Monday, August 2, 2021

Beauty and the Beast - Vitrine

Once upon a time before the great pandemic, I was at a fancy store admiring beautiful jewelry.  I have plenty of jewelry including some exquisite pieces from India. But the glittering stones beckoned to me.

Jewelry from India - Necklace, Earrings and Bangles


Only if I had all MY jewelry in a catalogue/showcase that I could admire every time temptation struck. 

This is how this quilt feels - my pretty and adorable fabrics, including low volume beauties in a transparent display case. Hence I have named it Vitrine, a fancy word for a glass display case :-)

New Finish!!!

I had made these blocks starting here, whined about hunter green here, shared my positivity in pinks here, talked about pain via purples here, celebrated with reds here, and ended with yellows here.


Green Jewel Blocks


Teal and Aqua


Cuteness in Orange

Got the Blues

Hunting for the Hunter (Green)

Pretty in Pink


Going to the Dark (Blue) side


Eggplant, Mauve, Lavender, Geranium etc.


Ravishing Reds


Wine and Cherries :-)


You light up my life


I tried taking  stock of all blocks here but I was distracted by a squirrel. Eventually I did count them all, made a few more and came up with a plan to finish it.  It was too large and had to be pieced in quadrants.


Piecing Plan

Border Layout


Bottom Left

Bottom Right


Top Right

And when the four quadrants were put together, the seams were a bit off. YIKES!!! 
But then so is life - beautiful but not perfect.

Finished Flimsy


Pieced in Winter, Quilted in Spring and Photographed in Summer.  

And here we are!!! Finally!!! PHEW!!! With 180 blocks, arranged 12 by 15, this quilt ended at 84" by 105". And that is HUGE!!! The Beauty is also the Beast.


Finished at 84" by 105"

A dark (black and gray) border to frame the low volume blocks and a red plaid binding completed the picture.


Lots to see

Find the robots?

A Monkey and a Llama walk into a quilt...


Hello Charlie Brown!

Lots of Color

Dark Border, Red Binding



My elephant is turquoise!!!

Of course I got sewing supplies

Celebrating low-volume loveliness


This quilt is not just a showcase of fabric it is also a documentation of the year 2020 and the rollercoaster of experiences that it was. Just as capturing the year 2020 in words or pictures is a challenge so also photographing this beast of a beauty was an ordeal. I could not do it alone.  In fact, I had two handsome men help me :-)


Bob is always happy to model



Bright colors and Beaming Bob


Handsome Model, Happy Me :-)



Thanks to Bob, Paul got some respite


Paul was there to hold me and comfort me during the year and he was a perfect model to hold the quilt for the photoshoot.

Found this little gem of a garden with a fountain. I will be coming here for future photoshoots.

Serendipitous Find


I screamed "lower, lower, lower" from across the little lake till the quilt was inches away from the water surface. I was nervous but Paul held tight. 


Thank you Paul!!!


Notice the water zebras?


Ooh the reflection!!!


And here is Paul - holding the beauty while the beast was conquered.

Oh Baby!!!

This my 21st finish (including the Novella Wall Hanging) of the year and I am very happy with my Showcase Quilt - Vitrine. Four new finishes coming soon, but that is for the next blogpost.


Speaking of items I want to showcase (or shamelessly show off) here are two quilt magazines, both featuring the International Sister Quilt Block

Rikstacket from Sweden

Swedish Quilt Magazine


Gail's Abigail Angel and me


Quilteblad from Norway

Norwegian Quilt Magazine

Featuring International Sister Quilt Block

And Gail too with her Abigail Angel



The International Sister Quilt Block was earlier featured in the Canadian Quilter in Fall 2020 issue. 





Here they are - all three magazines  :-)

Yes, I am showing off :-)


Sisters without Borders



Paul: You are popular in cold climates.  
Me: It is the International Sister Quilt Block that is popular. 
Paul: So you take no responsibility?
Me: I am happy to bask in the popularity of the quilt block.
Paul: But why only cold countries?
Me: Guess they make a lot of quilts to stay warm.
Paul: So what country comes next?
Me: Dunno. But if the International Sister Quilt Block goes to Finland or Denmark, I won't be surprised.
Paul: Conquering Scandinavia, I suppose
Me: The Sisters are very adaptable and if they have reached Sweden, Finland is only next door.


I do not know Swedish or Norwegian but that has not stopped me from gleaming. 


Glossy Magazine

Glowing me :-)


I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties including Angela's Linky Party. See full list on the sidebar. But my party is incomplete without your comments. So do let me know what is making you glow today.



50 comments:

  1. Vitrine is beautiful - both from close up and far away! It's such a great way to showcase so many fun and colorful prints. Congratulations on having the International Sisters published, too! I just finished up a mini quilt of the Little Sisters I made. I'll share them later in the week.

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  2. I absolutely love your Vitrine quilt!

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  3. Oh, Preeti -- you've created another scrappy wonder. And CONGRATULATIONS on your International Sisters going truly international!

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  4. congrats on international!! love your quilts and the new quilt finished off wonderfully!

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  5. I love your new Vitrine quilt finish! As usual, your thoughtful fabric mix and carefully fussy-cut block centers make it extra special. For some reason the little milk carton is especially appealing to me! :-). Also, I ADORE Bob the Bronze Quilt Model! How fabulous!

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  6. Congratulations on your Sisters! They are truly international. And I'm Finnish so I'd love to see you in a Finnish mag! Vitrine is beautiful. I think it would look great using Tula Pink's Linework with her solids. I have downloaded the tutorial, so we'll see!

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  7. Congratulations on the magazine articles! Wow!! This quilt really does make me think of glittery jewels. The blocks are just "cute" when you showed them in color groups. But scattering them across the quilt, and then adding that darker border - just genius! It's absolutely beautiful.

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  8. The photos of Paul holding the quilt above the water are beautiful; the reflection makes Vitrine truly shine and sparkle, and hooray for holding on tight and not letting the quilt slip!!

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  9. What a huge quilt! And I loooove the picture with the "water zebras" lol Squishy hugs

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  10. Oh, Preeti! You are so very inspiring! I've added both the International Sisters and Vitrine to my ever-growing list of want-to-makes! While you completed so many quilts last year, I completed exactly NONE. Too much angst and anxiety to allow creativity, I guess. Thanks for the inspiration to get back to sewing and creating regularly.

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  11. That is one beautiful quilt Preeti and I love how you have photographed it. I have a silver bracket a friend brought back from India, it is my favourite. My first time knowing about water zebras 😁🦓🦓. Well done on the popularity of the Sisters, they have brought happiness all over the world.

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  12. That is a gorgeous quilt - and I love the photos, especially over the water.

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  13. Great way to show off our favourite fabrics!!

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  14. It truly is "Beauty & the Beast"--Very beautiful & and very large (too large for me) Love the over the water shots. I have the Canadian magazine with the "Sisters". Congrats on going further world wide with them

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  15. I love your *little* Vitrine quilt and a great display of photo's to show it off. Also well done on your Scandinavian recognition of your International Sisters block. Won't be too long before I read about it here in the UK :)

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  16. You have a gift for finding the best places to show off your quilts. Bob would love to have met you! Three magazine articles from way across the pond. Truly the sisters would agree they deserve the international acclaim. Well done, you.

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  17. You do have a gift for scraps, and certainly deserve all your fame. I think perhaps you should plan a trip to Scandinavia to see some quilts in person. And did you say 21 quilts?! That;s amazing! Have a wonderful, quilty day.

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  18. OMG, the reflection of the quilt in the water is a whole other fantastic quilt idea! Loads of congratulations on your International Sister fame. I first found out about it months ago when my friend Gun in Sweden told me her quilt guild were making the block and I said I'd been watching its development on your blog.

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  19. Your quilt is gorgeous, and just look at all those scraps used up! Congrats on getting featured in so many magazines!!!

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  20. I'm so proud of you! That's fabulous to be in magazines! And your latest quilt is lovely, as always. :)

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  21. It's a great way to use up scraps, but I'm afraid I'd run out of low volume pieces before I was done. You changed the way you add the low volumes pieces after the grrens? Did you do that to simply the sewing and cutting? Just curious.
    Pat

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  22. Congratulations on your international celebrity! You should be absolutely glowing with pride. Vitrine is gorgeous as well and I really loved the reflections in the water. So pretty, so serene.

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  23. Vitrine is GORGEOUS. Great job!

    You could make a little display of your favorite jewelry in a little glass case, or even a wall-mounted shadow box with a door.

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  24. Congratulations on conquering Scandinavia with your Sisters blocks, surely such a thrill to be in print. Love your latest beauty too, as you say, a show case of your sewing projects.

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  25. You're famous! Beautiful work, as always.

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  26. Congratulations on another beautiful finish and on your fame. Two magazines. Wow. The binding on Vitrine looks so good. Perfect choice for the top. And all the lights are lovely. You worked hard to collect all those without getting things that are too busy.
    Congrats again on your fabulous Sister block traveling the world.. at least the cold countries. And the rest will follow soon.

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  27. Wow, do I ever admire your quilt, Preeti! Such a wonderful design and accomplishment, monster-size and all! Too much fun to admire! And congrats on your sisterhood block traveling around the world!!!

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  28. I think this is one of my favourites of all your quilts.

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  29. Such a beautiful quilt! I love all the different fabrics. Bob the Statue is such a fabulous model!!!! Congratulations on all the international attention for the Sisters block!! So awesome!

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  30. I love your Vitrine quilt! It is a wonderful display of fabrics, and your low volume collection is amazing!
    Congrats on the popularity of the International Sisters block--well deserved!

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  31. The Beast - it is lovely!! and it makes the best water zebras!! that was a cool shot. and such a lovely quilt filled with so many memories!! I am impressed at 21 finishes!!! Amazing!

    And congrats for being a world wide quilter - I know a famous person YAY!!!

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  32. Great quilt for showing off a collection of fabrics. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.

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  33. I love love love your Vitrine quilt, so many pretty fabrics to look for! Love the black border, and cute binding too.
    Bravo for the features in magazines!!

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  34. Vitrine is gorgeous! Just love your two happy models. So excited for you and the Sisters...truly INTERNATIONAL...YAY!!!

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  35. The Vitrine quilt is wonderful. As usual, you chose fabulous models for your photo shoot. Congratulations on having your International Sisters block featured in 3 magazines. It's amazing how far they have traveled in the world since you first shared them. I can't wait to see where they appear next.

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  36. Congrats on a fabulous quilt finish and the Sisters going global, Preeti!! (Give them time and they surely will.)

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  37. So many fun things here - a gorgeous quilt and so many magazines picking up the sisters...congratulations on that. Love Paul and the bronze statue...and the reflection in the water. I am amazed at your ability to make each one of those blocks work. It is a perfect quilt.

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  38. Great quilt and great shoot! :)

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  39. I love your vitrine quilt. Quite inspiring. I’m thinking of using it for a model. I want to make a quilt from my daughter’s old clothes. With six kids of her own I think it would make her smile and bring back many memories.

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  40. Your quilt is beautiful, such a simple pattern but so elegant! Love it!

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  41. I forgot to say the International Sisters is such a beautiful blocks and makes meaningful quilts. It's no wonder it's spreading across the world bringing love.

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  42. Fabulous. I've been 'building' sister blocks for a couple of years. LOVE them and Vitrine...ahhhhhhhhh. You deserve every good thing coming your way!!!

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  43. Congrats on so many things. International recognition for the Sisters block. A finish of a beautiful quilt top. Finding a wonderful photo location. Yea for all of them. So what is with the zebra reflection in the pond? It seemed to me there was also a face in the water in front of the zebras. Very cool pool.

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  44. Beautiful quilt! The sisters block is so a beautiful block! Congratulations!

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  45. Hi Preeti, what an amazing post - a beautiful vitrine quilt and your International Sisters going international. Congrats! If you have the chance, please consider linking up to Free Motion Mavericks. We'd love to have you join the fun. Take care.

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  46. I just love seeing all the wonderful Vitrine photos. I have been cutting low volume pieces for awhile now in anticipation of making similar blocks. Now you've given me added incentive plus a border idea. Love it!

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  47. Vitrine is stunning and congratulations on your International Sisters being featured in those international magazines. You are amazing!

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  48. Lovely quilt with plenty to see in each little square

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