Harlequin Quilt Finished

I had a call from my sister yesterday.  Two of her friends had lost everything, their house and a lifetime of possessions, photos and all her art, in one of the fires raging across the US at the moment.  She wanted to send them something home made to start their new life in a new house and wondered if I had anything finished or which I could finish.  


After a bit of scrabbling around, we settled on this quilt.  When I started this quilt, made of the new Oakshott rubies collection adding in some yellow, chartreuse, midnight blue and deep purple, I had a vision of how it would look, from my design in Touchdraw.  Once it was finished though I fell out of love with it.  The colours weren't working the way I thought they would - it didn't feel right to me.  My husband agreed.  He said "sorry love, I can't say I like that one".  It got relegated to the "will never be finished" pile.


But Julia loved it and wanted me to finish this one - could I bear to part with it, she asked.  Well yes, since I don't like it, that will be easy.  So I hammered it through the machine yesterday, diagonal cross hatch, threw on a binding and, damned if I don't love it now.  Funny how sometimes the quilting and the binding is what it takes to bring a quilt together when a quilt top doesn't feel quite right.  So I hope this brings some little bit of comfort to my sister's friends while they start to re-build their life from scratch.

Comments

  1. It's a fantastic quilt. What a terrible situation for your sister's friends. Hope this brings them some comfort.

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  2. how terrible to lose everything like that - I am sure that this beautiful quilt will give them some comfort.

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  3. very striking it will bring some welcome colour into what must be very grey lives.

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  4. I'd say that's a very good starting point indeed. Well done.

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  5. Can’t imagine what it must be like to loose everything. Your quilt will be of comfort, I’m sure, it’s beautiful and the quilting is Wow!

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  6. What a perfect gift for a family that are having to 'rebuild' their homelife ... you are so very, very generous Lynne
    I'm sure this quilt will be loved and shared amongst the family.
    Things like this puts your own troubles into perspective.
    PS: personally I love the quilt

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  7. THANK YOU oh fabulous and gifted sister of mine. Shedding tears again.

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  8. Just to have your whole life quite literally go up in smoke overnight is so terrible as to be almost unimaginable. Your quilt will at least bring love and support which is the most comfort in terrible times.

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  9. love it Lynne, it's so happy, and I hope its new owners really love it. After the desolation of losing everything, I am sure they will be particularly touched to receive this gorgeous, handmade quilt. Hope they're going ok. Cat.

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  10. It's beautiful! I'm sure it will be loved :)

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  11. It's lovely. And I hope it brings comfort to your sister's friends at such a dreadful time.

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  12. It looks great, and knowing oakshotts I'll bet the colours are even nicer in real life.

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  13. It's a lovely quilt and I think the diagonal quilting works brilliantly. What a terrible thing to happen to your sister's friends. I wish them all the best as they try to start over. I am sure they will love the quilt and find some comfort in it.

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  14. Ooh - that's fabulous. Loving the colours - and the quilting works a treat. Gorgeous :)

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  15. What a terrible thing to happen to anyone. I really can't imagine.

    This is a lovely quilt Lynne (I should just create a macro for that sentence!) - I'm very tempted by HSRs but so far have not dipped my toe. I love the diamonds that they create - and the quilting is stupendo.

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  16. I think that's a lovely quilt. It doesn't look like the colourway in your plan, but it's gorgeous in its own right. I'm going to have to look into these Oakshott cottons now!

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  17. Oh wow. I saw this on Instagram, without the behind story and totally loved it. Now it is even more special. And so are you...and your sister. I hope it brings some comfort.

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  18. I cannot even begin to imagine how awful it must be to lose everything. I am sure that your quilt, and the kindness of you and your sister will help to comfort them as they move forward.
    Taken individually, quite a few of the colours in the qilt are not ones I would pick, but together as a whole, combined with the quilting, it's beautiful!

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  19. It's a gorgeous quilt, such happy colours and the quilting really does finish it off beautifully. Hope it does bring some comfort to your sister's friends.
    I recently invested in a little bundle of Oakshott myself which I'm itching to slice into!

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  20. I think it looks lovely, glad you finished it for a good reason.

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  21. They will love this. It will mean so much to them and be a constant reminder of how amazing strangers can be in times of adversity. xx

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  22. absolutely love this one Lynne! Funny I have been thinking about doing something harlequinny too recently. How do you get your quilting so neat - does your machine do that for you? I am looking for a new machine and want one that can do quilting like this! You are so lovely giving your quilt away to someone who really needs it. It will be so treasured and mean so much.

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  23. I love this quilt at first sight!
    The quilting is still annoying, but I might get over that.
    How many fqs or fat 8ths did you use? One of each colour?
    12 Rubies
    2 or 3 yellows
    3 or 4 greens
    X blue
    + ??
    O dear, I do hope you remember as your heart wasn't in the top (of the quilt of course!)

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  24. This is beautiful. I am thankful that I dont know what it feels like to loose everything and I hope this quilt will bring some comfort to your sister's friends!

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  25. Your sister's friends can't help but smile looking at this lovely quilt. I'm sure it will start their rebuilding journey off on a wonderful note.

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  26. I loved that quilt from the moment you first posted pics of the top. I know it will be received with delight and much gratitude!

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  27. Hi Lynne! I love the finished quilt, and I think if you had made it so the colors more closely matched the ones you had in your original design you might have loved the real one more. It is amazing how once a quilt is quilted and bound it improves! That's happened to me recently with my Four Seasons quilt. This beauty will surely be well loved in it's new home.

    Lynne from The Patchery Menagerie
    (Millie is the cat)

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  28. I can't imagine how devastating it must be to lose everything. I love this quilt - I see that it's not as jewel bright as your diagram but it has its own vibrancy and your quilting echoes the diamonds perfectly. You are becoming a bit of a crosshatch demon!

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  29. Cant imagine what it looked like unquilted because it is awesome! This is going on my inspiration board. Thanks for sharing with us

    And a special thanks for sharing with that family. My prayers are with them.

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  30. What a lovely quilt! I am sure it will bring comfort to the receiver!

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  31. It's absolutely stunning! I hope the recipients gain some comfort from it in the tough weeks and months to come. Now, go and polish your halo ;o)

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  32. this is gorgeous....i love the quilting and how it mirrors the pattern of the quilt

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  33. An excellent gift, love the (illegal) quilting on it :oD

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  34. Lynn, it's a beautiful quilt and so very kind of you to part with it for people in need.

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  35. Beautiful quilt. I live in an area where there have been lot of fires. UT has made me think if I only had minutes to evacuate what would I grab and a few if my favorite quilts made the top 5 list just after the humans. How perfect to send a quilt to someone who has list so much. It will have a life long special meaning to the receiver. Bless your heart.

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  36. Beautiful quilt. I live in an area where there have been lot of fires. UT has made me think if I only had minutes to evacuate what would I grab and a few if my favorite quilts made the top 5 list just after the humans. How perfect to send a quilt to someone who has list so much. It will have a life long special meaning to the receiver. Bless your heart.

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  37. Beautiful quilt. I live in an area where there have been lot of fires. UT has made me think if I only had minutes to evacuate what would I grab and a few if my favorite quilts made the top 5 list just after the humans. How perfect to send a quilt to someone who has list so much. It will have a life long special meaning to the receiver. Bless your heart.

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  38. It's gorgeous! Good on you and
    Julia for your kindness.

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  39. Very nice - I really like it and you did a great job

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  40. The quilting really takes it to the next level - wonderful.

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  41. It is a lovely quilt, I think quilting and binding can really make a quilt, nice to see that. And hopefully a quilt to cuddle under will help the friends.

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  42. Beautiful! I love your color choices!

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  43. I love it too! The colors are marvelous! Bravo to you for being so generous. I'm sure your sister's friends will adore it and appreciate your token of care.

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  44. The giving is all the more special because you DO love it! How beautiful it turned out, and what a nice new beginning it will be for your sister's friend.

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  45. I agree with Marcia R that the giving of something you love is all the more special to you. This quilt is gorgeous and I'm certain that the family receiving it will love it too. Hopefully, they will take a photo of themselves with the quilt in their new home and send it to you as a thank you. Then, your heart will be forever warmed everytime you see that photo.

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  46. It's lovely and I'm sure they will feel better that someone gives them something that has taken so much time. And it's better to give something you like! Do add it to the Oakshott group on Flickr - it's very inspiring.
    Susan

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  47. You have an amazing, generous, open heart! Love the quilt and it will be cherished by the receipents. Funny, I start to dislike my quilts when the top is done and have to force myself to quilt it (thank goodness for disipline!). But - when the binding goes on, I fall in love!

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  48. Wss going to ask what's not working? But I guess you are over that! What a great gift!

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  49. There for the grace of God and all that - it's turned out to be a lovely gift x

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  50. I think its a fabulous quilt - and an amazing gift

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  51. It's a beuatiful quilt, which will be truely loved in it's new home, glad you now have a new to you quilt that you love to replace it with! x

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  52. The quilt looks great, the colours work really well together. Great to know it's going to a great cause =D

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  53. I am sure they will love it, I love it. Simple and clever, bright and cheerful, just perfect to start building your home back around!
    You are a kind and generous soul!

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  54. I really think this quilt is stunning. The colours are spectacular.
    The family will truly be surrounded by love with this beauty.

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  55. What a lovely way to re-start one's life when one has lost so much. They are very lucky to have friends who can help them remember how much the family still has.

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  56. It's really stunning Lynne. I think it was just waiting for the right owners to come along.

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  57. It's brilliant L, and the quilting is divine! I've had that falling 'out and in' love with a quilt thing too! Good that it happens that way round. Jxo

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  58. it is a beautiful quilt. i have no doubt it will be loved and so appreciated...

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  59. Wow. What a fabulous gift. I am hearing from so many of my friends in Utah that have been evacuated from their homes. Crazy times.

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  60. GOsh you've already got so many comments but I just have to say that I love it too! I really like how the pattern goes right to the edge, so much better without a border and whAt a gorgeous cheering gift. You'll just have to make another now!

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  61. Wow, this one did finish up so beautifully...and it looks so very arty (is that a word?) It will certainly make a nice bold quilt for these people to begin building around. The fires have been so sad. Two of the ladies in my Do.Good.Stitches group live in the fire area, but they have been okay. Sure wish I could get my quilting to turn out as nicely as yours. I tried to straight line quilt a large quilt on my home Jamone (not as nice as yours), but the "quilt drag" kept making the stitches uneven length and I had such puckers where the lines cross each other. All in all it was a totally frustrating experience.

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  62. I love this quilt, especially the diamond grid quilting. I'm sure it will make a very special gift during such a rough time.

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  63. Love this quilt, I think it is absolutely stunning,and was surprised to hear that you didn't like it at first. This will make a beautiful quilt to help that family start over, I'm sure they will treasure it.

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  64. I think it turned out absolutely brilliantly. And I don't miss the borders one bit.

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  65. I think the quilting makes the quilt!

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  66. I love that quilt! The colors and everything about it!

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