Friday 30 November 2012

Colour My World Blue

When my dad died nine years ago, a good friend gave me a card with the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, "When it is dark enough, you can see the stars." I've kept that card, usually on my office bulletin board, as a reminder that there is good -- beauty even -- in the midst of hardship. I cannot tell you how much I've leaned on that quote over the years.

For my Colour My World Blue challenge, I decided to do a quilty interpretation of that quote. This is Rough Seas. It may not look like it, but that little boat will make it. :)

Rough Seas
Rough Seas
Rough Seas
Quilting Detail

I started with a 16" square of medium blue solid for the background and added the batting and backing. I drew the boat and wave sections with a Clover White Marking Pen as my general guidelines.

For the quilting, I used eight yummy shades of Aurifil blue (#2612, 5008, 2770, 1320, 1125, 2740, 2783, 2785) in a variety of cotton weights -- 40, 50 and even 28 -- to see if I could get the thread to act as the light source. Then I just played with different water-like quilting motifs in each of the wave sections. Each section was pretty small so it was fun to try different motifs to depict a crazy ocean storm. Although the hubster did say that the wave sections might look like fish...in a certain light...hmm...

The dense quilting shrunk it half an inch and I trimmed it another inch so it measures 14.5" by 14.5" zig zag finish, like my other Colour My World challenges.

I'm so happy with how it turned out. Two years ago, I would never have been able to do this month's challenge so I'm definitely doing the Happy Dance today!

Rough Seas
Quilting Detail
Emma How of Sampaguita Quilts's Cinqo de Mayo wholecloth quilt is on my bucket list of quilt styles I'd like to try someday. I'm thinking it may just be possible now. :D


Only one month left to go and our last colour is green! Fir trees, anyone? Hmmm?

Also linking up with TGIFF! over at Making Rebecca Lynne because I'm definitely celebrating this finish!

24 comments:

  1. I love the design of this quilt, and you've quilted it beautifully! All the different watery patterns work so well together.

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  2. This is fabulous. Did you do it on a domestic sewing machine?

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  3. That is so amazing! I think you should frame that one! A life lesson to be sure.

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  4. Oh my goodness, that is astonishingly beautiful. Your quilting is ah-mazing, and the various blue threads work wonderfully well. I've only just discovered your blog, and I am so glad I have. So inspiring!

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  5. The little boat appears adrift, but we know that determination can get you where you want to be! Your FMQ is absolutely amazing! Good finish, and inspiration!

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  6. It is just beautiful! What a great story about the inspiration behind it too! You should be so proud M-R! A great little quilt!

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  7. Your quilting is wonderful M-R. Thanks for sharing the meaning behind this beautiful little quilt.

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  8. Oh Wow! What wonderful fmq - it's beautiful. What's more it fits your theme exactly. Makes my attempts look very humble indeed! I keep trying ... Lynne.

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  9. I'm in awe. It's absolutely beautiful.

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  10. Very cool! You can really see the movement in this block.

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  11. This is gorgeous! Your thread choices really make the piece. Great great job! with your 28 weight fabric, what did you use in the bobbin? Did you have to adjust the tension/bobbin tension for the 28wt? Do you quilt on a long arm or home machine? Sorry for all the questions, I've been trying to quilt with some 30 wt lately and have been having a hard time so I just wondered since yours is so lovely!

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  12. This is beautiful. The design is great - I love the way your boat pops just the right amount to see it straight away but it blends with the sea at the same time (I don't think I explained that very well but I hope you know what I mean!). Your quilting is just amazing!

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  13. Absolutely stunning! You deserve your happy dance for this project.

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  14. Gorgeous! The quilting is like a fine painting!

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  15. Outstanding! I'm envious of your fmq skills.

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  16. This is one beautiful Sea storm! Your FMQ is great! I love the movement created by your different motifs!

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  17. Es precioso. Un trabajo único.

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  18. This is so beautiful! I love the imagery you stitched with the quilting. I hope that my FMQ skills will eventually get to this point. :)

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