4/27/15

Let Me Show You the Door

The doors are finished! (Insert celebratory fanfare here.) I'll bet you thought this day would never come! Certainly, I've had my doubts along the way. The first door block was created on July 20, 2012. It seems a lifetime ago. Yesterday I was able to finish the 11th door. This morning I put the finishing touches on door #12.

First, door #11: When I checked back on my travel posts, I was able to remind myself that this is O'Brien Tower at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. You can read what I said the day I visited this place right here. To my recollection, it was a fabulous day.


It's technically not a door; but, as I'm fond of saying, my quilt, my rules. It was a bit of a challenge to get the perspective right, and I was also dealing with the photography problem known as "keystoning", where tall buildings tend to lean backward. Anyway...I did the best I could, and it turned out okay. I've kept all my doors fairly primitive...mainly because I'm a crappy artist. 


After that was finished, I took a break for a couple of hours. It wasn't my intent to get started on the next one right away, and I was still gnashing my teeth about how to capture the dog statue out front and the items in the window. The problem with both is that there is a lot of detail, and the appliques are tiny. Without having some kind of laser cutting tool (lacking in my sewing room), I didn't see how I was really going to capture enough detail in these for them to look like anything other than big gray blobs.


Then, it hit me that I could simply print the window onto fabric, but out the pieces I wanted, and still add the little bits of color with fabric applique. Here's where I was when I quit for the day yesterday:



Somewhere along the way, I lost the little dog at the top of the window, wearing the green jacket. Even with printing the picture on fabric, the detail was barely visible, and so I filled in some of the lines with a Pigma Micron pen.

This morning, first thing, I finished up the top-stitching, added embellishments, and door #12 was finished. Yay!


Here's a collage of all twelve doors:


While traveling way back in May of 2013, we stopped off at the Quilting Bee quilt shop in Spokane Valley, Washington, where I purchased some fabric for the back. (That's a great quilt shop, by the way.)


I'm afraid I didn't purchase nearly enough, and so I'll probably use this in the borders. Also, I might fussy cut some of those shamrocks to use when I set it in a single Irish chain. Originally, I thought I might use a Double Irish Chain, but then the quilt would be as big as all outdoors. Instead, I'm going to use a setting something like this:


The blocks will all have green borders in order to bring them to the right size, and then I'll figure out what else to do from there.

So, I'm feeling pretty darned spunky about having all the doors finished. Now I'm excited to get to work sewing it together. On today's agenda, I have a pedicure this afternoon, and I need to do some things out in the yard. And with all those doors finished, I'm energized and ready to get going.

Today I'm linking up to:


23 comments:

Marei said...

Congratulations (blowing of trumpets and beating of drums)! Your doors are wonderful and this is going to be better than any postcard for remembering your trip to Ireland.

quiltzyx said...

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ZGV637jXA ) TRIUMPHANT FANFARE!
The Doors look fabulous!!! Now looking forward to seeing it all together.

WOooOOOOooOOHOOooooOOoOOOooooo!!

Christine M said...

Your blocks look great Barbara. I love the tower one.

Lyndsey said...

Those door blocks are wonderful Barbara. I love the pet shop and the castle. They are going to make an amazing quilt. I'm a little confused about your notion that you're a crappy artist but if that's the case long may it continue as you produce fabulous work.

Dana Gaffney said...

Wow that was fast! They both look great, I like the pet store window much better than the real one.

Unknown said...

The castle is wonderful. Is that stone fabric? or, what? I spent all day in the yard but need to get to the sewing machine soon or I'll forget how it works. Sew on.

Shari said...

Love all of them! It's been fun watching you make these blocks. Can't wait to see the final quilt.

Brown Family said...

Congratulations! I know you are happy to have this one behind you! A closed door, so to say!

Junebug613 said...

Way to go! Wow, it doesn't seem like your trip was that long ago. No wonder I feel like I know you... I've been one of your blog stalkers for at least 4 years.... Ha Ha! Can't wait to see this one finished. Irish Chains are on my wish list of quilts to make.... Someday.

Mrs.Pickles said...

congrats!! they all looks great!

dq said...

I just love your door quilt and will await following its progress.

Celtic Thistle said...

Congratulations on whipping out that final door Barbara! They look wonderful together.

Zabawa said...

Потрясающие работы!

SJSM said...

This is a unique and creative way to chronicle your trip to Ireland! You have captured your memories as well as made a work of art. Do contact the Irish quilting organization that Inspied this trip and show them pictures of the quilt once done. I'm sure they will ask for this quilt to take a trip across the pond to show their Irish countrymen (women) what a trip to Ireland inspired. I love how you captured the feel of Ireland by using doors.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

This is just a wonderful way to tell a story of an adventure - well done.

Nita said...

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap! ( standing ovation!)

LethargicLass said...

Watching this project come to life has been so much fun!

Snoodles said...

Bravo! (Whistling) Bravo!
This is so awesome! Love how the last two turned out, and then all of them together? Wow.
Super job!

gpc said...

I have loved watching this quilt form and it is the one of all your amazing quilts that has amazed me most of all. Love love love love it, just think everything about it is BRILLIANT! :)

Judy1522 said...

Well done on the Irish Doors! You did a great job of interpreting the pictures and what a special way to remember your trip.

Angie in SoCal said...

They're so neat! I've enjoyed each one you've made. That is a great setting for them. Congrats, Barbara - look forward to seeing the quilt.

KMSC said...

I love your doors (that's a weird sentence). Anyway, I can't to see the finished quilt.

Kate said...

It's going to be a magnificent quilt. I think you should use the post title as the name for the quilt. Congrats on getting all those blocks done.