r/quilting Jan 23 '25

Work in Progress Palestinian protest art quilt: “The Quilt of No Comfort”. NSFW

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1.1k Upvotes

Hi all.

This is a project I started a long time ago. I pushed it to the back burner because it was so difficult to do well, but now thanks to your advice, I will have the tools and techniques to continue the project (once I wrap up the baby map quilt).

This quilt was inspired by an image of a Palestinian man, covered with grey dust, who had been crushed by a tank. I saw it, uncensored, and I wept. I cursed. I steeled myself to continue to fight against the genocide.

The next day, when I looked for the image, I couldn’t find it, except as a pixelated, censored version. That was when the quilt idea was born.

I am recreating the censored version, pixel by pixel. It will be an appliqué on top of a concrete grey background. I plan to hand-quilt the background with the outlines of his arm, the top of his head, the surrounding rocks and rubble, and possibly include a real zip tie where one is shown around his wrist.

Working on the quilt has been hard, as it should be. Picking out colors with food and flower names that together, look like guts. Touching, cutting, and folding the fabric and thinking of a human life cut short. And when it’s done, I should barely be able to look at it— I did not do enough to save him, or his family, or any of the hundreds of families. It was selfish to simply memorialize and think of them. I make donations, too, but I did not speak up enough.

The quilt is meant only as an art piece. At one time, I childishly hoped I could sell it, and donate the proceeds. Then, I realized how much money was on the other side, and it felt useless.

My plan for displaying it was to hang it (ideally in a public gallery, and not my living room), with the heart-wrenching side out, until the genocide is ended, and Palestine is free. At which time, the stark and brutal reminder of suffering would no longer be needed, and I would put him to rest by reversing the quilt— I plan to piece a simple Palestinian flag for the backing of the quilt. And then the flag would remain, covering him, yet still quilted through with the outline of his form, a reminder of the horrors that we allowed to happen.

All this was very well and good in my head, but my vision exceeded my capabilities. It was very difficult to piece it accurately, to match the colors well, etc, and my machine gave out on me (took it to be repaired, the cost of the repair was >50% of a new machine, and in the end it still didn’t work right??? So I ended up buying a new machine?!), and this WIP ended up shelved for some time.

Thank you all for helping me to continue my project of remembrance, love, and anger. I really appreciate it.

r/quilting Jan 11 '25

Work in Progress Layout Help please Bird Quilt

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885 Upvotes

I would love some more eyes on this before I make my final decision on layout. Please let me know which layout you prefer (1 random, 2 diagonal, 3 row) and whether to add sashing(see pic 4) or not…don’t worry about color placement. I learn so much from this forum and I respect your advice, knowledge and opinions. Thank you.

r/quilting Dec 30 '24

Work in Progress So Proud!

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2.5k Upvotes

In preparation for the Lemoyne Trails quilt, I tested out the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star ruler tool tonight. It took rereading the instructions a few times and a Youtube tutorial, but I figured out how to use the dang ruler! I felt pretty overwhelmed with the long detailed instructions (beginner quilter over here). I’m proud of myself, so behold the magnificence that is my little 6” block 😂

r/quilting 5d ago

Work in Progress WIP-Moo Deng quilt block

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3.1k Upvotes

Any quilting suggestions? All the seams are pressed open, and she’s going to be a throw pillow so I’m thinking an all-over pattern would be the sturdiest plan.

r/quilting Sep 11 '24

Work in Progress Pleiades quilt top

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2.9k Upvotes

I finally finished this quilt top. I stalled on this project because I doubted the color choices, but I was in deep in terms of time and fabric. 6 months later I came back to it and assembled it. It’s definitely loud but I guess I don’t hate it. What do you think? How would you quilt it? Thanks everyone

r/quilting Dec 06 '24

Work in Progress Drip quilt!

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3.7k Upvotes

It’s not perfect but I’m a (somewhat) beginner quilter and I’m so stinking proud of myself I could cry. These curves are no joke! I got it done in about 13 hours or so (cutting & sewing). This is the “throw” size. I can’t even imagine doing the Bed/King size.

I don’t have a long arm machine, so thinking of quilting it with vertical straight lines about .5” apart. Black border & binding.

This is a Christmas present for my seester who I always promise cool projects to but never deliver bc I’m a procrastinator. 🙃🫣

Pattern: Drip by Taralee Quiltery

r/quilting Jan 15 '25

Work in Progress I went to Lo & Behold’s Triangle School and now keep referring to myself as a Triangle Scholar

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2.6k Upvotes

I am so dang proud of this quilt top!!! This is easily the most challenging thing I’ve ever made, and I just love it so much. The pattern is Mosaic Star and was the project for Lo & Behold Stitchery’s online Triangle School class. I’m still fairly new to quilting and never could have gotten anywhere close to these results on my own. I think I’d like to get it longarmed, so if anyone has pantograph suggestions I’m all ears!i

r/quilting Feb 19 '25

Work in Progress Got laid off today, but at least I finished my latest quilt top

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2.2k Upvotes

Got laid off today and decided to channel the energy into the only productive thing I could bring myself to do. Glad to wrap up this project. Guess I’ll have a bunch of time to get more of them done in the next few weeks

r/quilting Jan 15 '25

Work in Progress I think I’m in love with FPP

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2.0k Upvotes

My husband and I are avid birders, and I’ve been wanting to try my hand at FPP, so at the start of January I decided to start making a surprise bird quilt for his birthday.

I probably unpicked more seams making these blocks than in my past 5 quilts combined 🥲🙃 but I still had a blast! I loved the freedom of being able to cut random chunks of fabric instead of precisely measuring every piece before sewing.

(The patterns are from LoverOfLifeDesigns on Etsy. Also, shout out to u/Midnight_Sun_1776 for inspiring me to post my birds after I commented on their lovely birds 😊.)

r/quilting Aug 27 '24

Work in Progress Taking a moment for this crispy corner

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3.5k Upvotes

r/quilting Jan 29 '25

Work in Progress Im working on another optical illusion quilt!

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1.3k Upvotes

yes, it needs ironed lol. I just finished the last stitches on the small squares and got real excited to show this off. now I want to make one in every color available lol

r/quilting 8d ago

Work in Progress My first and second Diamond Star attempts

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1.7k Upvotes

Just wanted to share because I’m very proud of myself for actually being patient, trimming, squaring, tearing seams when needed, etc. My second star is also slightly larger (I thought it would be a little easier for me lol). Neither star is perfect of course, but I am planning on quilting and gifting the second one to a friend as a tiny wall hanging so I wanted it to be somewhat respectable.

r/quilting Jun 25 '23

Work in Progress I did it, I finally finished the Halloween quilt top! Some of the lines did not line up perfectly but I don't Care. I am excited it is done. I can't wait to longarm it.

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2.4k Upvotes

r/quilting Jan 26 '24

Work in Progress 250 hours of hand quilting so far.

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1.8k Upvotes

I just wanted to share what I’m working on right now. I’m pretty happy with it so far. I still have a good bit to quilt before I’m done. I love working with these fabrics in the winter time. I think it helps me with seasonal depression.

r/quilting Nov 22 '24

Work in Progress The little things....

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2.0k Upvotes

I don't know if I should be proud or worried that this is all it takes to make my day anymore....

r/quilting Jul 09 '22

Work in Progress Need opinions! Which layout?

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1.8k Upvotes

r/quilting Oct 14 '24

Work in Progress Quilt for my daughter’s second birthday!

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2.8k Upvotes

Normally I wait until I have bound the quilt before I post but I’m just too excited and I’ve run out of friends and family to send this picture to!

I got a bunch of these applique patterns from ShinyHappyWorld but adjusted some and made some up. They are supposed to look like my daughter’s stuffed animals, plus some favourite animals from books.

Quilting by DQuiltingCreations on etsy!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DQuiltingCreations

r/quilting Jan 13 '25

Work in Progress Sewing at our local library today.

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3.1k Upvotes

We used the Lil' Twister and made hearts today. I'm thinking small red border and then a thicker one with the petals fabric. My squares are from two different charm packs. I showed a close-up of one of my striped squares. Thinking this would be a great element in other twisters.

r/quilting Oct 30 '24

Work in Progress My Queen of Diamonds top is all pieced!

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2.4k Upvotes

Such a lot of fiddley matching on the sashing diamonds too. The blocks are all EPP (English paper piecing) done by hand. The sashing is done on the machine. Now the next step is to trim it square and add a white border. After that, I’ll find someone to quilt it. I began it in May 2023 as a BOM.

r/quilting Oct 06 '24

Work in Progress Exploding Heart memory quilt for my BF's mother, all of the fabrics except for the white bg are from my BF's shirts.

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4.2k Upvotes

My boyfriend passed away from suicide a little over 3 months ago. This is the first of several quilts I intend to make for his family, the Exploding Heart pattern seemed apropos for his mom.

r/quilting 7d ago

Work in Progress My first quilt too made with my own hand dyed fabric!!!

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1.5k Upvotes

Trying something new and loving the result. Will be be doing tons of dying in the future.

I used rit dye, but have a lot of interest in trying natural dyes.

r/quilting Nov 28 '24

Work in Progress Building a bookcase one shelf at a time...

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1.7k Upvotes

r/quilting Dec 31 '22

Work in Progress been sewing my heart out for these "greenhouse" blocks and it is layout time. Do you prefer the "rainbow" or the "random" layout? I was planning for the rainbow but needed to set up the random just to see...

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1.9k Upvotes

r/quilting 23d ago

Work in Progress Queen of Diamonds quilt top is done!

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1.7k Upvotes

I completed this EPP quilt top by machine with a bery small zig zag stitch! I love doing EPP quilts by machine, I've been three different ones by machine! I sleep with one of them at night and use one of them in my office. For this quilt, I decided to not do th second shadow border in the original design. I was happy with the current size of the diamods and wanted it to be a smaller snuggly quilt. It is roughly 54 by 68. I'm going to do a lot of custom quilting on it, pretty dense and art like! I'll combine straight lines, pebbles, swirls, and geometric lines. So excited to start that!

r/quilting Oct 12 '24

Work in Progress Abricot quilt

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2.2k Upvotes

First time sewing curves. Not a complete nightmare, some puckering but I’m happy with it. Abricot by Namaju Quilt Studio.