When the Modern Quilt Guild released the theme of scale and the mustard, blue and green colour scheme for the 2016-2017 charity quilt challenge the Edinburgh Modern Quilt Guild (EMQG) decided that this was something we wanted to do! Many months of discussions and planning resulted in us deciding on a underlying Scottish theme to the quilt. For the theme of scale we decided that we would combine different sizes of a tartan inspired block with quilting of Scottish words for small and large. We also decided that the colour scheme would also reflect the colours of the Scottish landscape and to further reinforce the scottish connection that we would use Karen Lewis, Blueberry Park fabric and original screen printed fabric in addition to the bella solids. It just so happened that Jo had a business meeting in Nov with Karen Lewis for their Thread House pattern and quilting retreat business collaboration and managed to source some of the fabric we required directly from the source! Huge thank you to Karen Lewis!
Cathlene and Robin were tasked to design a tartan inspired block and the scale inspired quilt setting. Once the tartan inspired block and quilt setting was met with the approval of the whole EMQG, a charity quilt sub-group made up of Barbara, Helen, Katie, Sheila, Margaret and Lucy (skinnymalinky) was set-up to lead the creation of the physical quilt and solve any problems! Block testing began in earnest.
The improv-tartan block worked really well when made in the smaller scale but in the larger scale the tartan stripes became noticeably misaligned resulting in the loss of the tartan effect.
After a bit of experimentation we discovered that if we made the large blocks about 20% bigger and then removed a strip from the block that corresponded to the width of the new stripe to be added then the stripes matched up!
We had two block making sessions and one quilt construction session in December where the charity quilt-sub group plus a few others volunteers got all the blocks made and put together into the the quilt top in Jo's shop.
The plan was to then pass the quilt to our long-arm quilter, Tatyana, to be quilted with the Scottish words over the Christmas holidays ready for binding in January. However, Tatyana had a family crisis and was unable to take on the quilt so at the last minute Jo and Lynsey stepped in to avert the quilting disaster! Lynsey, hand-quilted Scottish words onto the blocks over the holidays and then the trusty EMQG volunteers had a hand-quilting session at Jo's shop and at the guild meeting in early Jan to finish off the hand-quilting!
Jo filled in the background of the quilt with an all-over Paisley design which has strong Scottish textile design links and attached the scrappy binding that Lucy H made over the holidays.
Cathy then took the quilt to hand sew all the binding and attach the sleeve - that's a lot of stitching so well done Cathy.
All that remained is for the label to made and attached and to send the quilt off! Phew,!
How utterly amazing is the finished quilt!
Cathy then took the quilt to hand sew all the binding and attach the sleeve - that's a lot of stitching so well done Cathy.
All that remained is for the label to made and attached and to send the quilt off! Phew,!
How utterly amazing is the finished quilt!
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