A long time coming

I can’t believe this quilt top is actually finished!  It has been my long-term, no deadline or need to hurry project for over four years!  It is hand appliqued using bias strips and only two fabrics from April Cornell’s Sunshine line.  Mostly, I have worked on it during our biweekly Handwork group meetings.  I took at least one extended break during that time to hand applique and hand quilt my original Raindrops quilt.  But, as the other members of our Handwork group have hand quilted their way through many quilts, I have returned to this one project nearly every meeting.

The design was inspired by a ceiling in Biltmore House in Asheville, NC. We visited there in February 2007 while staying with my Dad and his wife.  In an effort to lighten my purse for a long day of sightseeing, I had left my sketchbook at Dad’s house.  The Biltmore House does not allow photography.  So I stood there, staring at this ceiling, figuring out the pattern and how I could remember it.

As soon as I got back to my sketchbook, I made some very rough sketches to help me remember.  Once we returned home, I finalized the design.  If I recall properly, I purchased the fabrics while in South Haven, MI on our summer vacation that year and then purchased a little more of each fabric when some other quilty friends and I stopped at a quilt shop in Ohio on our way to or from Quilt National that same year.

I love the way the petal shapes in the block create the secondary circle pattern.  I knew I needed to make enough blocks for that design to really show up.  There are sixteen blocks in the quilt, but I cut out and appliqued them in large blocks of four.  The inside of the quilt is about 48″ square and the borders are 2″.

I have to be honest and say I have no idea when I’ll get around to quilting this quilt or what I’ll do with it when I’m finished.  But, it feels very good to be finally finished with the top.

What on earth am I going to do at our next Handwork group?!

12 Comments
  • Brigitte Heitland
    Posted at 15:17h, 10 October Reply

    I can't believe that this is handmade, at first glance I thought you show as a computer design you developed at EQ, your bias strips are so perfect. Great job, Debbie

  • Quilt Inspiration
    Posted at 12:43h, 10 October Reply

    Another stunning creation with bias strips. To me the color combination and style feels a Moorish design, not celtic. (Interesting that it was inspired by the Biltmore ceiling). Congratulations on this achievement, it is magnificent.

  • Dan R
    Posted at 18:14h, 09 October Reply

    This is so beautiful! I think your next no-deadline handwork project should be hand quilting this wonder.

  • Natalie
    Posted at 13:46h, 09 October Reply

    Oh my goodness, Debbie, this is stunning!! I'm hoping it will make an appearance at the next guild meeting so I can see it in person– congrats on getting it done! You must be seriously happy with it!

  • Cheryl Arkison
    Posted at 13:26h, 09 October Reply

    Wow! That is indeed a hell of a lot of work. Amazing.
    Maybe you could handquilt it now?

  • Marg
    Posted at 10:47h, 08 October Reply

    THis is absolutely amazing. You are so talented. It was well worth all the love and work put into it.

  • Lucinda
    Posted at 04:06h, 08 October Reply

    You are absolutely amazing. Love this!!!

  • Lynne
    Posted at 01:26h, 08 October Reply

    My 25yo DD is looking over my shoulder and said "I like it a lot". It is very beautiful – thanks for sending the link (it's one way to jump the queue in my Blogger reader!! LOL)

  • Emily Elizabeth
    Posted at 18:47h, 07 October Reply

    Holy geeze, lady! You are one talented lady! This is just beautiful. Seriously gorgeous.

  • Ethne
    Posted at 17:58h, 07 October Reply

    This is amazing beautiful work you should be well and truly pleased with it

  • Lynne
    Posted at 17:54h, 07 October Reply

    AMAZING work! I keep wanting to try my hand at Celtic knots with bias strips… This may just be the inspiration I needed. REALLY beautiful. Nicely done!

  • Alli
    Posted at 17:53h, 07 October Reply

    Your craftsmanship on this top really shows! It's beautiful. 🙂

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