied the characters from public domain designs and it took me about a week to complete the stitchery patterns.  And so the journey began.

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I stitched and pieced over the Christmas holidays and gave the flimsy to Nancy (no blog)…my friend and machine quilter extraordinaire…during the first week of January and gave her ‘carte blanche’ to work her magic on it.  Everything that Nancy touches is an original work of art and I left the quilting part in her trusty and capable hands.  I truly believe that the longarm quilting fairy resides at Nancy’s house.  What an incredible job she did!  Every square inch is custom done.

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The name I have given to this quilt is Raggedy & Friends.  It is the first quilt that I have designed, stitched and pieced.  I used vintage red buttons, red glass beads and knotted floss as embellishments throughout the quilt.

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Thanks for allowing me to share my first full size quilt design.  After designing in the decorative painting industry for almost 25 years, I have found it very difficult to shut down that part of my brain.  I guess I’m happiest when I’m designing and really all that has changed is the medium…fabric in lieu of paint.  I even find that I’m using a very similar color palette to what I use when I paint.

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I am still contemplating as to whether I will offer it as a free 12 month BOM (Block –Of-the-Month).

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Enjoy the festival and as always…

Happy stitching!

Kaaren ♥

58 comments:

  1. Wonderful quilt - it would make a great BOM.

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  2. Kaaren, it is beautiful! I love the colors and design! Way to go!

    Michelle

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  3. Beuatiful quilt. Would love it as a BOM

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  4. Kaaren what a gorgeous quilt!! I absolutely love it!! I'm with Robin!! Love to see it as a BOM!!!
    Paulette

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  5. You did a great job on the quilt, and the quilting just sets it off beautifully. You can't help but love it!

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  6. Beautiful quilt,Kaaren! Please, do it as a BOM. I have made 2 of your adorable Stitching Raggedys...one in red and one in blue for my friend who loves everything blue. My 2 year old granddaughter claimed the red one so I guess that I need to do another for me. Thank you so much for sharing your creativity with us.
    Sandy

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  7. Love your quilt Kaaren! It makes me sigh thinking of my sister who is no longer with us but loved Raggedy Ann and ever dressed as her for Halloween.

    I am just back from our few days away and have so much to catch up on.

    Hugs from Holland ~
    Heidi

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  8. Looks like you're making the transformation from one design medium to another very well. Nice quilt !
    I'm sure there are lots of quilters who would enjoy making it if offered as a block of the month....go for it if you have the time !

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  9. I'm with everyone else. Yes to the idea of a BOM!!

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  10. Nice combination of stitchery and patchwork. I love the colors. I'd do the BOM of Stitchery if you offered it. I think I could stitch one block a month, sounds good to me.

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  11. Hi Karen, awesome quilt!! I'd love to make it either way--pattern or BOM
    Well done You

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  12. I liked this quilt when you first posted it and I still do.Thanks for sharing it with us again.

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  13. love looking at your quilt again Kaaren. Your design and the quilting are wonderful!

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  14. PRECIOUS - just precious, Kaaren! This is such a darling quilt, and it does show your love of design. Fabulous!

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  15. That is a stunning quilt, I love the quilting.

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  16. SO lovely!~ Yes, BOM please! :)I keep looking at some Raggedy Ann & Andy fabric I have from about 8 yr ago! Now that I have a grandson, I want him to know these wonderful little people... :)

    I have not spent NEARLY enough time exploring your blog. I'm so sorry... I am missing out on SO much! I have put you on my page so that I can keep up with when you post. You're an AMAZING WOMAN! XO

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  17. Oh my goodness Kaaren - how incredible is that quilt! I just love it. I think it would make a great BOM. It is just adorable!!! You should be so proud of yourself!

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  18. I am hoping that you will offer the patterns as part of your First Friday Freebies. I think it would be a fun project.

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  19. This quilt is FANTASTIC!!! WOW..a real sampler...not just of blocks but quilting stitches!

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  20. Fabulous quilt! I love the combination of stitchery and pieced blocks. And the quilting is wonderful.

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  21. I'm a fan of Raggedy Ann. The year that the Barbie doll came out, I wanted a Raggedy Ann and Andy instead! Kathie L in Allentown

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  22. I love that quilt with the raggedy friends. It is just beautiful. You are so talented! I would love it as a BOM also. Have a great weekend! Blessings, Karen

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  23. It would be an awesome BOM. I will have to watch out for it :)

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  24. Wow - what a beautiful design - I hope you make a BOM :-))

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  25. Beautiful quilt!

    I think you breezed through the transition from painter to quilt designer! A creative mind, remains a creative mind! :)

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  26. It would make a great BOM, there are so many stitchery addicts out there who would pounce on it. Lovely Kaaren.

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  27. how fun and very nice quilting!

    margaret
    www.quiltsoflove.blogspot.com

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  28. I so do hope you do a BOM with your design. I love Raggedy Ann! I made many a set to help pay for college (back in the days when it sewing could help cover those costs.) Raggedy Ann sits on my sewing bench when I'm not there...just waiting! Wonderful quilt---it makes me smile and I would definitely participate!

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  29. Kaaren, as always, WOW!!!
    I love everything about it. I am speechless.
    and that feather quilted in the border...
    Thank you, and wow!

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  30. Great job! It looks wonderful!

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  31. Oh, Kaaren, it's sweet, cute, adorable, beautiful, etc. I am very smitten with it. Will you offer a pattern for sale????? Please!!!

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  32. You outdid yourself with this one. It is just wonderful!

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  33. Beautiful! I would like to make this quilt. Me too.Valérie from France.

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  34. Wonderful quilt...great stitcheries...it would be great and very popular BOM!

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  35. Kaaren...that quilt is gorgeous! The colours sing!!!! Please do offer it as a block of the month..I know I will participate!

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  36. Oh girl, you did such a great job on this quilt. Being a Raggedy collector of sorts I would love it if you did a BOM of it. I want to thank you so much for all the FFF that you have so lovingly provided. You are truly an inspiration to us all.

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  37. Kaaren, it is lovely! Well done! I also think it would make a great BOM.

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  38. Hi Kaaren...your quilt is beautiful! I am so impressed with your original designs, just wonderful.

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  39. Loved it the first time....and fell in love seeing this one again today.

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  40. Was making a Raggady Ann doll the first time you posted about this quilt. Am still hoping you do it as a BOM pattern because I LOVE IT and it would go with the doll so well!! Take Care All!

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  41. What a fabulous quilt. I love your combination of redwork and many different country style fabrics.

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  42. Love your quilt Kaaren it is just beautiful and the quilting is wonderful too. Cute designs.

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  43. you know this is one of my favorites!! Great choice to enter in the festival! :)

    Love it!
    SheilaC

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  44. I think it would be a perfect pattern for a BOM! It is jus gorgeous!
    Micki

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  45. What a yummy quilt you have made.

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  46. Wonderful quilt, Kaaren! It's easy to see why you can't shut your designing brain down - I hope you keep it up, because I love your designs!
    Cheers!

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  47. It would be wonderful as a BOM. It looks really great

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  48. What a beautiful quilt. Love all the blocks, fabrics, color and overall design. You did a fantastic job!

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

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  49. great quilt! i agree it would make a great BOM. darling

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  50. It's a fabulous quilt -- would definitely make a great BOM.

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  51. Love this quilt!! It is adorable :o)

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  52. What an utterly charming quilt, a great mix of embroidery and piecing. I'm sure it would be a popular BOM either free or for a fee.
    Come see my antique quilt entries
    http://utahquiltappraiser.blogspot.com
    http://starleyquilts.blogspot.com

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  53. Way to go girl! Your quit and design is fabulous!! It would make a nice BOM.

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