Friday 15 July 2011

Hearts Desire: A Mystery No More

Here we are, at Part 6: the final installment

This month you are finishing the quilt top. You will be adding a few finishing touches to the first centre block, embellishing your applique if you wish and joining the blocks together.
Hearts Desire was designed with 1 outlay, however my sample sewer put it together another way and I have offered this option to you as well. Once you have decided which ‘way’ suits your style, you will then be joining all the blocks together and adding the borders.


I have been guilty of growing this quilt – it is now 83” at it’s finished size. This is thanks to the borders I could not resist adding. I really felt, having looked at the finished quilt top for a few months, that the extra curvy pink border was needed. Of course, whether you add this border is completely up to you.

Really, I don’t feel I even need to say that anymore because when I see what has been created by you talented women, I just know you will make it your own and make it suit you. That is a real treat of the Yahoo Group – seeing the surprises and interpretations that come with each new listed photo.
I know this mystery was difficult for some of you at times (so many pieces, so much applique!!), time consuming all the time and being a mystery it was somewhat frustrating too.

It was quite difficult laying out the monthly schedule when I sat down to do so because this quilt could very easily be a 12 month mystery – but therein is another problem. With work of this intensity, there was too much potential to meander and then relegate to the WIP pile. I did feel that the best approach was intense diligence. This is mostly because of my own schedule – I’m already on other projects and am moving at a slighter faster pace than usual.
Many of you are still working through blocks in your own time, and interpreting blocks...and this is all wonderful and I do want to take a moment here to thank you for deciding to join me in the mystery. It takes a lot of trust to cut into beautiful fabrics and go along with someone else’s design, especially  when you can’t see the end or even be sure that you’re going to like it. I hope that it has been as rewarding for you as it has been for me.

PS
In the next week or two, I will be posting updates as I work through quilting this quilt. So if you interested in how I take my quilt tops into finished quilted quilts, stay tuned. I will be domestic machine quilting Hearts Desire.

19 comments:

  1. This is so gorgeous put together. I do like that last border. I can't wait to see how you quilt it also. It may be a little while before mine gets done.

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  2. Esther, this is really beautiful, as all your quilts are. I really would have liked to do this one but as I hadn't finished last year's one, I decided not too (but have followed it with interest).This is truly a work of Art!!

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  3. Wow, it's so beautiful! I hope my techniques grow to be good enougt to try such a beautiful project!

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  4. That is so beautiful. I love the way you combine piecing with applique. Will you have the pattern for the whole available to buy?

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  5. Wow Esther!
    This design is absolutely beautiful! We will have to see how many designs win ribbons again! I am sure your quilt will be red ribbons all around!
    Take care, Leslie

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  6. Beautiful Esther and Thank you so much for sharing. I see you used the different center block. I like the way everyone has interpreted the blocks made their own changes etc. You are a great designer and make people think as they go to make their own blocks. I am a followerer so mine is coming out as the pattern was given. Still have a way to go had to stop and make Granddaughter a horse quilt for her 4th birthday.

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  7. Beautiful Esther and Thank you so much for sharing. I see you used the different center block. I like the way everyone has interpreted the blocks made their own changes etc. You are a great designer and make people think as they go to make their own blocks. I am a followerer so mine is coming out as the pattern was given. Still have a way to go had to stop and make Granddaughter a horse quilt for her 4th birthday.

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  8. Esther, seeing the final quilt with the beautiful wavy border is breath taking. Just thinking about all of the work you put into designing it and having the pattern given away for free is nothing short of amazing. Thank you for leading everyone on this creative journey. I'm FAR behind, but determined to finish.

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  9. That is absolutely stunning!

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  10. Esther this mystery is absolutely stunning due to other commitments I had only been able to follow. you are right the Yahoo group has gorgeous blocks from your mystery I can`t wait to see how they put them all together. You are a fabulous designer cutting into one of your mysteries would always compliment my fabs.

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  11. I discovered your cite and blog a few weeks ago--so have been unable to download the last 2 of this series. I know the others are available for purchase. Just wondering if you may have a few days where newcomers might be able to secure the others in the series? I have you in my favorites now for sure! Your design is really fabulous!

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  12. Can't wait to see the finish product.
    Love the quilt.

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  13. Thanks for letting us all share in the adventure.

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  14. Thanks for sharing the adventure with all of us! I've always loved a good mystery, and this is so much better than the ones in which people go missing. Your beautiful flowers have kept things bright in my sewing room.

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  15. It is a great adventure to me sewing your wonderful Hearts desire quilt. This is my first BOM with you and I enjoy your lovely and precise pattern so much. So thank you so much for this opportunity :o)

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  16. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful quilt. I have and will enjoy watching your progression to the finished quilt

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  17. Esther this is so amazing. I just know if I had of seen this before I started I would have never attempted it. I am so happy this was a mystery. As you know I am fairly new at appliqué and I have learned so much. I have a lot more to do but I will keep on until I have finished this gorgeous quilt. Thanks you so much.

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  18. The finished quilt is absolutely a dream. I have not gotten to work on my blocks this past week so I'm still working on my last two blocks. I am so happy to have been a part of this mystery. It was truly a challenge for a new applique person like myself, but well worth it.

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  19. Beautiful and love your designs.

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