Quilt for Aaron

[barnbum]

I had this pattern in mind, but I don't need another quilt and the ones I have aren't selling, but I still wanted to make it.

Then I thought of Aaron, Rachel's most incredible beau. I asked her if it was okay and she said "yeah, he's not going anywhere."

They've been together over a year now, he's 22, she's 21. She said he likes blues, so I worked more blues in.

The quilt name from the book I got the pattern from is Stone Cottage, but I call it Stepping Stones. It's made with all batiks. Aaron will finish with his Bach's Degree in May. He will then be headed to med school. He scored in the 99.9 percentile in the MCAT and he has a 4.0 as an Honor's Bio/Chem/Psy major. He's had two med school interviews--he's on a waiting list at one and is waiting to hear on the other. Rachel is also hoping to attend med school. She works in an ED now and will take the MCAT next month. I think they have done a terrific job stepping on the right stones--on the right path so far, so this quilt is a celebration of that. Plus, I appreciate how happy he makes my girl; he speaks her love language.

Anyway--here's the quilt. The quilter has it done--I'll post a link to that after you see the top.

Here it is quilted: http://www.quiltingboard.com/pictures-f5/customers-batik-quilt-t170803.html

Thanks for looking!

 

[Miniv]

Beautiful Job!!!!

 

[chandab]

Awesome all the way around.

While I don't try too hard, I haven't sold the last couple quilts I made, so today I gave the last one I made to the neighbor (they gave me chopped hay for a couple of my horses last winter, the one poor little guy was in desperate need of dental work, but I was pretty much snowed in). [i'm getting chop from them again this year, but I plan to pay for it, eventually, gotta know how much I'm getting before I pay.]

 

[minisch]

That is beautiful. Nothing better than a handmade gift too!

 

[jacks'thunder]

WOW!! You always do BEAUTIFUL work! It "looks" like it should be for a man! (Kinda that feel to it.

) Thats awsome! I'm a huge batik fan, I think that they have so much potential! LOL!!

Great Job!

 

[islandminis]

Beautiful quilt! I love to quilt and it's always great to have a person in mind while making one. Seems to give the quilt something extra.

 

[Equuisize]

I'm sure Aaron will cherish it forever.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

It's beautiful Karla, as are all of your creations! I am surprised to hear you say some aren't selling as they are so creative and always have such beautiful color palettes.

 

[Reble]

Hi Karla, you always do such a nice job on Quilts, miss seeing your work.

Someday will have to get you to make me one, when I save up tee hee..

Aaron is going to have such a keep sake

 

[barnbum]

It's beautiful Karla, as are all of your creations! I am surprised to hear you say some aren't selling as they are so creative and always have such beautiful color palettes.

I took 79 items to a craft show and sold many $30 items, and some hot pads... nothing bigger. I have many longer Bargello and Log Cabin table runners and Quiltscape panels of farm scenes made into wall hangings... and horses in stalls wall hangings. They all got a lot of attention and many said the prices were very fair... but none sold. Sigh. I sold more items when I posted them on a quilting forum before the show--so many in fact, that I had to stop posting in order to have some for the show. Bad decision... should have sold more before!!! I have a facebook page--Karla's Quilts, in case you're looking for unique Christmas gifts. Or you can just "like" it.

 

[twister]

I took 79 items to a craft show and sold many $30 items, and some hot pads... nothing bigger. I have many longer Bargello and Log Cabin table runners and Quiltscape panels of farm scenes made into wall hangings... and horses in stalls wall hangings. They all got a lot of attention and many said the prices were very fair... but none sold. Sigh. I sold more items when I posted them on a quilting forum before the show--so many in fact, that I had to stop posting in order to have some for the show. Bad decision... should have sold more before!!! I have a facebook page--Karla's Quilts, in case you're looking for unique Christmas gifts. Or you can just "like" it.

it is so creative and beautiful Karla, I am surprised they are not selling but in today's economy I am not surprised people don't have money

Yvonne

 

[weebiscuit]

Ye gads, that's a beautiful quilt! I don't understand what you meant by saying something about a "quilter." I though YOU were the quilter! So, I'm confused!

But it's beautiful, whoever made it! I love the colored squares. Not at all garish, but they look so calming and inviting! I just love hand crafted quilts!

 

[barnbum]

Sandy--I can see why that would be confusing! I made the quilt top, but the quilter is the one who layers the back, batting, and top, and stitches the pattern on it to hold it all together. I "quilt" all projects that are about 40" and less, but it's a challenge for me to stuff a larger quilt under my machine and not have puckers--or just ugly quilting.

The quilters have long-arm machines to do the job. If you look at the link of the photos of it quilted, the last one shows the long arm machine. I don't have a place large enough to even sandwich three pieces and get them flat/taunt. It's tricky! I layer all my projects by tackinig the backs to the wall and use a basting spray to get them together. What a job!

 

[Shari]

You do such stunning quilts!! And some day, I hope I can afford to have you make one for me!!

 

[SampleMM]

I love the quilt. It's gorgeous!!

:yeah

 

[Annabellarose]

A very "masculine" quilt, perfect for a man...

 

[barnbum]

You do such stunning quilts!! And some day, I hope I can afford to have you make one for me!!

Weeellll...I don't do orders. Thanks though!

I decided years ago that the joy for me is in making what I love with the fabrics I love. I hope people will love, and buy, whatever that turns out to be. If I did orders it'd be way too much pressure to meet deadlines and work with fabric I might not like... and the joy wouldn't be there. It was a lot of pressure just to do a craft show! Plus--the work is soooo time consuming to do it exactly the way I want it done--perfectly--that I'd make about $1.75 an hour by the time I was done--or have to charge $2378 for a queen sized quilt.

I've turned a lot of people down. But--if they want to buy what is made and for sale... it's a win win! I decided to not make more quilts for now because they dont sell. But there are some folks who want a floral log cabin quilt... so the next time I have 100 blocks made, and they want to commit, I can see if they are still interested. If not--they will turn into table toppers. Those sell like hot cakes!

 

[Shari]

Believe me I understand. Have the same issue with my Art. Is time consuming what I do and what I charge ends up only being a $1.00 an hour.

Would be much faster if I went back to painting with oils or acrylics.