Blue Collar Work
80 x 88
hand quilted
I used a kaleidoscope ruler to cut pieces. I've made several different kaleidoscope quilts. For this one I used men's shirts from the thrift store combined with several gray shades of Kona cottons.
I love kaleidoscope quilts. So many patterns appear.
Sometimes I can see a "normal" kaleidoscope block, other times I see Rocky Road to Kansas, and still other times I see a four point "star" formed with gray points.
As you can see I quilted it (without marking) with navy perle #8 that I had on hand. I had just a little bit of thread left over when I finished the quilting. My goal was to finish it this month and I thought I wouldn't make it. When I had only two horizontal rows of quilting left to do we had a four day extreme heat wave and I don't have air conditioning so I had to quit hand quilting and take up some embroidery to work on at night before bed instead. Then the rains came along with tornado warnings. The last couple of days we had some relatively cooler temps and it has been too wet to work in the gardens so I managed to get the quilt finished.
I used navy blue cotton gingham on the back. It was a big piece I found all wrinkled and unloved at the thrift store. Well, I love gingham so it came home with me.
I haven't washed it yet but it's already soft and crinkly.
Looks like I started this in October 2014 so I'm glad I can cross this UFO off the list now.
for Q2 Finish-Along
Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework
YIPPEE I get to be your very first commentor! WOW, WOW WOW...wish I knew how to bold or make bigger font in a comment section. Your quilt is breathtakingly beautiful!!! Wonderful idea to recycle shirts like that. I'm in awe of your work.
ReplyDeleteOh Cathy I love this quilt! The eye just wonders all around looking at all the fun fabrics and designs!
ReplyDeleteLovely finish to this quilt--it is really beautiful good work hugs, Julierose
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is beautiful! I love the different patterns that appear. Great name for it too!
ReplyDeleteIncredibly wonderful --- what a treasure!!!
ReplyDeleteI have a Kaleidoscope quilt in the piecing stage... over half done for a big queen size when my honey told me he didn't care for the colors... I made mine fairly scrappy and a bit modern in fabric choices... I will finish it and snuggle and love it... but it took the wind out of my sails a bit for sure... thanks for reigniting my fire to finish it! Kathi
ReplyDeleteWOW. I am truly impressed with this quilt. I love the shirt usage and the different grays were perfect choices. Congratulations on this beautiful finish.
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing! I love a good kaleidoscope block, but I've never seen one quite like this. The shirts make it and of course, the hand quilting is divine!
ReplyDeleteWTG on getting this out of the UFO pile into a finished quilt. I love kaleidoscope quilts and yours is a gem! Big smiles for you on this one!
ReplyDeleteGreat finish! You always inspire me to attempt more hand quilting, but so far the inspiration hasn't had the desired effect. I need to get a small project in a hoop and just get started!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilt, I love it!
ReplyDeleteYou always find the best backing pieces at your thrift stores. That gingham is fun!
ReplyDeleteI love this quilt. Congratulations on the finish. And thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
This is such a beautiful quilt, Cathy! I like seeing the different patterns where blocks come together, too. Your quilting is perfect for it! Do you quilt in a hoop? I'm wanting to hand quilt another quilt soon, and wondering if I should get myself a hoop.
ReplyDeleteThis is a piece of blue heaven! Love it, handquilted with a gingham backing, it has to be soft perfection!
ReplyDeleteLove it! It has a very homey vibe.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing it.
Hugs
Absolutely beautiful! No need to say more! --"Love"
ReplyDeleteI always love both your quilts and the names of your quilts! Another beauty here!
ReplyDeleteSuper quilting and fabric choices.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Cathy.
Yay, YOU!!! Your work transformed SEW many tired old shirts into a nice and cozy quilt. Good job!
ReplyDeleteOh MY! I love this quilt! congratulations on a gorgeous finish
ReplyDeleteCongrats on a nice finish of the UFO. Blue quilts are charming and plaids make for a cozy snuggly quilt.
ReplyDeleteI love it and the name is so clever! Congrats on crossing Blue Collar Work off your list of UFO's!!
ReplyDeleteOh my, I can't believe you hand quilted that! You did a good job. I love the quilt.
ReplyDeleteLove the way you used the stripes and plaids to add interest to the blocks. Great finish.
ReplyDeleteHooray for all this blue and gray! Love the scrappy circular motion from the kaleidoscope piecing. It made me wilt a bit to read about your hand quilting in the hot weather. Glad you had some embroidery to do instead on the very hottest days. I've got a small fan blowing right on my legs when I'm using the sewing machine lately, to cool me off. It always makes DH say, "Whatever blows your skirt up, dear" :)
ReplyDeleteI love Kaleidoscope quilts, this one is a delight!
ReplyDeleteWonderful quilt, Cathy! I love its name and how it fits with the blue and the shirts you used. It looks very inviting, even unwashed!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous, scrumptious quilt! Did you just use regular perle cotton that we use for CQ? (What size? 8 10 or 12?) now I have to add a kaleidoscope quilt to my bucket list....thanks. (Wink)
ReplyDeleteYes, kaleidoscopes never fail to please!
ReplyDeleteAnother gorgeous quilt, Cathy. Blue is my favourite colour and your idea of pairing shirting with grey Kona cotton is great. Perle hand quilting is a perfect match for this quilt deign. A winner!
ReplyDeletekaleidoscope or crossed canoes, I LIKE it! It is a WINNER!
ReplyDeleteI think this is one of my faves of all your quilts. LOVE it!!
ReplyDeleteGotta love those thrift store shirts. Great quilt!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful! Congratulations on the finish, that hand quilting was a lot of work! Thanks for linking up on behalf of the 2018 global Finish-A-Long hosts.
ReplyDelete