Monday, June 25, 2012

Prometheus, some better pictures (I hope)

 As ever if you click on the images you will get a bigger version and they are big. I hope this will mean those who haven't seen it can get a good look at the stitching. I'm sorry there is nothing I can do to show you the size. This thing is huge. Well to be fair it's about the same size as a lot of my bed quilts, but as show quilts go it's on the large side.

Once upon a time I entered a quilt to this show that was too wide for the frame and too long. It dragged on the floor and looked like a curtain. It wasn't good. Since then the organizers have bought bigger stands and until this quilt everything I made fitted.

Last year I came to Sandown and started asking what they could hang if they had to. Their official maximum was smaller than the fabric I was going to use. Well, they had planned ahead and bought extension units for the frames. Height wasn't a problem. Width was more trouble. So we cam up with a plan. The quilt had to have a special sleeve. It has gaps at the points that the support bar for the quilt needs to be attached to the base frame unit. It also had to be hung on the end of a row. So there is a limit to how many monster quilts they can hang in one show. On the other hand they can, and will, hang these outsize beasts, so if you've got a monster quilt lurking how about entering it into the show next year?

This quilt is made from a single piece of fabric. Yes, it's huge. No, it doesn't have any seams. No, I didn't dye it myself, do I look that stupid brave? It was dyed for me by Heide Stoll-Weber. I don't know if she will be up for dying more of them but you can always ask her when she is at the Festival of Quilts in August. I had actually planned on using the fabric for both the top of a quilt and the binding, but when it came I couldn't cut it. So I worked my design into her fabric. I'm very pleased I did.

The photographs actually probably give you a better idea of the shading of the fabric than you get in real life. There are places on the quilt where the thread changes the colour you see a lot, interestingly the camera picks up the background colour more.

 The quilt contains about 16-18 cones of thread, in about 10 different colours. There is no actual trapunto it has two layers of wool wadding throughout the quilt. The trapunto effect just comes from the amount of quilting in the background.

At the moment the quilt is very stiff. If (when) it gets some real use it will soften up. Greek Fossils, the test piece for this quilt, has softened a lot and it has just been rolled and unrolled for a couple of years.

The quilt is pretty much reversible. The bobbin thread is the same colour as the top thread every where, so yes when I change one I have to change the other. The backing is a black and grey floral fabric, but you can't see much of that any more :) We think there are between 400 and 600 hours work in the whole thing.

I think that covers most of the questions I got at the show. Please do ask if you have any questions I haven't covered and do click on the images to get a closer look.


13 comments:

Featheronawire Sally Bramald said...

Stupendous!This has to be your best ever, wonderful work. Wish I could have seen it.

Cathy Hetzel said...

Ferret.... your quilt is beautiful......thanks for showing the closeups of your quilting......

Angela said...

Oh Ferret I think Sally said it all! Stupendous is definitely the word for it! Is it going to the FOQ...I'd love to see it in the 'flesh'...just fabulous!

Ferret said...

It won't be at FoQ, I am hoping it will be elsewhere. I am planning on it going to more shows next year and I will let people know on my blog which ones. It will make it to Harrogate but not this year, as it may be busy and I certainly am. I will try and get it out and about as much as possible.

Sue said...

Wonderful quiltng. Hmgggg, just figuring the cost of your time even at minimum wage. Staggering and to a person who thinks you just knock these things out they would have no idea how much time and energy went into it.
Well done another triumph.

Janette said...

Well done on your multiple wins at Sandown Ferret. Your quilting is stunning.... and the dedication for that number of hours of quilting totally amazes me.

Janette

Anonymous said...

Congrats at an amazing quilt! Thanks for sharing the pictures! Greetings from Austria Elisabeth

Rafael's Mum said...

Thank you for all the close ups. It's absolutely stunningly beautiful!

Michelle said...

I was thrilled to see your fantastic 'beast of a quilt' at the weekend - it is just awesome in the flesh and so deserving of all it's awards. Truly inspirational. (And the OH says thankyou for the postcard of "Phoenix" and he'll definately be at Sandown next year!)

jan said...

As always I am stunned by your quilting, but this is just stupendous. I hope one day to see it in the flesh so to speak. I will stand in front of it and drool.
Many congratulations on making yet another fabulous Quilt, and thank you so much for sharing the great pictures with us.

Sandy said...

Congratulations! It is amazing.

For advice about entering something so large - you recommend ignoring the not larger than 96" rule? Or is it smaller?
I guess I would be afraid I would be disqualified in the judging! LOL

Do you have any photos of how the extension part works and how you had to adapt the sleeve?

What fabric did you use in the end for the binding?

I hope you have had some rest now that you are home.
Well done!
Sandy in Bracknell

Ferret said...

Generally I would suggest making quilts that fit the show limits. However, things happen and it never hurts to ask the show. I have heard the Edinburgh show has a low ceiling so there is no chance of putting big quilts there. The sleeve has to have gaps at the 96"width as that is where the cables ties hold the quilt up.
I left an inch plus gap at each side.

I'm wondering if I can have a large custom stand made for taking things like this given the weight may not be good for the normal stands, but it won't be that soon.

mamiblues (Fina) said...

Es !!!!!!IMPRESIONANTE!!!!!!
kISSES.