I Spy Something Under The Dome

With the second season finale of Under The Dome having aired earlier this week, it seems like the right time to talk about the quilts used in the series.

Looks like Mr. King knows the comfort of a quilt - or at least someone on the set does!


If you haven't seen the series yet, you might not want to read on, as there might be a few SPOILERS!

Season One

The first quilty item I spotted was in the 7th episode of the first season. Norrie's Mother, Alice, is reclining on a quilted pillow? runner? when she is dying. As far as I can tell, it isn't hand-made, but I still thought it's worth a mention.


Alice Dying in Season 1, Episode 7

One episode later, the "four hands" cover the egg with a quilt to hide it in the barn (one must say, that's very inconspicuous - not!). In episode 12 they also transport it to their friend's house with the same quilt. It's a beautiful Bear Claw quilt and by the looks of it, it's seen its fair share of use and washings!

Bear Claw Quilt in Season 1, Episode 12

Interestingly enough, a few scenes later, the quilt is replaced by another one. Was that a simple glitch or actually intended that way? Who knows, but we get to see two different quilts, so I'm not complaining!

Another Quilt in Season 1, Episode 12

This one is mainly made up of different 16 patches, but I can't really tell what the blocks in the middle are. Can you?

 

Season Two

Sadly, over half of the second season was quilt-free. Or did I miss something quilty?

In episode 10, Norrie and Joe are cuddling under a quilt, as it got colder under the dome. It's a fairly simple design, just squares sewn together. It looks more like something you can buy at Anthropologie & Co., rather than a hand-made quilt.


Norrie under a quilt in Season 2, Episode 10

One episode later, the population of Chester's Mill is huddling up in the High School because of the cold. There are quite a few different quilts and blankets shown:

Quilt Galore in Season 2, Episode 11

Unfortunately, I didn't detect any hand-made quilts in the bunch.


Have you spotted any more quilty items in Under The Dome?

All the best,
Cat.

Falling Waves From Hell

Today I'll tell you about the...(let me count) third quilt I made.

Let's just say: This one wasn't pretty! I basically hated every single step of the process!

Here's a first glimps of the culprit:

Falling Waves Quilt

 Looks innocent enough, doesn't it? If only it were so...

The Fabric

I found different fabrics in the sales bin at my local quilt shop. They were being sold for $5/m - which is a great deal in an area where fabric is sold for $24/m! I bought three fabrics in shades of pink because I thought they would work together nicely. Definitely not my favourite colour scheme, but it was - comparably - cheap!

The Piecing

This quilt was actually all about practice! I planned (and still plan) to make a quilt with HRTs (Half Rectangle Triangles), but they are not that easy to make without loosing all the points. So I decided to pratcise with HSTs (Half Square Triangles).

I used - what could possibly be described as - the traditional way of making HSTs: put two squares on top of each other, sew down the diagonal twice 1/4" from the middle.

I didn't calculate that every two squares sewn together that way would also yield two HSTs and I ended up with far too many! I was planning on a baby quilt, but now it's closer to the size of a lap quilt!

You can imagine that it took me a long, long time to sew them together, press them (half to the dark, the other half to the white) and square them up! I think I went through a whole audiobook. That's over 30 hours!

I was already fed up just looking at them!

Falling Waves in all its Hellish Glory

Then came the sewing them all together part. I hadn't met the 1/4" seam (or just a consistent near 1/4" seam) yet. Need I say more? Nope, it's blatantly clear I did a lot of ripping, re-sewing, re-ripping and re-sewing of these stupid pink fabrics I didn't like to begin with, sprinkled with imaginative swearing, groaning and foot stomping.

That's also when I learned: There's a moment when you just have to let that idea of all perfect points go and move on! And move on I did - quiet happily I might add!

 

The Backing

Having many leftover HSTs I decided to incorporate same of them in the backing. I decided to go with a strip with an easy heart design. The design and making of the back was probably the most fun part for me. No major hiccoughs either!

Back of the Falling Waves Quilt

The Quilting

Oi vey!

I started off with simple stitch in the ditch - or in my case to the left or the right, over and through the ditch! But it looked a little unfinished so I decided to add a few more lines. Naturally, I didn't really manage to space them evenly. Oh, well, who said it was planned that way anyway?! :P

The Quilting on the Falling Waves Quilt

Of course the whole quilting process didn't go smoothly. Somehow the spare backing and batting got caught in the quilting not once, not twice, but seven times!

More swearing, groaning and foot stomping ensued.

And out came my much used and dearly hated seam ripper!

I don't know why, it never happened before this quilt and never ever after this one (touch wood!).

Let's just say I'm very happy I got this quilt finished (big woohoo!) and bound and stored away!


I still have quiet a few pink HSTs left over in a baggy somewhere. I might pull myself together some time and make a few pillows are mini quilts out of them. Maybe when I'm finally gifting that quilt to someone...



All the best,
Cat.

I Spy With My Little Eye ... Something Quilty!

If you've read the little blurb about me (just look to the right ->), you know that I watch far too many TV series. As in "I could probably do more productive stuff (e.g. sewing :-P) several hours a day" too much! Luckily, I'm a multi-tasker, so I usually watch TV, check my mails, cook and bake (and eat), write this blog and sew. All at the same time.

So while watching one of the countless series, I suddenly had what I call a "brain blitz": Why not combine these two passions of mine?

So just before the fall series start again, I came up with a challenge:

 

Find all quilty items in your favourite series!

Here are a few examples of quilts in TV that I have already collected:

This Melissa McCall's bed quilt as shown in Teen Wolf.


MTV's Teen Wolf, season 3 episode 7

I'm fairly certain that this is not actually a handmade quilt, but bought. Though it would be easy enough to recreate with triangles in different beige/tan and pink fabrics.

 

 

This one is from a fairly old series. Do you remember Fran Fine, the nanny with the very uhm...unique voice?

 

 

The Nanny, season 5, episode 17

In one episode she stripped her senile grandma to give her clothes to rapper Coolio (yeah, those were the times! Does he even exist anymore?).

It's a beautiful sampler quilt in light greys and pinks with a cream background.



I'd much rather be wrapped in this quilt than Coolio's "cool" rapper ski jacket!



The third one I found in a new series (that will be lucky to see its second season, it's just too cliché! Honestly, why can't they come up with at least a somewhat new idea?!) called Young and Hungry.

 



Young and Hungry, season 1, episode 5

It's a very scrappy quilt laying on the two girls' couch. As far as I can tell, it is not actually quilted, but tied with yellow thread, if I'm seeing correctly.

If you want to see this quilt in action, watch the last minute of the season finale!

 

 Soooo...have you spotted any quilts in your favourite series?

 

I for one will most certainly be watching TV with quilter's hawk eyes this coming season. I'll keep you up to date, no worries there!

 

All the best,

Cat