When my sister-in-law first asked me to make this quilt, she knew that the couple she was giving it to was moving across the country from Boston (where they had all gone to medical school together) to San Francisco. I asked if she had any requests or ideas, and she said it might be nice if it could remind them a little bit of their time in Boston.
Visions of lobsters, baked beans, and novelty Red Sox prints ran through my mind, and I shuddered. What would make a quilt say “Boston?” I mean, I’m sure there are some neat colonial designs out there, but that’s not really my cup of tea any more than fabric with sports logos on it. So I sat and I sat and tried to think of something, and I procrastinated and put it off. And then, unsurprisingly, inspiration came via Ashley. Her “Postcards from the Park” quilt reminded me of something – Cobblestones. It instantly reminded me of one of Boston’s most iconic neighborhoods, Beacon Hill. I knew what to do.
I had also been gathering a whole bunch of Hope Valley, which I admit to not loving at first, but it slowly grew on me. And there was something about it that said “California” to me. No, not in the sense of present-day Hollywood or Silicon Valley. Something almost pioneer-like, about moving West for a new life. Maybe I’m the only one, but it works in my head.
And so, we have these very subtly wonky bricks that remind me of those old, imperfect, bumpy streets and sidewalks here on the East Coast. The wonkiness is more subtle than I had pictured it in my mind, almost to the point that I worry someone would just look at it and think, “can she just not sew quite right?” But I’m happy with it, and I still think it gives it a softly (intentionally) imperfect feeling.
There are 16 prints from Hope Valley in this quilt, and no fewer than 12 solids (13 if you count the sashing). Because I’m the kind of person who would want to know these things, the solids are: zucchini, raisin, deep rose, sweet pea, teal blue, stone, plum, sage, rose, amber, moss, and eggplant (all Kona). Sashing/border is Kona Snow. I am on a HUGE solid kick right now, and have a new favorite color every day.
The backing is Kona Stone, with a strip of bricks. Again with the solid kick, especially with backings. Be prepared to see a similar theme through the next few finishes.
I was nervous to do it for the first time, but ultimately decided to go for large pebbling when I quilted it, and I’m glad I did. I went through some frustration with running out of thread, regretting a cheap substitute, and needing a new needle before I thought I would. And when I first started, I worried that I was totally ruining the quilt by practically scribbling on it with thread. But the effectiveness is in the whole picture, not in each individual pebble, and I do think I love it.
My husband, of all people, gets credit for the scrappy binding. I really wasn’t sure what to do, and he was the one who suggested bits and pieces. And wouldn’t you know, he was totally right. I love it, especially the way it looks against the back.
And so, it is finished. Just in time for the wedding, just in time for Finished for Friday, and just barely under the gun for Amy’s Spring Quilt Festival. Wohoo!
The only sad part about always making quilts for other people is that I rarely get time to sit and savor the finished product. That is most definitely the case with this one, as I took the photos at about 6AM, it goes with my husband to work this morning to make the handoff to his sister, and tonight it flies to the other side of the country. And that’s why, even if I wasn’t blogging them, I’d have to take pictures of every quilt I make!
Beautiful!! I do love the Hope Valley all together – the colors really do something for eachother. And thanks for listing all your solids – that’s prime information!
Cobblestones is perfect and your just-slightly wonky blocks are just like the same-but-different cobblestones streets. I’m sure the couple will love it!
.-= Angela´s last blog ..Hexagon needle book : tutorial =-.
Terrific quilt! Lovely colors and it does give an impression of cobblestones! Love the quilting-I’ll have to try that.
BTW, I’m showing my finally finished full size string quilt today!
.-= Miri´s last blog ..String Quilt Finished with Knife Edge Binding =-.
Liz, this is beautiful. Truth be told, I absolutely don’t like Hope Valley when I look at the prints but EVERY TIME I see a quilt made of the entire line, I LOVE it. It’s so strange.
.-= Cara´s last blog ..Her Audience =-.
Wow! It looks beautiful! I’m on this pebbling kick lately and I really like the way it contrasts in your quilt with the rectangles
The quilt turned out beautifully, and it’s a perfect name! The pattern really showcases the Hope Valley, and your use of solids is fab! Well done!
.-= Meg´s last blog ..Scraps giveaway winner! =-.
What a great idea and super quilt I hope they appreciate it.
.-= liz´s last blog ..The beginnings of the studio/family room =-.
I think it’s perfect! If anyone thinks you’re not good at sewing, then they’re the ones that don’t know what’s what!
.-= Tara´s last blog ..What the heck do you do with a mini-quilt? =-.
Oh I love your quilt!! The pebbling is awesome! Do you have any tips for the rest of us?
I love the larger pebblestone quilting, looks great!
.-= badlandsquilts´s last blog ..PQS3: Kaffe Fassett Triangular Log Cabins, a Collision of Color =-.
So very sentimental and who would not love a comfy cozy quilt like this one!
.-= Laurel Johnson´s last blog ..Thursday Update (Last one for May) =-.
This quilt is beautiful! You put so much thought and effort into. What a wonderful gift. I loved reading all the details about the quilt and the process. Thanks for a lovely stop on my Blogger’s Quilt Festival tour and congrats on a lovely finish!
.-= Elizabeth´s last blog ..Snowball Night =-.
I really like this quilt. The colors are great. I have been working with solids lately and love them. Too bad my stash is full of prints. Oh well……
This would be a hard quilt to give away.
.-= mary Roper´s last blog ..a ufo finished =-.
Gorgeous – everything and anything with Hope Valley seems to come out looking gorgeous! I particularly the back.
.-= Alison´s last blog ..Blogger’s Quilt Festival entry =-.
Very pretty quilt! You did an amazing job!
Happy sewing!
It is GORGEOUS! What a wonderful quilt. And the pebble quilting is perfect.
Absolutely gorgeous! I too love the Hope Valley, and I love the solids you’ve paired them with. I’ve been planning something similar with the Hope Valley prints as well (just need the time to actually do it!). I’m sure this will be a very treasured gift! (great name too!)
I love this quilt, and I love the quilting. I’m sure that it will be much loved. Did you find that it took tons of thread to quilt it? That’s what I’ve heard about pebble quilting.
.-= MichelleB´s last blog ..Geez =-.
What a beautiful quilt! I really like it; thanks for sharing.
.-= Raisin’Cookies´s last blog ..Blogger’s Quilt Festival =-.
Love, love, love it! I tried pebble quilting on a placemat and it got weird and bunchy. I really need to try again, maybe bigger pebbles since yours turned out so great. The Kona stone is a winner. Beautiful!!
.-= Sew Fresh Fabrics´s last blog ..Sew Fast Pillow Project =-.
Liz! I’m in LOVE! It looks so great… how funny is it that we both finished “hope valley” quilts for the festival?! The pebbles are awesome, especially across the solids, it almost makes them look like prints from afar.
.-= giselle´s last blog ..blogger quilt festival – part deux =-.
Very, VERY nice! I just love it! The pattern, the fabrics and the quilting! I tried only once to pebble quilt and it was a disaster! Good for you!
Love this! You made so many great choices along the way that the finished result is sure to be loved and appreciated for a long time. I’ve done a little pebble quilting on a small quilt but I want to try it on a bigger one now – it’s so effective. Bet it takes a ton of thread.
Thanks for linking up to Finished for Friday!
.-= threeundertwo´s last blog ..Finished for Friday: Sweet Liberty quilt =-.
Lovely, indeed. I am an irrepressible New Englander, living in Philadelphia, and sometimes it is almost more torturous to live in the Mid-Atlantic than I imagine it would be just to pick up and head west. I love the old, worn feeling of New England, but I also love the fresh, wonder of the “frontier”. Your quilt beautifully captures both worlds. They will treasure it, I’m sure.
this is AMAZING!!! i love it. the pebble quilting looks so great. you did such a great job.
Unique story that I enjoyed reading. A wedding gift that is usable and cherishable and in itself very unique. The quilting gives texture to the blocks and adds to the project very well. Love it!
.-= Pat´s last blog ..Progression of a Quilt =-.
What a great piece! I hear people rave about Hope Valley, but when I see it I do not lust for it. Then I see someone using it, and it’s fantastic. What a strange phenomenon.
Love the cobblestone/frontier theme you have hear. They’re gonna LOVE it.
loved your quilt! it looks perfect, the quilting, the color placement, even the block placement. love it.
Love this quilt! I am a fan of the hope valley and love everything I see it in but can not visualize actually using my stash. I can see myself making something like this…. FYI… as a Kona fan too wanted to let you know that Fabric.com has it on sale this week!
.-= Diane´s last blog ..Process =-.
Looks great Liz, always fun to see the finished product…
.-= Doris´s last blog ..Spring Quilt Market: Westminster Fibers and Amy Butler =-.
What a perfect quilt! I am a novice quilter and it has been so fun seeing all the amazing quilts on this Quilt Festival.
I love that often many of the quilts I come across does have a bit of the front of a quilt on the back. Do you know how this idea came about? It really makes the back just as fun to look at as the front.
..I am off today from work, so will hopefully get to some others on the quilt fest. I have some drawing orders to work on and of course, cleaning house… Now that our children are grown and my hubby and I are empty nesters, I can’t be a “stay at home mom”, but I would love to be a stay at home wife
)
Blessings & Aloha!
If you have a moment to come over, please let me know by leaving a comment at my post. It was fun meeting you!
Soooooo pretty! I loved Ashley’s “Postcards” quilt so your version really caught my eye on Flickr. I really love how you’ve quilted this too! Beautiful!
wow, that is a wonderful quilt! i don’t think i could have given that one up, though. and to me it looks like it has just the right amount of wonkiness.
Hi Liz!
I am also on a big kona solids kick, although I don’t ever remember the names of them – except my beloved Ash. haha. I also didn’t initially love Hope Valley and I thought it was a sin to say so, but now it’s growing on me too. I like this quilt a lot! Now you’re in my google reader. Hope to see you soon!
Meaghan