Tuesday, February 14, 2012

A Happy Valentine's Day

Hope you are having a wonderful day! I have a blast from the past to celebrate the occasion- a Bargello Heart quilt. (sorry-it is another photo from the foyer floor)



I made this quilt back in 1994. I had taken a class in Oakdale, California back a year or two before then, when I lived in Modesto. It was taught by Deb Ayers who co-authored the book Bargello Hearts with Nancy Podolsky. When I returned to Ohio I taught this as a class at a couple of quilt shops and it was quite a hit. I've made several of these quilts, but this is the only one I kept for me. I made it as a wedding gift, a baby gift and as a raffle quilt for the American Cancer Society.

It really is an easy quilt to make. The hardest part is picking out the fabrics and finding the ones you need to bridge from one color to another.



I had forgotten about this quilt when last week a friend brought it up and I looked to see if I still had the book (I did) and where the quilt was (folded up in a basket). As I look at this quilt now I realize how much has changed in the quilt world since 1994. I machined quilted this with nylon monofilment thread - it was considered cutting edge and machine quilting was still considered "not authentic" in my quilting world. It has a polyester batting and I didn't put any quilting in the border at all- yikes!!! Well I've never washed this quilt and I never will. I made a big goof when I labeled the quilt by writing directly on the back with a pen that I thought was permanent but was in fact the water based marker I'd used for signing Christmas cards. No amount of heat setting would make this ink permanent.

Here's hoping you got chocolates and flowers to celebrate the day and if you didn't, do what I do, buy your own and then you are sure to get what you want - LOL!

Happy stitching-
carol fun

7 comments:

  1. Love the quilt!! I remember when Bargello quilting was a really hot thing (I've got a couple lurking somewhere). Love the colors of it!

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  2. Your quilt is beautiful. I've always wanted to do one, but never have.
    Nola

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  3. I love the quilt. Just my colors and always love anything with a heart.
    Happy Valentines Day
    Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches

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  4. What a pretty quilt and very fitting for the day. :)

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  5. Pretty! Yep, the quilting world has changed at lightning speed since I started in the late 90's. I remember seeing a lot of trip around the world and bargello quilts then. Revisiting your quilting past is fun!

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  6. Ooooh...BEAUTIFUL!!! I remember this fabric well. I got married in 1993 and my bridesmaid dresses were made out of one of the fabrics. My colors were this dark teal and rose. This quilt brings back wonderful memories for me. How cool is it that you also loved this fabric and used it to make this quilt with a heart in it. Thank you for sharing these pictures!!!

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