Square Spiral

    Details:
  • Dimensions: 43" x 43"
  • Design, Assembly and Hand Quilting/Embroidery: Joanne Grimes
  • Design Software: Electric Quilt 7
  • Fabrics: Varieties from local thrift stores see Fabric Reveal
  • Quilting/Embroidering Threads: 3 Strand Embroidery & Punch Embroidery Yarn
  • Embroidering Stitches: Stem, Quilt Stitch and French Knot see Square Spiral closeup images

I guess I'm in the mood for modern art at the moment. This doesn't happen very often. Uh oh the galleries will be uneven...aaagh! Ok enough drama. On to the next quilt project.

    Click on a day to see progress:
  • Nov 5, 2014
  • Nov 4, 2014
  • Nov 3, 2014
  • Oct 31, 2014
  • Oct 30, 2014
  • Oct 29, 2014
  • Oct 28, 2014
  • Oct 27, 2014
  • Oct 26, 2014
  • Oct 25, 2014
  • Oct 24, 2014
  • Oct 23, 2014
  • Oct 22, 2014
  • Oct 21, 2014
  • Oct 20, 2014
  • Oct 19, 2014
  • Oct 18, 2014
  • Oct 17, 2014
  • Oct 15, 2014
  • Oct 14, 2014
  • Oct 13, 2014
  • Oct 12, 2014
  • Oct 11, 2014
  • Oct 10, 2014
  • Oct 9, 2014

  • Oct 9

    Of course I must contemplate which design to do. As I said before I must be in a modern art mood. I'm going to do another square style design. This one is in a spiral. I designed it on EQ7. I did do a search to see if this design had been done by anyone. I thought for sure it had to have been done before. It is such an easy concept, but I couldn't find any examples. If you find one please let me know.


    Just a little closeup of the drawing. The circled numbers and letters are the piece label. Each label is written in the adjacent piece so I know where to connect each piece. This is all straight lines and there are only 34 pieces, I think.


    Oct 10

    This is the full layout. This is basically a square divided into 8 triangles originating from the center. Then each triangle is divided up into 3 or 4 pieces to complete the design

    It didn't take long to sew all the sections. The top is done.

      The numbers go with the fabric and thread.
    1. Fabric: cotton mix
    2. Fabric: t-shirt
    3. Fabric: loose weave table cloth
    4. Fabric: cotton mix
    5. Fabric: cotton mix
      Thread: 3 strand variegated embroidery floss with rainbow colors
    6. Fabric: cotton mix
      Thread: 3 strand Yellow embroidery floss
    7. Fabric: cotton mix meant for light blouse
      Thread: purple punch embroidery thread
    8. Fabric: light cotton mix pattern
      Thread: 3 strand dark green embroidery floss
    9. Fabric: cotton/spandex/mix from woman's casual blouse
      Thread: 3 strand dark purple embroidery floss
    10. Fabric: washable shower curtain
      Thread: shiny punch embroidery thread
    11. Fabric: cotton mix
      Thread: punch embroidery thread
    12. Fabric: cotton mix
      Thread: 3 strand light blue embroidery floss
    13. Fabric: cotton mix
      Thread: punch embroidery thread
    14. Fabric: heavy drapery
      Thread: 3 strand dark blue embroidery floss
    15. Thread for spiral: shiny punch embroidery thread
    Thanks to my Aunt Jan for letting me go through her stash. Most of the floss and fabrics listed here are from her stuff.

    The freezer paper template pieces are ironed and traced onto the fabric.

    One of the 8 triangles sewn together. There were 4 pieces in this particular section.

    So after reading Chris Kirsch's latest blog entry on facing quilts, I decided to forgo the traditional binding and try it albeit with my own twist. I don't cut my pieces with the standard 1/4 edge, so I just sewed the the corners at a 45 degree angle to the outside edge.


    The result. It's pretty simple I guess.

    Here's the front of the quilt, more or less faced, sandwiched and backing pinned. Now for the fabric and thread reveal.


    Oct 11

    Since I will be hand quilting, I free hand drew some nice flower-ish designs in the plain blocks.
    Here's one of the filler designs. These look like open roses with exaggerated leaves and stems.

    The hand quilting begins...I may have changed my mind about a thread selection since the Fabric and Thread reveal, but that's how I work. I make things up as I go. I'm comfortable with it. It makes the art that much more fun.


    Oct 12

    Hand quilting is so much fun. Can I say that with sarcasm? I love the finished look of hand quilting, but I'm not too fond of doing it. It must be done for the good of the art...ha. I did have some good entertainment today so it wasn't quite so tedious. The red spiral keeps going round and round.


    Oct 13


    Oct 14


    Oct 15


    Oct 17


    Oct 18


    Oct 19


    Oct 20


    Oct 21


    Oct 22


    Oct 23


    Oct 24


    Oct 25


    Oct 26

    So here's closeups of what I've been working on the last couple days. I'm basically embroidering the top. I worked on the blue roses with exaggerated leaves today.


    Oct 27


    Oct 28


    Oct 29


    Oct 30


    Oct 31


    Nov 3

    I took a couple days off to enjoy some Halloween fun. I got done quilting the top today. I think the embroidered flowers and leaves look pretty. The back doesn't look half bad either.


    Nov 4

    I stitched the back down and did some minor fixes. It's in the dryer now after being washed. I fluff dry my show or hanging quilts just in case some of the elements shrink or something. I don't prewash the embroidery threads.


    Nov 5

    Today was the final day. I managed to get pics before it started raining. Here are a bunch of close ups of the embroidered top quilting.