Even though I have been quilting for customers for well over a decade, I still get scared sometimes. Usually, when a quilt seems daunting, I reassure myself that if the worst case scenario happens, I could always remake the whole quilt. (Although I never have had to do that). But recently a quilt came my way that was definitely unreplaceable…..
If you were at Quilt Festival, you may have seen this amazing quilt hand pieced by Tula Pink
To say that I was scared is an understatement…….surely you would be too!
This quilt was several years in the making. In fact, a few years ago, Tula showed me the first few blocks. Even though she said that I would be quilting it, I didn’t actually think she would finish it…..so I wasn’t too worried. Then, about a year ago, she showed me her progress…..half of it finished. I started to get a little nervous. Fast forward to about 4 months ago, she actually finished it AND she was ready for me to quilt it……GULP. This quilt was huge, and impeccably hand pieced…….I was so scared. Geez….what if I messed it up?
I have heard the best way to handle a fear is to face it head on…..so I loaded that quilt, said a prayer and got started.
When Tula and I discussed it, she told me that she wanted the quilting to highlight her fussy cutting as well as the stars that surround all the blocks. I always love how she points me in a direction and then lets me go for it.
So, without further ado, here is a play-by-play progression of her quilt…..
I sent this picture to Tula with the caption, “Here I go, I am freaking out!” (Note the headphones on the quilt…my secret to great quilting is listening to audio books or loud music!)
As I worked through the quilt, I snapped some pictures……
Tula wanted the quilting in border to not distract from the piecing, so we decided on straight lines. I am loving how this is turning out…..
Another text to Tula, “45 hours in and I am almost done!”
When finished…..almost 50 hours of quilting later, I finally got to see the finished result. To my huge relief……it looked great. Thankfully, when I showed it to Tula, she agreed. In fact, she may have had a glitter of a tear in her eye….
Honestly, once I got started, I wasn’t nearly as scared as I thought I would be. All I had to do was follow the lines that Tula pieced for me.
I used the straight lines to emphasize the patterns in the piecing.
It felt like there was someone always watching me………..
Tula did an amazing job fussy cutting every….single….piece of this quilt. Simply amazing!
So the moral of this story is……even if you are scared, just get started! Chances are, you will be glad to have it done!
How about you? Have you ever had a quilt that gave you nightmares? How did it turn out?
To see other quilts that Tula Pink and I have worked on, check out our newest book:
[shopify embed_type=”product” shop=”quilting-is-my-therapy.myshopify.com” product_handle=”quilt-with-tula-and-angela-preorder” show=”all”]
In other news
I have been up to something fun! Check out Craftsy’s website to see my newest project….I couldn’t be more excited if I tried!!
Happy Quilting!
What a fun, inspiring post! I’m a long arm quilter, too, and I felt your pain and you had to dive in to this stunning project. You delivered your craft so very well. Thank you for sharing!
Love this! I have had that same thought, I am going to have to remake this quilt! But so far I have only had to take out and remake one block after a marking disaster. Your work is lovely and the quilting is a perfect compliment to Tula’s amazing quilt. I listen to audio books too. When I see a quilt that I have quilted, I almost always associate it with whatever book I was listening to. Xoxo
Stunning work Angela as normal. Both you and Tula are so talented I shouldn’t be surprised a stunning beautiful quilt is the final outcome.
This is a beautiful collaboration!
I just did a client quilt full of diamond shapes and Ravens. It was clearly a stretch piece for me. But I hung it up in my studio for a while and broke it down by border and figured out how to feature the Raven blocks. I sketched out all the designs as a reference and took photos as I progressed. I was very pleased with the end result – certainly custom!
Do you know if Tula increased the size of her La Passacaglia quilt prieces?
Yes she did. By about 200%.
Paperpieces.com has the paper and templates for the bigger size.
good to know!! Thanks for the tip!!
Angela,
I’d recommend TheDIYAddict.com (https://thediyaddict.com/la-passacaglia) – they offer the original and oversized paper pieces and acrylic templates at a cheaper price than Paper Pieces.
Marvelous quilt and quilting! Stunning. I love to fussy cut so I am in awe of how much is fussy cut. Love how you followed the piecing lines. I’ve been long arm quilting for about 2 years. I now make quilts specifically for the opportunity to try different quilting motifs. I am ALWAYS in fear as soon as it’s loaded. Sometimes it takes awhile for me to decide. Sometimes I just start and it comes to me as I quilt. A few times I have to rip out stitching when I find something that looks better, but not too much. Thanks for your blog and sharing your wonderful quilting. Have 2 of your books and they are spiral bound so I refer to them often.
Amazing quilt . I love your quilting! My oldest of 5 moved out this year and my Hubby purchased me a simply 16 to fit in the now small spare bedroom. I’m so lucky.
I have my best girlfriends quilt that I made to quilt. Its an old fashioned block quilt pattern that she chose ( not my style ) and I am freaking out a bit. You have inspired me to just go for it.
Tula’s quilt is so colourful. Did you change cotton colours or do you quilt allover with one neutral thread? Do you use rulers for all those little straight lines? they are so perfect!
Thanks for sharing . I really enjoyed looking at closeups of your beautiful quilting. 🙂
Beautiful quilt and beautiful quilting!!
What a beautiful job of quilting. You are a marvel. It makes me feel good to think that even YOU, Angela Walters, gets the heebie jeebies when it comes to quilting quilts. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your process and the final outcome. Gives us mere mortals courage to go for it!
Not long ago I was commissioned to do a custom quilt that the lady kept saying, just load it with feathers and straight lines. I’ve not been doing feathers all that long so was more then concerned how it all was going to turn out. She even sent me a online picture of the quilt pattern which was stunning and gave me nightmares. I just kept looking at it and then put on the frame a quilt top that had wide areas in it, so decided to take a chance and go for it and I loaded it with feathers. I was blown away by how great it looked and so I then put the queen sized quilt on and started. The further I got into it, the more excited I got with it. I love feathers now. When the lady picked up her quilt and I opened it up to show it to her, she cried she was so thrilled with it. So I do believe that your advice to just “go for it” is a phrase I repeat to myself which helps me when I’m nervous about doing something new..
I’m curious to know if you used rulers for all the line work, or just free-motioned.
Truly amazing – both the piecing and the quilting. I am lost for words in admiration!
Absolutely amazing as always! The simplicity of the straight lines really highlights the beauty of the piecing and fabrics. I was also encouraged by how much time it was taking. I’m working on a quilt now and have about 15 hours into it and am about half way done. I’m on a sit down long arm so that of course makes it slower and quite a bit of it has been ruler work. Now I am FMQ portions and am happy to say it’s going quicker. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Absolutely stunning! I’m working on a Baltimore Albumn right now that definitely made me nervous! But so far I love how it’s progressing.
I noticed in one of your photos that the top is “floated” , do you always float your tops?
Amazing quilt and amazing quilting! I am in awe!
Thanks you so much for sharing this! I am also a longarm quilter and am usually afraid when I have a custom quilting job in front of me! First, I’m fairly new at this wonderful quilting thing, and second, I have the habit of continually doubting my skills. I’m wanting to use some new wild quilting motifs in my next quilt project, so I have a practice piece on my quilter right now. I have a large custom job just waiting to be pinned on my table, and then I know that what you say is true – just face it head on. Usually inspiration hits and the quilting begins to flow. It’s time to trust myself and utilize the skills I’ve been working on for the last two years! Wish me luck!
great encouragement for anyone who either pieces or quilts
Angela, the quilt itself is amazing, but your quilting has turned it into a masterpiece.
Thou art BRAVE! but also experienced. I certainly enjoy reading your blogs.. thanks!
I’ve a queen sized flimsy that has been sandwiched for a year and ready to quilt, but can’t decide what to do, well, I’m afraid to start. Each 16-patch, on point, black and white blocks are sashed. Any advice on what to do? I have a mid arm machine…