Autumn Abundance Blog Hop - Windfall

It's Day 5 and it's my turn to show you my project that I have been super-excited about since its inception for this Autumn Abundance Blog Hop.

First of all a tremendous thank you to Bernie of Needle and Foot for birthing this idea of a Fall inspiration blog hop this summer.  When she asked me if I'd like to be a part, I was like hell ya!  I mean, ahem, I was like, oh for sure! And then kicked up my heels at the thought of getting some free fabric and license to play and create...  Second, a massive thank you and wow-wee from my heart goes to Paintbrush Studio who so generously agreed to sponsor this hop.  Be sure to check out their blog, which I follow by bloglovin' and by email so I never miss a post, Inspired By Fabric.  I also follow on Instagram.

I was blown away by a few things: first of all, we got to choose which Fall collection we wanted to work with, and second at the generosity of Paintbrush Studio, which is a division of Fabri-Quilt.  Blown.  Away.  A fat quarter pack would be sent to us, and a little yardage if needed.  With next to no hesitation, I chose Windfall.  That is the third thing that blew me away, the richness, depth, and gorgeous hand of this line. Windfall.  With a name like that, evoking the vibrant windblown leaves of Fall, and the windfall of landing free fabric, the quilt had the perfect name from the get-go.

Right from the start, I knew I wanted to create a shadow quilt.  I've had Shadow Quilts by Slusser and Magaret since shortly after its release in 2000.  I made a quilt for my then guild's challenge.  It didn't win, but the idea of superimposing one image upon another image has stayed with me every since.  I knew I wanted the massive leaf to be red upon the cream background, and a leaf of all 18 other colours would float on top of that massive leaf.  There is a leaf quilt in the book, but I didn't like the shape of their leaf, nor the fact that the quilt had borders, nor the fact that every single block in the quilt was a leaf.  I wanted some resting places for the eye.  Tucked in the book was a templates pattern I'd saved from who knows where for the maple leaf block I love.  I graphed it out, so I could rotary cut and simplify the block, and then drew out my design.  I also graphed out the paper-pieced point section.

Early stages of design

I decided to make 10" finished blocks so my quilt would finish at 50.5" square.  Cutting and piecing went together very quickly, and in no time I had a flimsy.  Well, some of the blocks required a little more thought and a little more math but still, this appeared on the design wall a little while ago.

Apologies for the Bella butt in the corner

When something one has visualized in one's head, and sketched out on graph paper (a method I call SW7, still saving for EQ7 lol) comes to BE on one's design wall, it is quite the feeling.

I was pressed for time, having had oh, just a few other life-type events requiring my attention of late, so I thought I would do an all-over quilt design and let the fabric shine.

However.

Quilts talk to me.  Most often when they are loaded on the frame.  This one was okay with my swirling wind currents idea, but it told me I needed a contrasting design for the background.  Enter ruler work.

And a lot of it!  Yet I wanted to do a little something other than line upon line upon line, and so a 'ghost' border idea was born, similar to that on Gillian's quilt.

I used Aurifil thread for the ruler work, and it stitched up wonderfully.  I loved the way the chocolate brown leaf is not readily apparent on the rich red fabric, but is a kind of surprise in that huge 20" point area.  I was pleased with the contrast of quilting motifs and of the two threads.  I used Essential variegated thread, a spool that Preeti gave me a while back.  This is fabulous thread as well, from Connecting Threads, and Avril loves it, as do I. (no affiliation, just an excellent thread with an excellent price)  I thought a wind currents map idea along with big swirls would be effective as a quilting motif, and it was.

The leaves that float on the cream background got special treatment.  Yes, I originally had thought to do swirls similar to those on the huge leaf, but well, I just couldn't.  I wanted them to be individual and add some interest.  If you've followed me for any amount of time, you know I love love feathers.

Same variegated Essential thread

Hmm, fabulous, but less can be more too, right?

So the idea was born to quilt two of three different designs in each of the six free-floating leaves.  I was mesmerized by the depth and definition I got from the wool batting I used, yardage I picked up last winter at Hancock's Fabrics.

I am so pleased that I did the hours and hours of ruler work.  I still have plenty of room for improvement, areas of bobbles, and places where the lines are not evenly spaced, but the overall effect is wonderful if I may say so.  And I did it, a human, not a computerized quilting machine, right?

My husband, who is known here on the blog only by the nickname, MacGyver, because he values his privacy and does not want to be visible online, very kindly accompanied me on the photo shoot.  I had so hoped for it to be a sunny day yesterday when the photos were taken but sadly, that was not to be the case.  However, at least the rain and crazy wind of Wednesday had gone.

We went to an area within 6 minutes' walk from our house, an arboretum along the Chrysler Canada Greenway, which is a path that is part of the Trans-Canada Trail, one of the world's longest walking trails.  I knew there would be quite the glorious display of colour in various stages because of the wide variety of trees native to this area.  We were not disappointed!

This one has not even begun to change!  You get the idea of the size of the tree, an oak, I believe, when you think that the quilt is 50.5" square...

My only complaint about this wonderful, cathedral-like area is that there are no labels under each tree.  I want to, need to know the name of each one!

So MacGyver propped my quilt under a tree!

I seem to be getting known as the blogger who likes to photograph her quilts in trees.  Others have been doing so, with a nod to me. Aww!  Of course this quilt was destined to perch in a tree...

If my friend Doug has taught me right, this is a red oak.  Pointy leaf ends.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.  Look at MacGyver's favourite tree in the background, a Weeping Willow.  These don't go greenish-gold until November.

The Chrysler-Canada Greenway is a reclaimed railroad track.  In the late 1800s, Hiram Walker built his own railway line that would run rich Detroiters out to Kingsville to bask along the shores of sparkling Lake Erie.  My lovely little town has preserved the Kingsville Train Station, which is at the west edge of the aboretum.  Today, it serves as the Mettawas Station restaurant where you can dine on the most excellent food.  My favourite is their wood-fired pizza.  I had to take a few photos here.

Here is the back of my quilt, at the back door of the station!

I picked up this lovely fabric ages ago, destined for a lining for a quilted flannel jacket.  Said jacket did not materialize, but I do love the new life the lining has been given!

You know I am a label nut.  I was happy to use the first of a labels panel I picked up very reasonably from Missouri Star Quilt Company.

Right at the moment of inserting this photo, I realize I forgot to insert one of my Ikat mmm! quilts labels in the binding...drat!  Ah well, rip out a few stitches, insert label. No prob.

I bound it with a black and grey print that was (lol talk about synchronicity) leftover from the lining for a quilted jacket I did make in the early 2000s and still wear to this day.

Back to the train station.  Front entrance to be exact.

And back to the quilting:

For the two leaves who lay along the 'stem' of the massive leaf, I did some dot to dot work and then used my BF curved ruler from the Quilted Pineapple to do the swoops on the HST leaf points.  Here I used an Isacord thread for the red leaf and a YLI variegated for the purple. Avril slid them through her lovely metalwork like sap through a tree.  ;-)

It was while quilting this large cream background area that the idea of ghost leaves was born.  I could trace those in the fabric, and I did for three random ones, but what if I did ghost smaller maple leaf shapes to mimic the blocks?!  Yes!!  Added an echo around each one of the five, and then filled in around them with ruler work.  All lines are 1/4" apart.

Despite the lack of sun, that shot does give you a good idea of the texture created.  I did take one inside by the patio doors for an all-over quilting effect.

Of course I just had to throw it on the grass and toss some random real leaves on it!  Can you find the real ones?!

If you are still with me with through all the photos, all the facts and figurings and fine educating, it's almost time for some freebies.

Quilt Stats:
Pattern:  Original Design based on the technique in Shadow Quilts
Size: 49.5" square (50.5" before quilting)
Fabric:  Windfall by Paintbrush Studio
Batting: 100% Wool purchased at Hancock's Fabrics last winter
Quilted: on my Avanté 165 836 stitches
Threads:  background: Aurifil 2315 50 wt; huge leaf: Essential 21224; individual leaves on cream background: Essential 20875, 21144, Isacord 1704,YLI 244-30-20V (All threads are 40 wt)

Note, this is one of my goals for the Q4FAL.  My list is here. Feels great to have one done and another off that list on the frame as I type! 

Giveaways!
I have two items free to a good home.  All you need to do is tell me what your favourite tree for Fall colours is for one entry.  For a second entry, tell me how you follow me, new followers welcome.  Please be sure to leave me your email address in your comment if you are a no-reply blogger.

During the first week of September I made a few button baskets to give to friends.  The first giveaway is one of the baskets. I used the gorgeous red from the line, and lined it with the same black with which I bound the quilt.  The tutorial for the basket can be found here at Seaside Stitches.

For a second giveaway, I've cut a 5" charm square of each of the 20 fabrics I received plus the lining and binding fabrics for a total of 24 charms.  You may get a little something else thrown in too.  I will double-check the cost, but I'm pretty sure I will be able to ship these anywhere on this beautiful blue and green planet.

I will draw two names on Sunday night, October 30, and winners will be emailed and announced on Monday, October 31.  So sorry, but with giveaways I won't be responding to comments. Remember to answer the question too or I will draw another name!

Two last items, make that three, phew!
First, if you would like more seasonal inspiration for this time of year, check out one of my QBFFs, Julie at Pink Doxies, post today too!

Second, you may want to check out the classes sale on a Craftsy this weekend, all classes under $20.  That's a pretty sweet treat with no calories.  And yes, that is an affiliate link.  I think.  If it works, new website and new affiliate structure and all.  The sidebar link works for sure!

Third, ........ umm, I forgot.   Ah the lovely lack of brain cells that menopause inflicts upon me.  I'll proofread this and it will come to me.....  Got it.  Only took about 15 minutes of doing various activities, not all of which had to do with this post, lol!  Would anyone be interested were I to do a quilt-along doing this pattern?  We'd make it in a smaller size, say 7.5" blocks so it would end up 38.5".  Let me know in your favourite tree comment please.  It would start in the new year.  Think there's enough going on for the rest of this last quarter of 2016.

If you missed any of the previous posts in the Autumn Abundance Blog Hop, here they are, with giveaways at each stop:
Bernie at Needle and Foot
Janine at Quilts From the Little House
Mari at The Academic Quilter
Tish at Tish's Adventures in Wonderland

Once again, thank you to Paintbrush Studio for supplying the fabrics and to Bernie for all her hard work pulling this together.
Linking up with
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Crazy Mom Quilts
TGIFF at Busy Hands Quilts 
She Can Quilt