Sunday, October 28, 2012

Blogger's Quilt Festival

I'm excited to be taking part in the Blogger's Quilt Festival for the first time!  Amy Ellis over at Amy's Creative Side has been organizing this for a few years now as a way for quilters on the internet to share their quilts and creativity with each other all in one place!  Head on over and scroll down to see all the lovely quilts and then click on through to see the maker's lovely blog and the story of the quilt.  Great fun, indeed.  Well, without further ado, here is my entry:

Chicopee Trails Quilt

I call it Chicopee Trails. The pattern is from Pat and Nicky Lintott's book, Antique to Heirloom Jelly Roll Quilts, and the quilt in the book is called "North by Northwest" I made the quilt a different size and added two borders, but this is pretty much it.

 Chicopee Trails Quilt

The fabric I chose is from Denyse Schmidt's latest fabric line, Chicopee. (Learning the name of this line sent my husband into frequent renditions of the main character of a movie from back in the 90s) Anyways, many, many, many half square triangles later (who am I kidding? I was sick of making HSTs, and decided to add the borders to reduce the number I needed to get the size decent enough to cover a person!)

 Chicopee Trails Quilt

The background is fabric is Caroline Chambray. It has a lovely texture, a little bit like linen but not as much. The secret to the texture is different threads in the warp versus the weft, like shot cotton. I love linen in quilts but wanted to try something different. I'll probably use it again!

 Chicopee Trails Quilt 

I used other Denyse Schmidt fabrics to finish off this quilt. I had a lovely stash of some Katy Jump Rope I geeked out about finding earlier this year on a trip to Hawaii. Yes, I bought all they had left on the bolt! It became the backing to this quilt, and some stripe-y Hope Valley was with orange, purple and fuchsia waiting in my stash became binding!

 Chicopee Trails Quilt 

I used a piece of batting from a huge section my hubby bought me for my birthday. (Wasn't that a great idea?) He splurged and got Warm and Natural from our local quilt shop. I haven't used it for a long time, I've been buying online and trying to save pennies, but I must say I love that batting. It washes up so soft. Then I stippled it all over with Aurifil thread in 2325.
  
Chicopee Trails Quilt

After washing and drying, it came out at 48" by 68". I am really in love with this quilt and sure hope you like it too! Thanks to all of those who are sharing their quilts with Amy and the rest of us. Can't wait to curl up with all of those lovely images and stories and look at them ALL!!

 Chicopee Trails Quilt 

Special thanks to my 14 year old son Ethan, who took these photos of my quilt. We chose to take the pictures at Rocky Mountain National Historic Site. The name of the quilt pattern, "North by Northwest" reminded me of the trappers and traders who travelled deep into the Canadian Wilderness, looking for a Northwest Passage to the sea. Their efforts led to the establishment of fur-trading forts which later became towns and are an important part of our history.

Chicopee Trails Quilt 

We are fortunate to have archeaological remains of one of these forts nearby our home. Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site is the location of a succession of forts established by the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company starting in 1799. (And it's also kind of fun, because my husband works there and I got to go with him to work to take these pictures!)

Chicopee Trails Quilt

Speaking of my husband, he sweetly came outside our house yesterday to try and help me take pictures of this quilt. Unfortunately, none of them I liked except for one:

 Chicopee Trails Quilt 

Here he is resting is arms after holding them straight up with the quilt for like 15 minutes straight while I tried to get a shot! God bless him :)

ETA:  Oops, almost forgot the stats Amy asked for!


Blogger’s Quilt Festival Stats

Finished quilt measures : 48″x 68″
Special techniques used : half square triangles
Quilted by : Me!
Best Category : Favourite Throw Quilt, Favourite Home Machine Quilted Quilt, Favourite Quilt Photographer
Entry # 389

47 comments:

  1. Lovely! I'm interested in the solid you used, I've never really done much with anything besides quilting weight cotton, but I love the texture of shot cottons, so I might have to look into carolina chambray.

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  2. Ohh just adore your quilt! All those hst's... goodness I know I would have been tired of them too - but it was soo worth it in the end! And I just love where you took your pictures! Really sets the quilt off beautifully :)
    Happy to have found your blog as well!

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  3. Gorgeous! Love the background you chose, too... Beautiful way to use those fabrics.

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  4. This looks so beautiful and your pictures are great!

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  5. Fabulous! Your border for blocks swap was genius! Beautiful quilt :)

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  6. Oh Carla! This is wonderful. All those triangles! I love the photo shoot too.

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  7. oh I really like your quilt! And your photos are just great - what an awesome photoshoot!

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  8. Fab. Love how those HSTs seem to twinkle. It's good to see a fellow quilter making her husband's arms ache - I do that to my husband too.

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  9. three cheers for our quilt holders! You quilt is wonderful! I love the orange!
    Your photo shoot is wonderful too!
    thanks for sharing it

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  10. Great photo shoot. Love the hsts and your fabric choice.

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  11. Gorgeous quilt...although I am a little perturbed to see snow already in quilt photos..I'm just not ready for winter yet!

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  12. This is just incredible! Love the quilt, love the photos. Everything! It is also my first time entering the festival...so good luck!!! #76

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  13. Love love love!! Your quilt is gorgeous and what a fabulous
    photographer you have there!! Your pictures are gorgeous!

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  14. Stunning quilt! And the photography is great as well!

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  15. beautiful! and what a great setting for the quilt!

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  16. Ooh, this is quite lovely! I'm working on an HST throw quilt right now, and I am so sick of pressing and trimming! But seeing your work has given me a new push to finish since they look so lovely when complete! :)

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  17. The quilt looks great. Love the colors.

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  18. Amazing, really gorgeous. What size are those HST's?

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  19. Hi! Your quilt is really beautiful! I like triangles and your pattern is great! Wonderful colours, too and that place looks amazing! Your photos are my favourites! x Teje

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  20. What fun! Such a bright, happy and cheerful quilt, and the photos are wonderful. All those little HSTs, though... I'm not sure I'd be able to make that many---kudos to you!

    Hazle

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  21. what a beautiful quilt, and I really do love the photos.

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  22. Beautiful quilt! Love the movement in the little triangles of color. Great pics!

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  23. it is so pretty. I'm kind of glad I bought some chicopee now!

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  24. Wow, this quilt is just beautiful, and the pictures are amazing, too.
    Isn´t it nice to have a husband who helps with the photographing? Mine does it, too. :-)

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  25. I loved watching this quilt come together on instagram! It's a beautiful quilt! Well done!

    Jennifer :)

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  26. this is STUNNING - how teeny are those hsts?! gorgeous entry, i love hats theres just something about them in a quilt that makes it amazing.. #267

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  27. Wonderful. HST are fun, but you're right they do get tedious after a while. I put a good book on CD on and listen while I chain piece :)

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  28. Gorgeous!!!! I love this - chicopee looks great and the photos are gorgeous as well. =)

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  29. This is just amazing! Awesome job. All those little HST look like a form of self punishment, though :) They are definitely worth the work!

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  30. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! And your photo are pretty amazing too.

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  31. Beautiful quilt and great pictures too!

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  32. Lovely quilt. I adore your display places. Is that your home?

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  33. Holy half-square triangles! :) Beautiful quilt and scenery!

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  34. Scrappy-ish and happy! This is a wonderful quilt. I just love how you and your son photographed it as well-- the perfect setting. Thanks so much for sharing. :)

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  35. It's gorgeous! I love the scenery in the photos as well. I'm impressed that you've got a finished quilt already with this recent fabric line!

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  36. This is beautiful!!! I don't have Denyse's latest line, but I'm thinking this would look great with the Hope Valley I can't decide how to use ;-)

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  37. This is such a beautiful quilt and the photos are amazing!!!

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  38. OK now that I won a charm pack of Chicopee and am seriously considering buying another... I may have to make this, or something similar. It's gorgeous. Pinned it once I saw it on TalkNT. How many jelly rolls did you use on this beauty?

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  39. I just came across this while looking through Canadian blogs on the Quilt Gallery blogs. I saw the scenery first and was wondering where it was and kept on looking. Love the quilt and where you chose to photograph it is beautiful. Lovely family on your family shot in your about area - I love the Rocky Mountains and I'm always drawn to it.
    Karen
    http://karensquilting.com/blog/

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  40. Love your quilt, it has great movement

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  41. I love your quilt. I have a stash of Chicopee I've been trying to decide how to use. I love how you used yours. Did the chambray ravel a lot? I love the idea of using a fabric with a little texture.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Patricia. No, the chambray did not ravel (enough for me to notice anyway!). The chambray was from Robert Kaufman, and was a good quality, I think.

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    2. Thanks! I think I'll order some. I just love how your quilt turned out. Just reserved the book you mentioned.

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