Our friendship quilt is finally finished. Its story is here.
I told you how terrified I was when I washed the quilt; well, lots of worries for nothing. The quilt is perfectly flat and the sphere is almost perfect. The sphere measures 80” and the difference between the horizontal and vertical diameter is 1/8” (but a little more on other diameters).
Mihaela named this quilt “Together in a Friendship World” and we think it perfectly fits.
I took these pictures inside (it was a windy day, no way to take pictures outside); the pictures of the whole quilt are not perfect but the details are better.
Sorry for my tired face!
I took this picture for you to see the real size of the quilt; the final size is 91”x 91”; it shrunk a lot after washing and I had to trim off an additional 1” of all the edges when I squared it up.
Again, I was lucky that my hubby and my sister Oana helped me with the washing, squaring up, binding and taking pictures.
I added the binding after I washed the quilt, I always do this.I was puzzled when I read that this is controversial, I thought all the quilters do this!
I suppose most of the quilts get distorted after washing; the stitching relax and most of the distortion will happen at the first washing. This is why I think it is better to wash the quilt first, then square it up and then bind it; at least, this is my engineering thinking:)
We loved to work with the beautiful colors of Kona cotton and I had the best time quilting with Aurifil; my speedy industrial machine stitches only with good thread and Aurifil never disappoints me. I used almost 3 large spools.
The step I thought will be the most difficult (because of the quilt size) – the quilting – it was very easy and I spent on quilting much less time than I anticipated.
The quilting on the back! The ideal quilting would have been the one stitched in the same color as the color of the flower, meaning colorful flowers stitched on the back of the quilt. I should have changed the color of the thread for each flower – in the needle and in the bobbin; a lot of additional time and also a lot of colored thread to buy:). It remained just an idea for a future quilt!
I quilted feathers on the hexagons – it is so easy to fill up the space with feathers. They look like petals of flowers and add a lot of strength to the hand stitching – in fact, due to the dense quilting and because the feathers follow the edges of the hexagons, there is no stress on the hand stitching. I think this quilting prolongs the life of this hand pieced quilt.
I did not prewash the cotton batting and the texture is wonderful after washing.
On the back.
I adore the look of the light color thread on dark color fabric.
The quilting on the hexagon background.
Just simple, wavy quilting lines, stitched in different directions on the adjacent hexagons.
On the back.
Some of you asked who will keep the quilt ? Well, none of us want it! It’s too big for our houses! And this is a design that looks better if you see it from some distance. If you stay just in front of it, you see only color, piecing and quilting. We hope to exhibit it some day in Romania.
When I designed this quilt, I thought it will always be only a picture stored on my computer.
And now, the difference between the picture and the real quilt – the LIFE we gave it in about 4 months.
I loved working on each step of this quilt. The emotion of stitching this quilt from day 1 to the last day is something wonderful; but at the same time I would have loved to see this quilt, NOW, for the first time. I think my friends feel the same. If you see it for the first time, I envy you!
I hope my quilting friends forgot the countless hours of work and enjoy now the finished quilt. We have to meet soon so they can see it in person!
I am happy we made room for it in our busy lives! I am happy and grateful that my friends/sisters accepted to be part of this quilt; none of us could have made it without the help of the others.
We hope you enjoy seeing it, as we enjoyed making it.
Geta and her quilting friends and family
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 pattern for this smaller version.
Interested in how I quilted it ? Here is a tutorial.
It's spectacular! Congratulations!
Beautiful quilt, so intricate! Your work is so inspiring. I have not heard of washing before binding. Do you staystitch the edges before washing? Has your fabric been pre-washed before cutting and sewing the quilt? Always ready to learn new things, and you have great ideas.
it turned out so great! The picture of you next to it is cool really shows off the scale. Beautiful. Makes me want to join the hex. craze. Thanks for share.
Wow, this is breathtaking!
Fantastic! Congratulations on a stunning quilt!
An amazing quilt! I love the dimensionality of the sphere! I hope you will enter this in some major shows, it deserves to be seen by many quilters! Congratulations to all of you.
Oh my gosh! This is absolutely stunning! The quilting is beautiful but the piecing is what really steals the show on this quilt! Wow!
Your quilt is incredible. I'm amazed at how well you achieved the 3D effect. It really deserves to be seen and enjoyed everyday. Is there not a public building in Romania that could display it?
Absolutely stunning! This quilt is so wonderful, I have not enough words to say how beautiful this is.
Saskia
Congratulation! The quit is amazing.
Wonderful quilting.
Greetings, Manuela
I've always loved your optical illusion quilts, but this one clearly takes the cake! I followed along as you went and am still impressed every time I see it. Bravo to you, your sisters, and your friends!
absolutely beautiful!
Absolutely beautiful. I would love to see it in person…coming to Canada soon? I hope you find somewhere to display it so lots of people can ecjoy the beauty of it.
Fantastic quilt! Congratulation!
Geta, it is such a lovely quilt and the name fits it perfectly. Thank you for sharing you and your quilting friends journey in the making of this beautiful quilt. I still can't believe you finished it this quickly – busy, fast fingers for sure!
This is gorgeous. I have not heard of washing before binding, but am going to try it as it seems like a great idea. I can't imagine the time it took to make this beautiful quilt.Your quilting is exquisite too.
hello,
A beautiful friendship quilt and quilting have been great.
Greetings from
Palencia
Spain
It has turned out absolutley stunning. Well done to you all on all of your hard work.
Un cuvant este suficient pentru a descrie acest quilt "extraordinar!!" felicitari
It's an incredible quilt and yet, the thought of making something that intricate and that big just boggles the mind. The quilting is so exquisite, it just makes that quilt every so much more incredible! And even with you standing next to it, it looks like it's convexing out at you. An amazing quilt.
Pazzesco, fantastico, incredibile. Congratulazioni a te e alle tue amiche.
Hi Geta! Im a big fan – nearly done with my version of the flowers on a sphere. Can you tell us which computer program you use to twist the flat picture to the curved ones in several of your patterns?
Remarkable!! Amazing!
this is just so beautiful – job well done!!! the quilting is so pretty and goes with this quilt perfectly
Absolutely incredible. You all did such a fantastic job.
It's simply amazing and breathtaking. What a labor of love.
Totally awesome!
Again stunning and beautiful, what a wonderful work.
Erika from Austria
I is awesome! I was just about to ask you about a smaller version of the quilt 🙂
Where will it live??? It should end up in the quilt museum in Paducah, KY, USA after it wins a big prize there.
Dear Geta, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I am honored to have been a small part in this wonderful project!
Ta kołdra to arcydzieło! Podziwiałam od poczatku etap jej powstawania… jest wspaniała…
sweet Geta…this is incredible…it is sooo beautiful. I cannot find the words to describe it..it is huge..good to see you near it….gives you an idea of the amazing depth of it all..wow..w
I'm amazed, flabbergasted, and so impressed with your beautiful work. Thank you for sharing this with us. It deserves to be seen the world over!
Congratulations on another amazing finish. I do hope to see this quilt entered and ultimately exhibited at major international quilt shows and especially exhibited in Romania. It is a spectacular quilt with great visual impact that draws in the viewer to want more. Great job Geta. Love it.
SewCalGal
http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
That is AMAZING, Geta! Will you and your friends share custody of the quilt?
Congratulations it is beautiful
Wonderful quilt! I love it and your Blog too. Then I am a new reader.
Astrid
Your work is sooo breathtaking wonderful!!
Can´t find the right words !
Greets,
Anja
Oh my, this is absolutely stunning! Of course you'd be scared to wash it. Amazing! 🙂
It looks so 3 dimensional! Wonderful colors and wonderful quilting. I hope you are able to exhibit it internationally.
This is utterly amazing!
Absolutely Amazing. This quilt is breathtaking. I am amazed that it ONLY took 3 months to piece. I hope this quilt finds the perfect home where many, many people can see it. Congrats on one grand accomplishment.
I will echo the word that many others have used, AMAZING!
Fantastico
Wow, that is absolutely stunning! I love it…great, amazing work!
It's absolutely beautiful Geta ! I like that you have a picture of yourself with the quilt. I think it's nice to show our day to day selves on our blogs and your cute as can be.
Absolutely amazing! I love the story behind the quilt, the colors, the quilting. Thank you for sharing!
We Texan's will store it for you, its amazing and beautiful and a great story, I cant believe ya;ll think its to big to use. Thats funny..
This is probably the coolest quilt I have ever seen! It is absolutely amazing! I love the dimension and the story. Great job!!!!
This is really amazing!
Oh, Geta ~ this is so beautiful ~ you did amazing quilting too! Totally and completely impressed with your skills!
My eyes can't get over how this is a flat quilt, the optics are so well done! I love how it has turned out.
That is gorgeous! Amazing trompe l'oeuil… Actually, I love how quilting it all in white kind of unites the surface of the quilt. Enjoy!
Wonderful! How did you design such a perfect sphere? Did you use any tools or software?
gorgeous!
S.T.U.N.N.I.N.G''!!!!!!! I think this is the most amazing quilt I have ever seen! Absolutely beautiful!! Congratulations! And thanks for sharing this exquisite piece…
That is just an incredible quilt. Wonderful work.
Your quilt is absolutely AMAZING!
Greta, your quilt is beautiful! I love, love, love it! And you are beautiful. I loved the picture of you standing next to the quilt. Thank you for sharing your amazing talents!
xo -E
ciao Geta!
è bellissimo . è un vero capolavoro!!
mi piacerebbe sapere cosa usi o programma usi per questi tuoi progetti?.
grazie per la risposta
Hello Greta and friends, I think you all did and wonderful thing. You developed friendship, trust and skills none of which you all thought you could develop or had! Secondly your quilt is now famous by sharing your pictures, skills and knowledge amongst the world you all treated us with such a delightful quilt and its story! Congratulations you all deserve a standing ovation. Julie Beard
Thank you for thinking about writing a pattern for this in the future-this is spectacular!
Gorgeous!! I love the story. Thanks for sharing.
Linda maravilhosa fabuloso trabalho. parabéns. se quiser ver o uma parecida no 3 D visite
http://crochedadodo.blogspot.pt/2013/04/mais-um-trabalho-finalizado-com.html
um abraço
Aldora
Geta, this quilt is insane… congrats anyway and Happy Easter
Your work is beautiful. The sphere looks as if it is floating , so pretty. I have been to the Rep. of Georgia 3 times and one of our friends there died this week and I heard from them that their celebration of Easter is this Sunday too. Happy Easter, may the day be holy and blessed .
Gorgeous quilt!
Congratulations on a stunning accomplishment. What a wonderful representation of friendship.
This quilt is huge! and shows an amazing work. Congratulations to you and your friends, you have made a masterpiece, that deserves to be shown in any quilting show or museum. I like the picture of you in front of the quilt, and your face doesn't look tired… I see it more proud! or perplex, perhaps… 🙂
I can only say that is incredible! I love what you and your friends and sisters have created!
Esther
My jaw has seriously dropped!!! What?????? That quilt is mind boggling! Seriously!
Amazing! What more can I say, I'm just simply amazed! Absolutely gorgeous!!!
Wow! Your quilt is appealing on so many levels – what a beautiful work you have made!
Julie
It is lovely. The larger version has much greater impact than the small one. I would love to buy the pattern, if you decided to make it. The instructions would be very similar to the small version, so you wouldn't have to edit much! You already created the templates for the new larger version…
It is lovely. The larger version has much greater impact than the small one. I would love to buy the pattern, if you decided to make it. The instructions would be very similar to the small version, so you wouldn't have to edit much! You already created the templates for the new larger version…
I saw it for the first time today, and I think it is amazing!
KATRIN W.
Absolutely amazing! Your design and your quilting are beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us.
It's absolutely fantastic! Congrats on all the hard work that has gone into this! The quilting is exquisite!
I love this quilt, its truly stunning! The amount of work in it is mind boggling! I can't wait to see what the next one looks like. Thank you for sharing!
I'm still staring…. my brain on overload….
looking in fascination and admiration…
I'm still staring….. with a smile on my face….
Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!
This is a most beautiful quilt! You are so talented. Thank you for creating and sharing … 🙂 Pat
This is stunning, breathtaking!
I loved reading the story of this quilt. Congratulations to you all – and what a way to cement a friendship. Beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing.
What a gorgeous quilt you ladies have done!! It's absolutely stunning! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful story of friendship.
Размер впечатляет! Очень сложная работа, столько труда! Очень красиво!
There are no words to describe how magnificent this is! it is perhaps the finest, most beautiful quilt I have ever seen.
The illusion of the globe is perfect, Geta! I am impressed that it was maintained throughout the design and quilt creation process! Absolutely magnificent!
Absolutely stunning! I'm so glad you took a photo of the quilt with you in it – the perspective just blows me away – gorgeous! Faith.
I just saw this quilt in person at the Houston Quilt Festival. It is indescribably gorgeous. The optical illusion is amazing!!! Congratulations on the well deserved award!
Fantastic! I would like to see a picture of the quilting from the back at the edge of the sphere where the edge touches the flat background.
This is insanely beautiful.
Well Done! Lots of hard work and great you got a place for it. congratulations. Keep up the hard work. I have found a great, kind friend and God always bless her for the great service.
OMG! This quilt is amazing! You are truly talented. Thank you for sharing. WOW!