Wednesday, September 5, 2012

the full monty


Enough teaser photos, already! My Scrap Hoover is finally bound and photographed! This quilt is my biggest and most proud finish yet so please bear with me during this heavily-pictured post. And as a side note, if you've never seen the film The Full Monty, you should. Anyways, back to the quilt.

I started this way back when sometime last year after I received my copy of Material Obsession 2. I fell hard straight away for Sarah Fielke's pattern Maple Leaf Rag and knew it would be mandatory for  my overflowing scrap bucket.


This was a very long-term project, but the piecing was so much fun it kept it interesting. Every time I worked on it I loved digging up new combinations. It's essentially a spiderweb pattern with crazy-pieced background pieces as opposed to the usual solid negative space. The beauty of this is that you can use every tiny, weirdly shaped scrap in your bin. Something about finding a home for trash-bin worthy miniscule scrap of a favorite fabric was quite thrilling.


Lucy approves of the quilt too.


I will say that the piecing of this top is most imperfect, but adds to the charm I think. Lots of bulky seams made accuracy difficult so I just had to squelch my inner perfectionist on this one.


The most special thing about this quilt for me is that it has because it's a made from all scraps of previous projects it has become a journal of everything I've done up to this point in my sewing career. I love seeing the bits and bobs left over from Lucy and Olivia's baby quilts, or a small piece of a fabric I no longer have in my stash.


The backing is one of my favorite prints from Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi line called Summer Totem. And that drop-dead gorgeous quilting? I can't take credit for that. This was done by none other than the fabulously-talented Angela Walters. Angela's work is even more stunning in person and makes me aspire to be a better FMQer.


Finally the weather has cooled down enough so I could finish hand-sewing the binding down. This is another AMH print I'd been hoarding from her Chocolate Lollipop range.

So that's it! I hope this quilt will become a family heirloom to be loved by my children and grand-children. 
I hope you all are enjoying these last few days of summer. I'm a little excited for fall and all of the wool sweaters and cozy quilts that come with it :)



79 comments:

  1. Absolutely fabulous. Congratulations, you do indeed have lots to be proud of - it is just gorgeous! I definitely have to get busy with a scrap quilt. I can't close the drawers on my bins anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love TheFull Monty almost as much asi love your quilt! Simply beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Totally beautiful! I wouldn't be letting anyone near it!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. gorgeous, amazing, fantastic, incredible!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, my, such fun gorgeousness!

    ReplyDelete
  6. A.Mazing. What an absolutely fabulous quilt! (The backing couldn't be more perfect.) And the sentimental scraps included makes it even better. Congrats on a great finish!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. It is crazy beautiful! I'm so excited for you!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. really beautiful!! My scraps are totally overflowing as well. I only hope I will do something this glorious with them.

    ReplyDelete
  9. You should be beaming. Its beyond beautiful. And I love that it was truly a scrap quilt filled with fabric treasures. I'm always reluctant to start a project of that scope because I know how very very long they take. But its so good to remember that making it a long term goal can just make it more special and filled with scraps from more and more favorites. I just might have to sign up to try something intricate and amazing too :) Thank you for the inspiration!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. It is very beautiful indeed, love the colors!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Glorious scrappy deliciousness! And the quilting! And the binding and backing! Ah, perfection. Yay for a HUGE finish!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Simply amazing! Kudos to you for finishing such a huge project. What a treasure!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fabulous! I want one!! What a precious quilt :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Stunning finish! Very inspirational :) thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  15. It's beautiful. What a wonderful way to remember all your projects along the way.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Megan you've done such a beautiful job! Thanks for the lovely comments on my quilts - it's one of my favourites too.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Super fantastic Megan!! It will be enjoyed for a long, long time, I'm sure.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your quilt is something to be proud of and I love scrappy quilts. I never throw any small pieces of fabric away because I also like and have made miniature quilts. I bet you run and look at it every chance you get, I know I would.
    Susanne :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Amazing! Love, love love it! Scrap quilts are so much fun, and a great way to catalog your stash. (redpepperquilts@gmail.com)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Gorgeous, gorgeous quilt. I love Material Obsession 2 as well - I love how the 2 authors come up with such different quilts from the same brief. And great pictures of your little girl playing on it - that's what quilts are meant for!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Megan, this is an AMAZING quilt. Wow! How exciting it must be to have made something so cool!

    ReplyDelete
  22. It's so beautiful!!! I love it and the quilting is just as gorgeous. :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. It really totally an heirloom!!!! How big is it? Looks huge in the first quilt. Way to stick with it I know this quilt would be a long process.

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a spectacular quilt, Megan!! And how much fun you're going to have reminiscing over the fabrics in the years to come.... Congratulations on an absolutely fabulous finish!!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love this! On a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult was it? It is on my quilt "bucket list". Very nice!

    ReplyDelete
  26. it's absolutely gorgeous! and i love that you used summer totem for the back... it's perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  27. That is Amazing with a capital A. Wow! I admire you 110%. In other related news, I just posted a tutorial today for a non-foundation pieced spiderweb block, but it does use templates. Still, not even CLOSE to this work of beauty!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a beautiful quilt and one you should be very, very proud of. Great work.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Such a beautiful quilt, a feast for the eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  30. What a fabulous quilt; very beautiful. Congratulations on your achievement.

    Also, I am shocked to see how much Lucy has grown. Time really does fly.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Oh my gosh, serious quilt porn. Your quilt is GORGEOUS!!! You must be so proud of it and yourself. Really, really pretty. It must be so neat to sit and look at all the different fabrics--I'm sure your girls will love doing that as they grow up. Your quilt model is an adorable cutie patootie, too.

    Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  32. This quilt is absolutely adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  33. I can't get over how absolutely beautiful this quilt is! I bet your over the moon with it :)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Oh, this quilt is truly gorgeous! Congratulations on a lovely finish.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Holy crap, woman! This quilt is to die for.

    ReplyDelete
  36. This is so amazing!! I am totally in love! I need to start something like this to manage my scraps too, you've inspired me :)

    ReplyDelete
  37. I am mesmerized by this quilt! I have overflowing scrap bins and a copy of Material Obsession! This was just the post to get me kickstarted!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Gorgeous. I love such a random assortment of fabrics

    ReplyDelete
  39. CRAZYILY BEAUTIFUL...yes am shouting!

    ReplyDelete
  40. That is really the most gorgeous and amazing quilt I have ever seen. Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Wonderful and magical Megan! It will be such a gorgeous treasure for your girls!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Gorgeous! You should be so proud! It makes me want to run home after work and sew!

    ReplyDelete
  43. inspiring! you chose the perfect backing fabric!

    ReplyDelete
  44. holy crap!!! most amazing quilt i've seen in... like, FORever! seriously fabulous!! ;D

    x, H

    ReplyDelete
  45. holy crap!!! most amazing quilt i've seen in... like, FORever! seriously fabulous!! ;D

    x, H

    ReplyDelete
  46. It's absolutely gorgeous darling - you did a fantastic job!! I so wish I could get Angela to longarm something for me (having Mine Shaft done would have been fabulous)!

    ReplyDelete
  47. Megan, this is just spectacular!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Hello, first of all, your quilts are awe-inspiring. Truly, they are the most amazing things I've ever seen. I wonder, do you make these for purchase, or do they all stay at home with your family? I tried to find contact info on your site but couldn't, I'm sorry if it's rude to ask this in a comment. Anyway, if you do sell your quilts I'd be VERY interested. Please let me know. Thanks for sharing them with us there, they are truly sights to behold. :P

    ReplyDelete
  49. I am not a quilter but WOW-this is stunning beyond belief! What a work of art!

    Elizabeth
    (muffinknits on Ravelry...)

    ReplyDelete
  50. I'm not often speechless - in fact NEVER but I sure am not. This is total gorgeousness of the nth degree. You are amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Absolutely stunning!

    ReplyDelete
  52. I am speechless - incredibly beautiful! Congrats to you on such a wonderful piece!

    ReplyDelete
  53. This is a really beautiful quilt--what a wonderful way to have memories of other projects.

    ReplyDelete
  54. I don't quilt, and I don't even know you, but I love this more than I can say! Nice work!

    ReplyDelete
  55. I so hope you don't mind but I fell in love with your quilt so much that I have put photos of it on my blog and I copied some of what you said so people would know a little about it and I linked everything back to your blog loads of times. If you have a problem with this please let me know and I'll take it down immediately when I wake up tomorrow because it's 00:29a.m here in England.
    Patti xxx
    American by birth and MOUTH
    but British in every other way

    ReplyDelete
  56. it is AMAZING, megan! i love the idea of a scrap quilt as memory-book, and the thought of everything having a use-- nothing going to waste. it's just stunning and angela's quilting looks wonderful. bravo on this beautiful piece! xo

    ReplyDelete
  57. this is just stunning! beautiful work

    ReplyDelete
  58. This quilt is amazing. I hope you can part with it long enough ( a long time) to enter it into an AQS show so that it will go on tour here in the States.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Fabulous Quilt - you must be thrilled.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Just wanted to tell you, I finally bought the book "Material Obsession II" and your quilt is what convinced me to buy it!

    ReplyDelete
  61. I love everything about the Quilt , beautiful work. you much feel great pride with your work

    ReplyDelete
  62. I know i'm a bit late but WOW this is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  63. I just found your blog.....don't ask me what bunny trail I followed to get here! I think this is the most gorgeous quilt I've ever seen! I'm off to find the book. Oh, and dig in the stash for something to make Swoon. That's gorgeous too!

    ReplyDelete
  64. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Do you need concrete cheating proof?
    hackingssetting50@gmail.com gave me full access to my spouse phone with just his phone number and within few hours of contracting them. I recommend this team to anybody who is in need of any hacking assistance.

    ReplyDelete