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Friday, May 18, 2012

Blogger's Quilt Festival - The DWR, one last time

If you are here from the Blogger's Quilt Festival hosted by Amy's Creative Side, WELCOME and if you are a regular reader and are here because you know I love you, THANKS for your patience while I write, one more time, about the Double Wedding Ring quilt. Lastly, if you are here for FTF, the Festival is my FTF this week.... check it out and you can see why.)
My feature quilt for this Festival is a recently finished Double Wedding Ring quilt. Through it all, it's been "The Double Wedding Ring".  No special name because the pattern, when said out loud by me, in whatever tone I use at the moment, accurately reflects my feelings and opinions about this quilt of mine. I have grown to love this quilt, after cursing it, hating it,  praying to the quilting goddesses about it, seeking assistance from all of you regarding it, procrastinating on it, and forcing myself to get it done.

The background: I started quilting in late 2005 and blogging in 2007. It was in 2007 that I started the ambitious project of the king size double wedding ring quilt. I did not know how to sew curves, or even how to do a double wedding ring but I thought, "surely I can do this. I've sewn some clothing with pleats and I can sew a good straight stitch, I can do a curve."

HA!

I plugged ahead. I bought fabric (without a pattern, just bought a ton of Aunt Grace repo fabric). I found some patterns on the internet and did a couple practice, test pieces with scraps.  At this point, I learned I was screwed.  I wanted to make this beautiful quilt for my girlfriend for her wedding in July and I didn't know the first thing about getting it done right. This was a tough pill to swallow but swallow it, I did.  She would not be receiving this quilt by July but surely, I could still figure it out and get it done, right?

Yup, royally screwed.

Method, after method, including the purchase of a special foot and no luck. The beautiful thing I discovered, however, was the internet quilting community! I found you all to be helpful and enthusiastic in your assistance to my questions.  At the end of the day, I was pointed to the Quiltsmart Method. This method is basically an applique type of method and it worked beautifully. The blocks finally stated coming together quickly and I got in high hopes I could have this done for my friend's first anniversary.
Until I got the top done. Then I realized I knew nothing about quilting a large quilt except I didn't want to pay to send it out (thinking my work was too novice to send to someone else who was so accomplished - wrong, I know, but I was insecure then) and I knew I didn't want to try to quilt it on my domestic machine. I had been pondering a mid-arm and frame and this just became the final push to get one. So I did. Then I felt I needed to do some good custom quilting so the top was set aside while I practiced and learned all the intricacies of quilting on a frame. Then we had some family moves and the top went into storage.

When I took the top out of storage, I had water stains on it. Again, the helpfulness of the online community came to my rescue. "Quilt it anyway," you said.  "Wash it after with a color catcher when you are done," you said. I did both and it worked.
I practiced custom quilting on this quilt, I've learned a new marking technique using the Frixon Pens (posts here and here), and I've realized a true sense of accomplishment.

This quilt has grown with me. As my skills have grown, this quilt has become a symbol of the changes and new abilities.  It has also become an example of my own confidence in my work.

The husband loves it, I love it and instead of being given to my girlfriend, it now resides on my bed. (ps - this is a king sized quilt.) 
Heck, even my puppies, who are the greatest fans of my quilts, love it!
The moral of this long story, keep trying new things and if you set something aside to finish later, get back to it eventually. It's worth finishing it off and seeing how your new techniques and skills take that top you felt so so about to something you love.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the Festival. I plan to browse and browse until I can browse no more this week. I also plan to check out the Sponsor links and do a bit of shopping. I have to show my gratitude for their sponsorship, right?  -wink- Maybe you can take a look, too, these are some great events we get to participate in (and you can join the Festival, too), in part, because of these sponsors.

Thanks for stopping by!
Beck

79 comments:

  1. Love this one and the quilting is fantastic

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  2. OMG! this is awesome, you probably could have learned to quilt by block as you learned all the other stuff. truly a feat to do this even on a mid arm.
    I love it. The dogs do too.
    A wonderful journey you and the quilt have had.
    An inspiring blog.

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  3. this quilt is truly amazing! And I give you a lot of credit for slugging along with the project! Your quilting is wonderful! I am a beginner, and still in awe of such beautiful work!

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  4. Love this - and all your hard work shows! Thank you for sharing!

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  5. I love this post - and your quilt! I love how you went through your process and the work you put into it to make it the great finish that it is. I am SO going to check out those pens. I have procrastinated on a couple quilts just because I know I'll need to mark them and I've never done that before. You have given me much encouragement. Thanks!

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  6. This is a great quilt and a great post!

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  7. I have just finished my first (and probably only!) DWR quilt and am definitely wondering about the way to quilt it. Thank you for sharing your beautiful quilt. I'm glad you persevered through to completion. Lovely work!

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  8. Wow, wow, wow. What a beautiful quilt. And I am so impressed with your quilt journey as you learned some new tricks. The quilting is just plain stunning. Now I'm going to have to get up the nerve to try one of these.

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  9. worth a repeat, this one is a stunner :)

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  10. This is one of my favorite patterns of all time. I think I cringed when I read you were making it for a girlfriend and with a deadline at that. I'm glad you kept it!! I can imagine the work that went into it:) Im will be making this pattern for my daughters weddings (one is a toddler the other an infant) and Ill be sure to give myself plenty of time hhehehe

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  11. Fabulous post and absolutely totally and utterly fabulous quilt, I am in awe!

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  12. that is a truly wonderful story and a beautiful quilt. Well done for pushing through all the setbacks - it is totally worth it! You deserve to be so proud of it!

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  13. fantastic story to go with your absolutely lovely quilt! i laughed that it ended up as yours--can totally relate to all that work and falling in love with a quilt. thanks for sharing and have a great day!

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  14. Whew! This quilt reminds me of the ones I see in American movies that I covet sooo much. It was well worth the effort that went into it.

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  15. Beautiful - I love your fabric choices. Thanks for the tips about the pen and the stains!

    PS - I seem to be accidentally following you around the festival. I've noticed that my comments come right after yours on a number of the stops. :-)

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  16. Anonymous5/18/2012

    The fabric choices are wonderful and the quilting really sets it off! Lovely!

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  17. It is a very nice quilt.

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  18. What a HUGE accomplishment. Good for you! It's lovely...enjoy that quilt! I love that you didn't give up. Good for you.

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  19. Beautiful job on your quilt....I love the Double Wedding Ring!! Thank you for visiting and commenting on my quilt....

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  20. This is an absolutely gorgeous quilt - and a really great story of endurance to go with it.

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  21. I just kept saying "WOW!" as I read this post. Piecing a DWR is an acheivement in itself, let alone going through the angst of seeing it stained, and then you did that amazing quilting yourself!! WOW!!! I'm impressed!!

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  22. Wow, that is spectacular! I have just been thinking of doing a wedding ring quilt! I'm not sure if I will now! I would have cried seeing the water marks. Thanks for the tips and links i will be checking them out.

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  23. I have always wanted to make a double wedding ring quilt. It is on my Bucket list. Yours is just gorgeous as is your quilting. It is lovely to have something so beautiful to chart your progress.

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  24. That's persistence! A wonderful quilt story to go with a beautiful quilt.

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  25. Love this quilt and the story that goes with it.

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  26. Your DWR is really lovely.

    The first quilt I ever pieced was a double wedding ring, just about killed me, but my sister wanted one and after I did hers I decided I needed one too. It's been about 15-20 years since then and I am thinking about doing another, you inspire me.

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  27. Gorgeous! You are so right! There's nothing like trying something new and building up a sense of confidence and skills. Kudos to you!

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  28. What an amazing accomplishment! You must be so proud of it. Good on you

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  29. This is probably my favourite of all the quilts you've ever shown us. The fabrics , the quilting , the whole thing just sings!

    And yes...I may even do one of my own one of these days.

    I would have kept that for myself too..

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  30. great quilt. I gotta try those pens too :-)

    margaret
    www.quiltsoflove.blogspot.com

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  31. I desperately want to make a double wedding ring quilt myself. I already know I'm screwed.

    Loved your story - what a great journey you took on this quilt. And it looks fantastic on your bed!

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  32. Simply beautiful! Great story and I'm glad you kept it.

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  33. This is so lovely Becky! I meant to click through and leave a comment when you talked about it last week, so I'm glad you featured it in the festival :)

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  34. This is just stunning. Thank you for sharing the process as well as such a beautiful quilt.

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  35. Beck, your quilt is beautiful. You have become quite an accomplished quilter. Great job!

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  36. WOW! Stunning. What an accomplishment.

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  37. Okay... wow.. just.. wow. This is ridiculously impressive and beautiful. I DREAM for a double ring quilt but I am so far off from being able to master something like that. It's just gorgeous!

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  38. Loved your story and the progression of this quilt. The quilting is beautiful!!!

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  39. Wonderful quilt and I like your post, too.

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  40. What a great story to accompany your beautiful quilt! I have a few of those projects too. :)

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  41. Anonymous5/19/2012

    What an awesome quilt - I love your story and I'm not surprised you kept it!

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  42. I love the quilting- it's beautiful!!

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  43. Anonymous5/19/2012

    The quilt is exquitsite and your persistence is so admirable! And your ambition. DWR is on my quilting bucket list, but I've never gotten the nerve to actually start one. Congrats on finishing it.

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  44. What a story - and what a lovely result! You are so right to be proud about your finish !!

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  45. Hi! Your quilt is amazing! That is a wonderful but difficult pattern! Great job and I love to see your sweet puppies dreaming over it! x Teje

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  46. I love this quilt and the story that goes with it - well done, but what did you give to your girlfriend instead?!

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  47. What a beautiful quilt! The bloggers' quilt festival is great! I don't think I'll participate this year, but it's a great place to get inspiration and view lots of beautiful quilts!

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  48. That's a wonderful story and a beautiful quilt!

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  49. Fantastic story - and an awesome quilt....truly something to be proud of!

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  50. The quilt is beautiful, and you did a fantastic job with the quilting!

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  51. Stunning quilt, captivating story. Your quiting is beautiful.

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  52. Amazing quilt! One of the most difficult patterns, and you've made it perfectly! Good luck in the festival!

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  53. Wow this has been a mission, but a very worthwhile one-well done!

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  54. that's an unbelievably amazing quilt and a huge well done for persevering with it. I'm not sure I would have done!

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  55. Congratulations on a beautiful finish! Love your story, I wouldn't have been able to give it away either!!

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  56. You can't give away a quilt like that. Every lesson is etched in its seams and quilting--the good ones and the hard ones. What I love most is that you persevered, even when you realized the giant undertaking you'd committed yourself to doing.

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  57. That quilt definitely deserved the honored spot on your bed!!! I had to LOL that you bought a frame and midarm. That is exactly what I do...wait until I have the right tool to do something!

    It is BEAUTIFUL!

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  58. This is stunning! I love how this quilt shows your evolution as a quilter - its wonderful.

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  59. finally I catch up with I have been a comment or two behind you on many posts Your quilt is absolutley gorgeous!!!! I'm going to come back and read more of your blog
    Ann

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  60. You are definately an inspiration! I can only imagination the joy you feel every night when you cuddle up with your beautiful quilt. I am curious though, did your friend ever end up with a handmade gift? Thanks so much for sharing! Smiles~Beth

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  61. Anonymous5/20/2012

    This is so awesome!! I love the story behind it, too. Im starting my second quilt and of course I jumped straight to a king size & am drafting my own pattern. Nothing like jumping straight into the hard stuff! :)

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  62. What an amazing quilt and an amazing journey. Thanks for telling us the story! Inspirational!!

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  63. I love your quilt and the story behind it. So funny that you chose to keep it for yourself. Well maybe not funny, maybe sensible, after all the work. I have been seeing your comments just before mine as I have been going through looking at all the posts, and when I opened yours I thought "I've already seen this one, I think". But no, it was just your blog name that was familiar :)

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  64. That is so beautiful!! Well done on persevering, totally worth it and I'm so glad you kept it for yourself after all that!

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  65. Oh yes, this is a beauty! The Double-Wedding Ring has always been a favorite of mine! I just haven't attempted. Yet!

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  66. Holy Cow...this is a beautiful quilt. You rock, girl. I would love to have a quilting machine. I love doing the quilt tops and HATE quilting....however, with this machine, I MIGHT could do it.:)

    oops, and you have the dreaded word verification ON....:) just sayin'

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  67. Great job, has such a vintage feel. Very romantic.

    Thanks for visiting and commenting.

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  68. Your quilt is so lovely! Thank you for sharing the story. I have some of these blocks in a drawer,too. It's my oldest wip (or ufo)....

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  69. Beautiful quilting. I'm just vain enough to want to quilt my own quilts too and it's a love and labor in process. I bought a HD 16 sit down table quilter and that's been a big challenge too. You inspire me to keep trying.

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  70. This is fantastic. fabulous:))Hputho amabil

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  71. It's a terrific quilt, and a great tale to go with! It's kind of neat that you have a single project showing your quilting evolution, from your tentative starts to a confident finish - a timeline of sorts!

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  72. This is such a beautiful quilt, I loved reading about your journey with it! The quilting is gorgeous. I'm glad you kept it!

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  73. j'admire ce travail et la patience pour la réalisation ,joli résultat et merci pour votre commentaire

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  74. What a beautiful quilt. The double wedding ring has always been one of my favorite traditional quilt patterns and I love the quarter square triangles in the corners!

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  75. Love your quilting. That is something I definitely have to work on! THank you, also, for stopping by my blog and leaving your nice comments :)

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  76. Gosh, it is one fantastic quilt. I love it! Juliex

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  77. Anonymous5/24/2012

    Great quilt! Such classic colors. I wish my double wedding ring was so classic....

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  78. Great quilt and that story has inspired me to try that pattern finally! Thank you!

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  79. Love it Becky. Do the dogs sleep with you guys too? lole

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