My quilt criteria

Before he dies, everyman should plant a tree and write a book.
~ I'm not sure who said that but I'd like to add "make a quilt" to that list.

Here are my criteria for choosing my quilt pattern:

1. I want to be able to use lots of scraps of favourite old and new prints.
2. I want it to evolve over a couple of years. I don't want to plan the whole design, buy the fabric and know what it will look like when it is finished. I want it to be flexible enough to change a little if my ideas change.
3. I want it to include fabrics from different eras of my life.
4. It should cover my queen/king size bed.
5. It will be colourful, I know I can't stop myself on this one.
6. I don't want to be stuck on a sewing machine for the whole thing. I want to be able to cut bits out and have them available for when I have time and want to do a bit of relaxing hand stitching.
7. I want to include a few secret messages in it.
8. I should last beyond my lifetime. I'd like to be able to hand it down to one of my kids. I might need to make two eventually. It will have to be made of sturdy fabrics. I'll have to be careful with my vintage picks.
9. I'm looking at repeating patterns/quilt blocks. There may be some applique but I don't want it to be mainly about applique.
10. I like hand-quilting but don't yet know how I will manage it on a large quilt when I have no frame.
11. I may put it away for months at a time so I need a design I can pick up and carry on working, without getting confused.
12. I want to enjoy making it as much as using it!
13. I don't want to end up in ten years, with a great big UFO (unfinished object) that sucked my time and resources.

Right now I'm favouring variations on Grandma's Fan and Rob Peter to Pay Paul, like this one from Be*mused's Tokyo Quilt Festival album.

I'm sorry I don't know who the maker is. If anyone else does, please let me know.

The quilt on the Susan McCord Calendar from my last post is also a kind of variation on this block theme, but a "crazy" one.

This next one is Kaffe Fassett's version of a Rob Peter to Pay Paul with a central applique.

I'm not so crazy on the central applique in that one, but I like the applique in this next quilt also from Be*mused's Tokyo Quilt festival album.

The applique is a kind of Grandma's Fan full circle. That seems to be a theme in the quilts I favour. Must be that polka dot thing. This quilt uses a lot of printed text fabrics. I like the way it offers the possibility of sneaking in some secret messages to the block quilt format. But do I want to go that far down the applique trail? I'm not so sure.

Today's Inspiration: I'm trying so hard not to get distracted but then I saw these pillows in a post by Anna Maria.

Likes: Pretty soon I'll be finished writing my book and then I'm going to go to the British Museum and the V&A to do some drawing. I can't wait!

Dislikes: Rain in January.

Comments

[Jenny]

I like the secret messages idea...and drawing at the V&A...you lucky duck! If I visit London will you draw with me?

[Kristin]

It is great to read your thoughtful consideration of your goals before you even start your quilt. I often jump in to projects without carefully planning either the process or the product, and I think that is when I'm more likely to lose steam. Good luck with your quilt--you have some lovely inspiration here!

[brenda]

I like your list, especially #6....

[carolyn]

I just completed two quilts (photos on my blog) inspired by the Gee's Bend Quilts (http://www.quiltsofgeesbend.com/)
they're not polka dots but you might find some inspiration there too. I hand quilted both of them and didn't use a frame. I started with a quilter's hoop and that helped some but I liked no hoop better. I did baste the layers together really well. I love playing with fabrics and the hand work, you will too.

[Robin]

Thanks for sharing your great list! I'm going to send it to everyone in our local quilting group. For me, #2 is crucial... having a pattern and/or planning/buying all the fabrics first is the kiss of death to actually finishing the quilt. I've been doing beading improvisationally for 20 years and always finish every piece with joy and appreciation right through the very last bead. Why didn't I think of this for quilting? Duh!

[HanneHeaven&Earth]

In spring I finished a project worked out according to guidelines very similar to the ones you´re describing here. Only my pattern was a star - dont know what it´s called. If you´re interested you can see the text I wrote about the project at: http://ihanne.wordpress.com/2006/06/09/finally-here-it-is/

Good luck with your quilt!