The Kate Spain Blog Hop

And so it is my stop on the Kate Spain blog hop being run by Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts (more information at the bottom of this post).  OK embarrassingly it was my stop on Tuesday but I managed to write it on the wrong page on my calendar and miss my spot so Alyce very kindly slotted me in here.    So the quilt I am going to show you was made three years ago, at the start of my quilting journey and was my attempt to learn some new skills such as hand piecing and hand quilting.  
Kate Spain Blog Hop
The quilt uses mostly Kate Spain's Verna line, which I fell in love with for its fresh spring feel, plus a few other fabrics scattered in.  As far as I remember the background fabric was a sheet I bought from a charity shop.   The quilt is unfinished.  When I eventually found it rammed at the back of a cupboard of lost and unwanted items yesterday, it still had its basting pins in it and clearly had been abandoned half way through hand quilting.


The tree in the middle is made of raw edge appliqued leaves and I was sewing some quilting / decorative stitches onto them including blanket stitch and a double running stitch.  I think this is where I got bored.


I made these little flowers from mini dresdens - cute idea but a little wonky in the execution.


And I framed these hexagon flowers with little skinny borders. 


I'll be honest and say I don't really love this quilt very much.  I loved Verna then and still love it now and I like the idea of this quilt but something about the finished (or maybe unfinished) quilt looks a little hokey and amateurish to me.  Do you have any quilts like that that seemed like a great idea in your head and then disappointed you when they were finished? 

To find out more about the blog hop, to grab the button and to have a chance at winning one of many giveaway prizes, go to this blogpost here and make sure you join in tomorrow's linky party to be in with a chance of winning one of many fabulous prizes.   Here are the other stops on the blog hop where everyone will be sharing projects made with Kate Spain's fabrics:

Monday June 3rd - Interview with Kate Spain at Blossom Heart Quilts
Tuesday June 4th - Jane at QuiltJane
Wednesday June 5th - Christa at Christa Quilts
Thursday June 6th - Kimberly at Fat Quarter Shop
Friday June 7th - Laura at Quokka Quilts

Monday June 10th - Chrissy at Sew Lux
Tuesday June 11th - me - oops moved to Friday
Wednesday June 12th - Julie at The Intrepid Thread
Thursday June 13th - Kristy at Quiet Play
Friday June 14th - Link up your favourite Kate Spain project!

Monday June 17th - Gemma at Pretty Bobbins
Tuesday June 18th - Heidi at Fabric Mutt
Wednesday June 19th - Melissa at Ms Midge
Thursday June 20th - Jess at The Elven Garden
Friday June 21st - Janice at Better Off Thread

Monday June 24th - Diane at From Blank Pages...
Tuesday June 25th - Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts
Wednesday June 26th - Kara at Me And Elna
Thursday June 27th - Readers' Q&A with Kate Spain at Blossom Heart Quilts
Friday June 28th - Link up your blog hop projects!

Comments

  1. I think it's a cute quilt - it's interesting to see how your style has evolved since you started quilting! It looks like something a child would love - maybe it's worth just getting it finished to give to something like Sibling's Together. And yes, I totally have quilts that looked AMAZING in my head and didn't really turned out. They are stuffed in the cupboard half finished. Maybe I should take my own advice...

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  2. I think its a rather sweet quilt and I agree with Adrianne, I think it would appeal to a little girl. I would finish it and donate it and spread some joy in the world! Thanks for sharing it.

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  3. Definitely finish it - there would be lots of little girls in the world who would love it :-)

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  4. At least half the things I make looked much better in my head, and I'm often a bit disappointed with the things I make. I keep trying though :)

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  5. Hello I agree with those above, finish it a little girl would love it its the sort of thing my daughter would think "amazing"!. I like the colours its got a real spring folksy feel.

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  6. Oh you can't leave it like this! It's such a pretty quilt. Think of all the work you have put into it. Don't you have any nieces that would like it?

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  7. Well of course my whole life is played out in the 'better in my head than in real life' fantasy world as I am not really very good at anything in particular; So i know how that feels sister.

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  8. I have made a couple of real grotters, but am more surprised when something turns out better then I expected!
    Now you have to finish it x

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  9. You must finish this quilt. It may not be your favorite, but someone out there would love to have it. Donating finished items are so important to a lot of organizations.

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  10. I have a fair number of things that didn't quite work out, some of which are finished and most of which are not. They just sit there glaring at me. I should probably pass them onto someone who would love them.

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  11. Oh, I agree with the others above - this is a very sweet quilt and would look perfect in a little girl's room! But I understand that you haven't finished it if you don't love it - there is only so much time in the day and best to use them making something you truly enjoy:)

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  12. I think it just needs a little more quilting in the center background. Maybe use a diagonal grid about 1 inch apart with white thread. That would flatten out the background and the tree and flowers would stand out.

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  13. It is amazing to see where you started and where you are now. Go ahead and finish it. I'm sure you will be happy that you did.

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  14. I think it's really cute too! Great for a child. It is hard to work on something you don't like though. I started some zig zag striped Christmas quilts for my kiddos when I first started quilting. One is almost done and the other is just cut. I know I have to finish them but it's hard to make myself do it because I would design a Christmas quilt waaay differently now. Guess that's just part of quilting!

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  15. I love the tree, what a fab idea - I may have to put it on my to do list - though minus the hexagons, I've had enough of those for now, but that tree is really great. I can completely understand about starting something and getting bored - that's why I would never hand quilt, I just know I would run out of patience with it. The colours you've used are great to.

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  16. yes there have been quilts over the years that I have made that I could care less for when finished with the quilting and binding - some I love and some I just hand off to someone else without a thought

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  17. Quilting for me is as much about the process as the finished project, so I would say every project is a success for what I have learned. The other thing I always remember is that quilts are meant to be used. Maybe you could find a local guild who would finish it for you and donate it.

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  18. When I first started sewing my MIL gave me some fabrics (old sheets) and I started making log cabin blocks, they still sit unfinished, I think some one might like it, there is after all the whole vintage sheet rage thing going on, but it is so not me, time will tell.

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  19. Do you think you (or one of your talented daughters) will ever finish the quilt or will it continue to languish in the cupboard that time forgot?!

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  20. I started a redwork project a decade ago. I need to dig it out. Something must have distracted me from it because it's not like me to get bored with hand work. I have a suggestion for you; sponsor a give-away right here on your blog to let a person finish the quilt and enjoy it? Your quilt top looks very attractive. I love how you formed a circle with your applique.

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  21. Oh you need to finish it! Its too good to languish in the cupboard.

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  22. Oh I really like your quilt. It's like something I have always wanted to make but know I never will. Maybe keep it out so you can see it and it might grow on you. It could be a good project for winter when your sitting in front of the tv.

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  23. Love those hexies!
    I have a few projects that I just don't care for anymore either! I usually try and finish them up and give to Project Linus:) Some kid will love it!

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  24. I think it's totally cute, but I understand how you feel. Most quilts I made a few years ago, I don't like anymore. That's the way of the artist. We are always evolving and honing our skills. Do finish it!

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