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Wednesday 19 October 2016

At Last, At Last, a Finished top!

At last I have progress to show you on my circles quilt.  'I don't believe it' I hear you cry, but 'tis true, the top is finished at long last.


Like the borders?  Worth waiting for?  Don't answer that!!!  In case you have forgot I had discussions about the borders with Jennifer @ The Inquiring Quilter, I knew I what I wanted with the colours but felt it would be too heavy, too solid.  Jennifer had the inspiration of adding the background, inspired or what?  


Have a closer look,  There is a one inch finished background border, a two inch finished coloured border, and another 1 inch finished background border.  The grey of the diamonds was added as cornerstones to the coloured border.  In retrospect the corners should all have been lighter in colour to enhance the grey, but I had just about run out of colours and didn't want to repeat any.  So, what's the verdict? 

So now I need help, can I go on calling it my Circles Quilt?  Now the top is finished it needs a proper name, but what?  Circles, moons, spheres, diamonds, stuff like that comes to mind but nothing is grabbing me, do you have any inspiration? 

I have also caught up (almost) with the Meadowfield Mystery Quilt.  Oh yes, I've been motoring.


Look at all those half square triangles!   The light colour is a sort of grey blue but the light wasn't wonderful for pics.  You should have seen them before I enhanced them.  This was month two, the first month was the cutting.


Month three, not only half square triangles but quarter square triangles too, Cheryl is surely the triangle queen.  How do I make such wonderful triangles you ask?  Well I finally tracked down a shop in the UK that sells BlocLoc rulers, Patchwork Cabin and invested in the six inch one.   Although you can't order from the website you can ring and order over the phone.  I rang up on the Saturday and my ruler arrived, very well packaged, on the Tuesday, excellent service, and the lady was very helpful and nice too.   If you haven't looked at them before BlocLoc rulers come in all different sizes, but by getting just the 6 inch one I could cut blocks up to 6 inches, rather than buying all the sizes, which would be eye wateringly expensive, and I'm mean like that.


This is what I have left from the cutting.  Why did I day almost caught up?  I messed up cutting one of the quarter square triangles so I have to make another one.


You may have noticed I changed one of my fabrics from my original choice.   It was when I realised there was all those half square triangles and the fabric is directional.  I also had reservations about it being next to the grey/blue, it didn't quite do it for me.  Shame I didn't decide to change it BEFORE I cut it all up..........

No further news on my sewing room sadly, but I can show you......


The newly painted cupboard, now I can get lots of stuff in that.  Couldn't show you it now though, it's full of stuff.....


and my quilting books in a corner waiting for some shelves to find a new home.  

It has now been three weeks since I ordered the table and chair though and delivery was supposed to be 28 days so fingers crossed the room will be finished by say, Christmas??????

And that's your lot for today, I hope you've enjoyed reading the blog, makes a change from my whinging anyway.

Until next time
Smiles from Kate :-)

Linking up with Lorna @ Let's Bee Social, Kelly @ Needle'n' Thread Thursday, Sarah @ Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? 

30 comments:

  1. Hi Kate! Great top - I love the colors and the border. I think you should stick with something "circly" for the name. Things that immediately crossed my mind when looking at the finished quilt were "confetti", "circus" and "birthday". I think the latter especially because it's a quilt with a very happy attitude ;-)
    Have fun filling up your cupboard!

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  2. Love the border on the circles quilt. Congratulations on completing the beautiful quilt top. Once your table and chair arrive, you'll be on your way to completing your sewing room, too.

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  3. OH, my....you've been extremely busy! Congrats on getting yourself organized. Love the borders on your quilt too!

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  4. Love your quilt and all it's bright colors

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  5. It's a lovely top, Kate! I think "Circles Quilt" is a perfectly fine name, but if that isn't doing it for you, how about something with wedges? It looks a little like the colorful wedges you collect during Trival Pursuit to me, or maybe really generous wedges of pie.

    I love your Meadow Mystery fabrics. I haven't gotten to October yet. I've been considering a bloc loc ruler; I've heard a lot about them but never seen or tried one. You are happy with yours? And you think 6" is a good all-purpose size?

    Can't wait to see your space!

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    1. I've used it for half and quarter square triangles from one to four inch finished sizes and so far so good, for me they certainly made them so much easier. Like anything else it takes a little practice to get the hang of it, and the quarter square have a knack to it, but now it is so fast and I am much more confident than using any other method. I'd say get one at the biggest size you think you will use, in retrospect a four inch one would have been big enough for me as I think I'm unlikely to make triangles any bigger than that, but I just charged in elated to have found a seller in the UK and didn't have my thinking hat on. Now I would like the flying geese ones too, but with those you need to get them more to size I think, however, if I get a four inch one I could use it for smaller geese by trimming the sides and bottom with a standard ruler, but the important cut at the top will be perfect. AND they can be used for square in a square too, which is an attraction for me as there are dozens in the Gypsy Wife Quilt.

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  6. Oh you have been busy Kate - love your circles quilt .. sorry no help here from me re a name - I find that really difficult, if it doesn't come straight away it doesn't seem to come at all!! Wish I had the time for Cheryl's QAL - what you've done so far looks great and I have to say I like the red substitution from your original pull. Keep up the good work!!

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  7. Love your finished quilt top-what a long way you have come! The bright colors say it all!

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  8. I love your color choices for your mystery quilts! I was very tempted to start a second one myself. :)

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  9. I love how you kept the border "lite" with the additional background borders! My name idea is "Full Circle" :) Nothing wrong with just keeping with what you've been calling it all along tho. i am also doing the Mystery quilt along! I like your fabric choices, even the original, but the red seems a bit more cohesive(fancy design talk! Lol!)

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  10. Hi Kate: I'm thinking floating like "in Orbit" or "Tossed in the Air" it's gorgeous, as are your Meadow Mist blocks. I'm so impressed that you ordered the table!

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  11. This is worth the wait! I loved it before and love it now. The border is perfect. I really like how you lined up the colors with the circles! I can't wait to see how you quilt it!!! I'm excited to see your new quilting table!

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  12. I love seeing the borders on your circle quilt, it was well worth the wait! I think calling it the circle quilt is just fine. Although, it makes me think of he colorful little pieces you make when you play Trivial Pursuit. And your Meadow Mystery is looking great. I just love those colors.

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  13. You have been busy Kate. Love your finished Circle Quilt-the borders were a great choice. I'm no help with naming it but I'm sure it will come to you. Hope your table and chair arrives soon-it will be a great Christmas present to have your sewing room set up.

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  14. You have been busy Kate. Love your finished Circle Quilt-the borders were a great choice. I'm no help with naming it but I'm sure it will come to you. Hope your table and chair arrives soon-it will be a great Christmas present to have your sewing room set up.

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  15. Great post. I love the finish. I'm moving into my new sewing room and it is a wreck. Can't wait to get to sewing!
    Thanks for sharing!

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  16. That border is just perfect! The background inner border "stops" the circles, and the intermittant solid middle border has a life of its own. Very clever!

    I thought about Pie Charts when I saw it...too many hours in meetings with PowerPoint presentations, I think.

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  17. This is so great, Kate. I love how colorful it is, and I really like the border. Good luck with the sewing room!

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  18. Yeah for finishing your circles. I love how you did the borders. I just got some Bloc Loc rulers, and they are great.

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  19. Congratulations on a wonderful finish. I've been loving it every time you show it and now the border truly is a great solution, colorful but still a feeling of space. No name ideas. Hope your furniture arrives in time and you can relax and enjoy your studio (you deserve to call it with art pieces being done there.)

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  20. Oh, Kate! This quilt is gorgeous. I love the border. It pulls it all together. When I first looked at it I thought of the merry-go-rounds I use to play on and now have been banished from every park. Sigh, children now won't know what fun it is to sit or stand and spin in circles. So how about Merry-Go-Round for the name?

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  21. I'm dying to look through that stack of books , always curious . I love how your circles extend out beyond the quilt . I still think you should call it circles quilt . Keep it simple

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  22. Your quilt looks great, so bright & happy! I love the border, the way it continues the colour is perfect without overpowering!

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  23. I love your circles quilt. It reminds me a little of a pie chart...so maybe pie chart is a proper name for it. It doesn't sound as pretty as diamonds, circles, or spheres though. I love the pieced border.

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  24. Love the borders on this quilt, it finishes it really well! I was hoping you would have a mountain of name ideas by now... beachballs? bubbles?... I've got nothing

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  25. I like the border choice - great quilt

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  26. I love the circles and the border is great! Can't really help with the name though - I'm terrible at naming my quilts! I'm also participating in Cheryl's mystery qal. I love your fabric choices!

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  27. The borders turned out great! I really like that dark blue in your mystery pieces. Good call on directionless triangles!

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  28. I think it is beautiful. I'd call it Geometric, but Circles works for me too!

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  29. Oh, Kate, it is so pretty! The word 'circus' was the first thing I thought of when I saw the picture. Sorry I'm sew late with my comment. I don't know where the week went! It's a blur. You're coming along nicely with the mystery quilt. I never participate because I struggle to keep up. Your sewing room will be sew worth the wait! I'm green with envy! Have a good week, sweet lady! XO

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave a comment, it helps me grow as a quilter and as a blogger. It also makes me very happy :)
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With smiles from,
Kate