I have just a few quilting friends here in Romania but they are good friends. I met them years ago and since then we share the passion for quilting.
I still have the first message Sanda sent me back in 2005. Silvia and Ortansa live in the same town and they visited me a few years later. Mihaela was my first Romanian customer. Ela is an old friend, we shared a lot while we were part of a larger Romanian group, a few years ago.
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Ela, Ortansa, Geta, Silvia, Mihaela Life is busy for us all and we don’t meet often. But last year we spent 2 days together (Sanda couldn’t be with us) and after that, we decided to make a group quilt.
So I chose a design I made some time ago. I loved it but I thought that I will never make it; it is one of those projects that you don’t even want to start it because you are sure you can’t finish it.
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This was the pattern – 96 x A4 pages; the hardest part was to label each piece. The whole quilt was English paper pieced. We never met while we made this quilt. Sanda and Mihaela stitched for the first time hexagons. There was a lot of stuff sent back and forth.
We had to cut fabric for each paper template – some were big and easy to baste; some were a nightmare.
Well, a lot! And these are just a few.
After a lot of work, we all were anxious to see this – the first time the quilt started to take shape. Then we started to stitch the pieces together.
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I, my sisters Oana and Nina; sister Nico also stitched a lot. We added row after row.
This is the center of the sphere and Silvia.
Big victory!
- Here there are 10 yards of Kona cotton fabric; the sphere measures 80 inches.
The back – inspiration for a new design – but in another life!
The initial thought was to applique the sphere onto a plain background. Then a second thought was that it would be nice to have a hexagon background; then of course, is not fun to make hexies in just one color, so we chose to make a scrappy hexagon background.
We all like the scrappy look very much.
10 yards of fabric again for this scrappy background; these were 1.25” hexagons; about 1100.
Then there was a lot of work to applique the sphere onto the background.
9 persons stitched this, but I think it looks like it was stitched by one quilter. It measures 100” x 100”.
- The back with all the paper templates.
Then the hardest part was to remove the basting thread and the paper templates – it took us only 2 days.
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Mihaela, happy after piecing 10 yards of Kona for the backing! My hero! I am sorry we don’t have a picture with Ela and Sanda. Finally, ready for quilting! I couldn’t take a better picture, the quilt is as large as the largest room in my house!
And some details.
I started the quilting.
We stitched on this project for 3 months.
I am grateful that my friends made this quilt their first priority, in spite of their busy lives. We stitched often at 2 AM! Words are not enough to thank them for all the time and patience they put in making this project.
I am grateful that my sisters helped us – they are not quilters and quilting is not exactly their hobby! But they love to make beautiful things and of course, they love to help me with everything I need.
My hubby must be relieved that the quilt is almost finished; maybe I will cook more often now.
Pattern?
Some of you asked if the pattern for this quilt is available; NO, I don’t have a pattern and I don’t think I will write it in the future (I should make a new quilt!).
But I have a few similar designs (and different techniques), click here to see my patterns.
We hope you like this quilt too.
Now to quilt it!
Geta
Click here for pictures of the finished quilt
Amazing!!!
This is one of the most tremendous quilts i have ever seen!
This quilt has left me speechless! It's such a massive undertaking and the outcome is simply perfect! Such a stunning, stunning quilt and what lovely, simply amazing friends you have! =)
I can't wait to see the whole thing quilted, it will belong in a museum for sure! Wow!
Whoa. Incredible work… I can't even fathom the dedication. Such inspiration!
What a lovely story and a truly amazing quilt. What are you planning to do with it?
Wow, the optical illusion that 'sphere' creates is just amazing! I applaud you all, I have started piecing hexagons and I don't think I'll complete my simple scrappy design in that time.
Thank you for sharing
OMG! I really don't have words, for this stunning quilt! You really rock with EPP! And it took you only 3 months! wow!
WOW! It's just amazing! I can't find words to express how much I admire it. Great work!
Absolutely amazing! Lovely in all ways. Congratulations on a work of art!
Thank you Geta for this post. It's a wonderful true story about friendship and passion for quilting!
wow! felicitari Doamnelor, sunteti grozave!
Oh.. My.. Goodness!! This is remarkable!!
Beautiful quilt and a beautiful story, thank you for sharing!
That is one of the most AMAZING quilts I have ever seen! I hope you plan to enter it into a quilt show somewhere. It deserves to be seen. Congratulations and thank you for keeping me inspired!
WOW, just WOW! What an AMAZING quilt!
Wow! That's amazing. You all did some really beautiful work and the time put in completely paid off! Congrats!
Fantastic! Thank you for sharing with us.
FABULOUS.Congratulations to all!!
This is so beautiful. How did you ever come up with the templates? This will be a prize winner for sure!
That is a lot of lady hours! What a beautiful quilt. Hope you decide to show it. QuiltCon2015, maybe?
That is totally amazing!!! How you design this? A lot of work but I so could see me doing something like this! Thanks for the inspiration!
Amazing. Wonderful work
Grit from germany
how 3 dimensional this is – what a wonderful project for friends to do – but I am amazed at it. The design is awesome. such good friends to work on this with you and for your sisters to join in when they are not quilters plus your husband
how nice — I love it.
Just spectacular! I'm in awe…
WOW! That is amazing. I love it!
Beautiful and great teamwork! I shall look forward to seeing it quilted. What are your plans for the quilt after that?
Just beautiful, and such a lot of work. Your perseverance paid off big time!
Wow! What an incredible quilt…and what a great frienship!
What a fantastic story for a unbelievable project, Gorgeous!!!
It's a work of art! I admire you and your friends for having the patience and determination to accomplish it!
Absolutely fabulous! You are to be congratulated it is beautiful!
Absolutely fabulous! You are to be congratulated it is beautiful!
Fantastic! At first I thought I was looking at a sphere – great illusion! How wonderful to have so much help, too.
WOW! You really should enter this into as many quilt shows as you can – All of the ones in Europe, Japan, Padcuah, Houston, Pacific International, etc.
This is amazing! I'm so impressed by the amount of organization that must have gone into this (keeping track of those tiny pieces would have done me in), not to mention the time and stitches. VERY WELL DONE!
OMG it's awesome and huge and unbelievable! Well done all of you!
It is very very beautiful! This quilt is a result of your friendship! And it's great!
That is a very awesome quilt!
Absolutely amazing.
This is so beautiful! What's even more beautiful is that your husband helped you with part of the project!!! Of course your friends are beautiful in their generosity of time to help you. The whole story, the quilt and the sharing is amazing beyond words. Thank you for sharing.
Aveli in New Mexico, USA
Wow, so so amazing. Congrats on the beautiful quilt and what a fun project to do with friends! Very inspiring!
My name is Sue and I am from Canada…. I do not blog but this picture and link was posted on Facebook and I just had to comment. This is an INCREDIBLE quilt !!!! and a wonderful story of how it came together. I will share this with all my Facebook friends. I have been quilting for 25 years and could not imagine the scope of drafting this out. Congratulations !!!
You did a great job! Beautiful!!!!
Great job everyone who worked on it! The quilt is absolutely beautiful Geta. What a wonderful group project for your friends and family. Now I can't wait to see it quilted as that will make it even more beautiful.
I too am in awe of your quilt, what love and dedication you and your friends have to complete this project, what a beautiful mind you have to draft it out. I had to keep looking at it to convince myself that it was not an actual circle, this is an amazing piece that I am thrilled to have seen, Thank You! Bj in Glendale Arizona USA
This is incredible! Saw it on Quiltvilles site. You MUST enter this in some competition. What a wonderful group of friends and quilters to complete this. And Kudos to your hubby helping!
Breathtaking! Amazing work by everyone
Wow, der ist ganz wunderbar geworden. Einzigartig, phantastisch.
Und alles im Teamwork. Klasse!!!!!
LG Heike
This is fantastic!!!!
That is absolutely amazing! What a beautiful quilt. Only a distant goal for me. I love the pattern and the optical illusion of it!
OMG!!! It is just wonderful. What are friends for, they help and work right along side of you. You all did such a great job on this quilt. Who gets to keep it?
oh my gosh indeed!!! This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen! And your post is riveting! I can barely imagine the journey you have been on with this quilt – WOW!
Wow – that is one of the most amazing quilts I have ever seen! Great job everyone! Thanks for sharing it with us xx
A True visual treat, amazing. Thanks for sharing.
What a wonderful quilt! Just beautiful.
OMG…gorgeous,
It is wonderful!!!
You amaze me with your spheres. Even knowing it is a 2D image, it just looks like a huge bubble coming out of the quilt. Your perspective in design is just mathematical in precision.
wow it is fantastic!
Cindy
This is absolutely stunning! What an amazing feat! Congratulations!!!
Amazing!
I HAD TO BLOG this, Can I come to Romania and we start one ???????????
This quilt is truly amazing! You are so talented and such an inspiration to all of us. Congratulations on your beautiful quilt. It is lovely.
Wow! This quilt is incredible!!!!! WOndeful job!
I love that this was created with love and help from your dear friends! It is breathtaking.
Oh my goodness! I've never seen anything like it! Amazing! What do you plan to do with it?
Wonderful concept, exquisite execution, and a whole lot of love! Amazing!
This quilt is beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing. How neat that your friends and family shared in the creation of the quilt. Your quilting is beautiful.
WOW! I don't even know what more to say. You all have left me speechless. Incredible.
If you are thinking of selling this as a pattern….I would want to be first on the list!!! Absolutely beautiful!!! sllarson107 at gmail dot com !!!
All of you deserve GREAT APPLAUSES ! Fantastic! bravooo….
What an awesome quilt. Can't wait to see it quilted. Before it gets in a museum, and it definitely should, it needs to win a few ribbons, you ladies deserve them. I posted a link to this post on FB and TQS forum (www.thequiltshow.com) and everybody is loving it!
I am a certified hexaholic, and would love to make this lovely quilt. Do you have this available as a pattern? I see something similar that you have, but not with this complexity. It is truly remarkable. Thank you for sharing your journey with us!
WOW! That is amazing. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just beautiful
Geta, I am speechless!!!! That is one gorgeous quilt :*)
What a beautiful quilt you and your friend made. Good job.
OH MY!!! I can't get over how amazing this is! It belongs in a quilt museum. The 3D effect, the colors, seeing the back with all of those paper pieces… incredible work.
Extraordinary! What a magnificent endeavour. One of the most stunning quilts I've ever seen. A tribute to you all. Well done.
This is so awesome!! I can't believe that it didn't take years to make. What awesome quilt/sewing friends!!
Thanks so much for sharing.
this truly is breathtaking. It stopped me in my tracks- I saw the little icon picture and had to click to read on, I was mesmerized. This is honestly the most beautiful quilt I think I have ever laid eyes on- and the fact that it was a collaboration and done so perfectly really speaks to you and your friends amazing skill sets! You must be over the moon happy and I simply cannot wait to see this quilted. Thanks for the inspiration, it really made me smile to read all about this amazing quilt.
This is one of the most amazing quilts I have ever seen. I love the story as well. Please share more pictures of the quilting. Stunning!
Simply amazing!!! I love it, you are truly a talented quilter!!!!
WOW! this is amazing- not just for the finished piece itself, but for the friends involved! Wow again!
This is insanely beautiful! What a a blessing to have so many loving hands contribute to this vision.
I can't believe you all did this in only three months! That is incredible. What a fabulous project. Now, does it pass from house to house for a period of time after it is finished?
Wow what a fantastic collaboration to create this! The 3D effect is amazing and I can only imagine how many stitches are in it! Look forward to seeing the complete finish! Wow!
I appreciate this phenominal quilt even more after reading your explanation of how you and your friends accomplished it. It will certainly be award winning. Happy quilting!
Wow that is an amazing quilt!!!
Breathtaking. What a wonderful accomplishment for all of you.
I am in love! What a beautiful, amazing quilt and what a great photo journey through the process! <3
Geta, this quilt is so beautiful! Thanks for posting all the pictures – I felt I was part of the process! I can't wait to see it after your artful quilting…
It doesn't matter how long you look at it, and the fact you KNOW that it is flat, it still looks like a true 3D sphere. This in unbelievable and so beautiful.
I agree with Margaret – you KNOW it's flat, but the sphere looks like it is floating off the background! Absolutely gorgeous!
Oh wow ! This quilt is stunning. I know it was a big task, but what fun to share it with friends. Well done to all.
Oh my…! This is fantastic! Thanks for sharing all these wonderful pictures.
Saskia
This is a wonderful story and the end result is a tremendous feat! Your quilt is so very special. Congratulations and thanks for sharing!
AMAZING
Wow!! It's amazing.
Greetings from Germany, Manuela.
Stunning!!! What a great tribute to friendship. This is a beautiful quilt. I was shocked when I read that it was made into a completed top in 3 months. Thank you so much for sharing this work of love and art. I am inspired.Fantastic work everyone!!
Wow, its great.
Congratulation.
I love it.
Greetings from Germany
Iris
Whatr a great story and a fabulous quilt. Well done. Lovely to read all about you and your family and friends.
Greetings from New Zealand – Down Under!
Congratulations to all you ladies. This is an incredible feat of quilting. just amazing!!!!!
waw..pe langa munca si timp..admir daruirea cu care ati lucrat dvs si perietenele dvs..A iesit fabulos..Felicitari!!!
Wow. This is amazing. A true work of art and a tribute to friendship.
WOW! That quilt is breathtaking. And it is a wonderful story!
Greetings from Germany
Renate
Atunci cand cosi franturi dintr-o lucrare
nu vezi complexitatea creatiei,
iar acum ….IMPRESIONANT !!!
La fel de impresionante sunt
si aceste 106 mesaje
primite intr-un timp record.
Bravo Geta, bravo fetelor.
The quilt is fantastic. So beautiful and so inspiring. Congradulations.
Wow! and Wow! What an absolutely amazing quilt. Your friends are truly special and what a journey you have had together
Is the pattern available anywhere?
Greetings from Australia – The land down under!!!!!!!!
I was following the comments since yesterday and I think that it's the best idea to show the quilt in as many shows as possible. It's made to be admired. We couldn't have done it without you Geta, you are the brain, the hands and the hearts of this work!
Thank you and I am looking forward to seeing it quilted, it'll be more than perfect!
This is the most unbelievable and incredible quilt I have ever seen! I would just die to see it in person!
OMG … what a wonderfull work!!!! I sew in the last week my first Hexagons and I am soooo proud but your projekt ist amazing!
Greets from germany
Mimi
My congratulations. This quilt is WONDERFULL. I really like the 3D aspect very well done.
Yasmin
Geta,
This quilt really is an amazing work of love and friendship. It is wonderful that your sisters and friends worked on this with you! Congratulations! I am a new follower of your blog. I am in the State of Georgia in The USA.
Great job!!
Jan
Gets, I too live in Georgia, USA. This quilt is so beautiful. Who gets the quilt.??? I know you & your friends are proud. Keep up the great work!
Bravo!
Hard work pays off!
Realmente es espectacular, el efecto que hace de dimensión, es precioso. Un beso
Wow! The dedication and talent you ladies have – I'm totally blown away! You have done a wonderful job and should be so proud of yourselves! I hope to see this quilt in Paducah in the near future!
What a big sphere!Congratulations all for your work and I wish you good luck at challenge!
And I dreaming to have ,one day,some friends who work with me…like you.
Kisses!
This is great, I really love hexagon, but still did not dare to do such a large project.
Wonderful story, Fabulous Quilt. Well Done and thanks so much for sharing.
How talented and clever you are, I loved the simplicity of the colours but how they were put together is mind boggling. I made by hand a hexagon quilt for my daughter and planned the design as I went along. Its such an enjoyable and relaxing craft hand sewing, thankyou for posting it. <3 <3
Wow. Amazing. Breathtaking. Wonderful.
Congratulation to such a beautyful teamwork.
Best wishes to all the girls and helping hands.
Thank you for sharing with us.
Greetings from Austria
Elke
Wow – what a stunning quilt and amazing effort from all of you! My DH couldn't believe his eyes when I showed him…and that's saying something :o) Makes me think of the Julian Beever chalk drawings on sidewalks.
Such a wonderful quilt and such a great story! I enjoyed seeing the photos as you documented the process and as well all the helpers you had. I love when non-quilters become so enthusiastic about a project that they get swept up and involved! The finished top is amazing and so innovative and I will certainly enjoy seeing it once it is quilted. Thanks so much for sharing!
Dear Geta !
Well done ! Great and amazing ! I cannot stop looking at it !!!!
Greetings from Heidi ( Vienna )
Unbelievable!! Congratulations
I am so amazed!! I can not imagine how much love and time went into this quilt. I love it. How do you come up with the patterns for those pieces. I love all of your projects. Do you use a program to make the pieces?
This is an amazing quilt. You are an incredibly talented quilter. English piecing requires real skill to keep it neat, as even more so when the shapes change. I absolutely love the trompe de l'oeil that makes such a believable 3D effect of the sphere. You should all be very proud of yourselves.
All I can say is WOW! Absolutely gorgeous!
I saw a church in Rome that had a flat dome but looked like a dome. This is the same concept and one of the most interesting quilts I have seen in years.
Wow
Amazing story and totally beautiful. It truly shows how good friendships can be. Please consider entering it into a International Quilt Show once finally completed. So that the world can hear and see this glorious quilt. I am sure it will win many awards. It is truly inspiring.
What an absolutely stunning quilt. How wonderful that you all did so well and got it completed in that time. Such a wonderful group effort.
That is amazing!! You must have given very good directions for everyone to have done such a good job. I do hope you enter it in a show so that many people will be able to see it. I will have to check back to see how it looks all quilted. I can't believe how much quilting you got in just that one section. :o)
Wow! What an incredible quilt. A true labor of love! I just love the design.
Beautiful… Absolutely Beautiful…
Amazing – what a wonderful memory you have of this quilt.
Absolutely stunning!.
I am from Louisiana. My group too does hexigan but weuse stamps by kate. It is neat. I just loved the colours. Y'all worked hard good luck on next project. I know quilters r great fun
My goodness, what an insanely awesome quilt! Well done, well done! Thanks for sharing the story behind the quilt and. You are all amazing quilters!
Wow, this is all kinds of AMAZING! Love how it looks 3D.
WOW! GORGEOUS!!
wow. I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said already. This is absolutely magnificent. Well done!
This quilt makes me speechless – it is like looking at a great piece of art – all of the detail, workmanship, color. I can't believe all of the amazing work that went into this quilt. After looking at the amazing piecing I thought wow this is amazing and then you show your quilting and I was shocked because it is a whole nother layer of art ontop of the amazing pieceing – a work of art for sure – magnificent and inspiring!
breath. taking. What a team! This a story of unity,perseverance and the initial yearning to make something beautiful.
Wow! Wow, wow wow! Gorgeous, amazing, soooo cool! Fantastic project and group of ladies!!
Unbelievable! That is an amazing quilt.
Oh my goodness! What a labor of love and friendship. This quilt is unlike any I've ever seen before; it's stunning!
This is UNREAL!!!! SOOOO Gorgeous!! Please let us know when you've finished it we want to feature it for sure!!!
Wow, beautiful quilt, just amazing!! Thank for sharing.
This is so incredible!! I love how it looks like a ball – it doesn't look flat at all! So amazing. This is truly a story of quilters and friends and family uniting together to make something amazing! It belongs in a museum for sure!!
This is one of the most amazing quilts I have ever seen, even worthy of me calling my husband over to take a look too. His comment was "very clever" and he was heartened at your comment that you might cook more often for your husband now – that's something my husband only dreams of!!!
Completely stunning. I am agog. It's wondrous!
That's absolutely astounding! Will this lovely be available as a pattern?
Should be shown to the World….amazing work…congrats everyone involved!!
I didn't read all the comments, so forgive me if you have already answered this, but will you sell a pattern? I am in LOVE!!!
I don't think I have loved a quilt quite as much as I love this one. Way to go! It is BEAUTIFUL.
~a
I can't even imagine! No words.
WOW!!! Amazing..
I skimmed the comments as I scrolled down,and saw my reaction several times: Amazing! I had thought it would be impressive just to do a Grandmother's flower garden quilt! But your sphere, Wow! Thank you for sharing.
Oh my goodness! This is amazing!!
Fantastic quilt! So beautiful and bright!
You all have done a great work!!
Hugs,
Tatyana
Congratulations on a job very well done! Great work and a great team effort – kudos to all of you ladies!
Astounding, and tremendously inspiring. Amazing how technology has opened doors to even greater creativity and design than we ever imagined. I too will be anxious to hear what you decide to do with your quilt. I agree, it should be hanging somewhere for many to see and enjoy. Thank you all for sharing your talents with all of us.
I have no words to describe how this quilt makes me feel … I can only say thank you for sharing it! xo
Wow, this is so beautifully amazing! I can only wish to aspire to make something this awesome!
Ela, Ortansa, Geta, Silvia, Mihaela, This truly is a work of art and a quilt that evokes the sense of pride in friendship that I believe you all intended to convey. Thank you. Jim
Amazing Overtime words fail to describe such wonderful patience and dedication have no more adjectives for such grandiose beauty.
Aldora
Absolutely stunning. An amazing work of art, unlike any I've seen. Much better than your original pattern.
I was happy to read the full story here. What a triumph! It is too bad that more people in Romania don't know of your amazing talent. I hope through blogging that many discover your work and that you will have the opportunity to show your quilts at exhibitions – I think one was recently at Quilt Market in Portland? Congratulations!!!
What a beautiful, splendid, wonderful quilt and story! Congratulations on this and I hope to see much more of you in the future. Love.
I AM TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY – – THIS IS AWESOME!!! There is NO amount of money that could justify all the work that went into this, not to mention the precision piecing. PHENOMENAL!!!
Its wonderfull! Congratulations for your family and creativited, is cute. Kisses
Am admirat iar si iar aceasta incredibila facere! Minunata!
Wow! To jest po prostu gigantyczna praca! Podziwiam Ciebie i Twoje przyjaciółki! Wspaniałe jest to,że stworzyłyście tak wspaniały zespół! Gratulacje ! A Twoje pikowanie jest jak zwykle wspaniałe!!! Pozdrawiam z Polski.
This is absolutely amazing!!!!
Just a tip, you could've avoided having to rip out all of the paper basting, if you had done the hexies slightly differently. I've written it up in my tutorial, here: http://byov.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-to-easy-hexagon-quilt-top-piecing.html
Es sin duda el edredón del jardín de la abuela más impresionante y logrado que haya visto. Felicidades porque un proyecto tan grande lleva unidas Muchas cosas,tiempo, amistad. Trabajo… etc. Pero sin duda alguna el resultado valió la pena. Si algún día pones en venta el patrón pequeño lo compraría , pero sin hacerme ilusiones porque el reto es muy grande
WOW!!! what an amazing story and what a beautiful quilt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your quilt is absolutely amazing and you guys should be very proud of it. I can’t imagine doing something this difficult.
By the way, I visited the Maramures region of Romania years ago – it is so beautiful!
Thank you for sharing this inspiring story. I have one of your world patterns and still plan to make it – some day.