A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz.
~Humphrey Bogart
Quilting
I pushed and finished the quilting, the signature, and the binding of the SF Giants baseball quilt. Hooray. I began thinking about it when the season began in April and now there are only six more games in the regular season. The Giants already have a spot in the post season but need five more to win the division.
My husband is thrilled to finally get his own baseball quilt and thinks it’s bringing the team good luck. No one is more superstitious than baseball fans.
The colors and the black and white fabrics make it very graphic and the variety of greens set off the skin colors of the various players. Plus, they add more interest. Most of my quilts have many more fabrics than this.
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| SF Giants baseball quilt |
Changing all the threads took more time - a couple of weeks more. And burying threads is one of my least favorite tasks, even with Sench self-threading needles. These have a side slit instead of a closed eye and they make it easier to make a single stitch such as thread-burying. They aren't for multiple stitches. Mel Beach introduced me to them. Read what she says here.
We have more favorite players than can be fielded so I didn't add their numbers. Lefties and righties are included...
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| Left and right-handed Giants baseball players |
along with players wearing knickers instead of long pants. Kaja informed me that word means underwear in the UK rather than America’s definition as “men’s pants that end at the knee and usually worn by boys.” Years ago I read an article about divergence of a common language in different regions. Here’s some evidence supporting the thesis.
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| Giants baseball players in long pants and knickers |
My last minute decision to add a catcher in his chest protector livened the quilt up some more. Can you see that he's throwing the ball?
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| SF Giants catcher |
Watching baseball is DH's idea of bliss... and mine, too. We've been fortunate to have seen many in person over the years. I enjoy watching on TV, too, because they replay events frequently and use multiple views. I don't, however, enjoy seeing players spit on TV. TMI with a high definition TV. Yuck.
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| Back of the SF Giants baseball quilt |
After making a long list of possible phrases for the back, I chose to modify the 7th inning song. The back has the alternate {leftover} diamonds from the front. I made some adjustments to match the length of the back to the front but still needed some additional fabric for the sides. Hence the grunge black. The diamonds don't match up point to point with the front and the thread changes are more visible here.
One of the ballplayers in knickers is visible underneath the capital T.
My only regret is that I wish I'd made one for me, too.
Quilt Specifics
Size: 71" x 71"
Design: Original
Batting: Hobbs Heirloom Premium Natural Cotton
Thread: Superior 50/3 green and white cotton thread, Gutermann orange cotton thread
Quilting: FMQ
Approximate yardage: 16.5yds
Previous posts:
Reading
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| A Quilter's Practical Guide to Color by Becky Goldsmith |
Becky Goldsmith's Quilter's Practical Guide to Color was available at the library. Somehow I'd missed it when it first came out. I admire her work and enjoyed learning about her ideas for using fabric. As the title says, it's practical but also enjoyable and readable.
Monthly FUR (Fabric Use Rate)
Two finishes this month and one is this lovely baseball quilt DH has been patiently waiting for several years. September = 24 yds. YTD = 124.375 yards.
32 comments:
Neat baseball quilt--nice work hugs, Julierose
Congratulations on such a fabulous finish! I love all the little details and the graphic look with the black and white. The quilt is a stunner!
This turned out really well. You put a lot of thought into it and you both get to enjoy it! I suppose I could root for the Giants to go all the way, but my Tigers have been very successful this re-building year so I will remain loyal to them!
I'm not really a baseball fan but this quilt is fabulous! The book looks interesting too! Jan in MA
Your husband is very lucky to get his unique masterpiece quilt. I'm sure he appreciates all of the time it took to make it. Maybe you need to make your baseball quilt all words associated with the baseball and the team. You could make the back the same as his.
Your quilt came out great! Both sides did.
I had a class once with Becky Goldsmith... she was a good teacher but at one point wrapped her arms around me while I was seated to show me how to applique her way and she held the work so close to my 45 year old eyes! I leaned back to see better and my head pressed into her chest! It was a funny moment!
I love it so much, Ann! So personal yet relatable. Please send your blog post to the Giants organization. They will be thrilled to see it. What a fantastic quilt.
Absolutely delightful and I'm not even a baseball fan. Hope it gets a lot of use.
Love all the details in your quilt. Here in NZ 'knickers' also refers to underwear! I must check out those self-threading needles.
This is such a fun quilt with a great story. Yes, knickers in Australia is underwear too.
Ann, it's wonderful! You should enter it into a show. The diamond border is perfect.
For sports minded quilt lovers: Wonderful quilt! Now make yourself one of your own.
Thanks, Julierose.
Thanks, Patty. It's fun coming up with the details and I was delighted to use those black and white prints so well.
Thank you, Sue. I've enjoyed both baseball quilts but this one is extra special because it's the team we root for. I'm glad your Tigers are rebuilding well.
Thank you, Janice. Perhaps you can find the book at your library or in a used bookstore. It was a good read.
Thanks, Wanda. He is delighted to have it done and he never complained that it took me so long to even get started. What a good idea to make mine with Giants words and phrases.
Thanks, Gail.
What a funny story, Lee Anna. I lived in north Texas for years but never took a class with her. My loss.
Oh, Joni. You are too kind. I'm glad you like it.
Thanks, Robin. It's already his favorite.
Self threading needles make burying threads much easier. There are a few different makers but I like the Sench.
Thanks. It's funny how words change from country to country. Our knickers are short for knickerbockers.
Thanks, Nann. I don't know if my husband wants to give it up that long. That diamond fabric has been in my stash for years waiting for the "perfect place" and this is it. Hooray.
Thanks. I guess I will some day.
Fabulous and fun quilt! so creative and unique.
Thanks, Barb. It was a joy to make.
Well I think this one is even better than your original so imagine what a third one might be like? lol What a great theme quilt with lots of interest and creativity. Love how personal it is too.:)
Glad you are finding the Sench Side-Threading needles handy with burying thread tails!! This way you can get back to designing more fabulous quilts!!
The thought of just writing phrases intrigues me. But there are still a bunch of quilts in the queue. The best part is always the joy on the recipient's face. And watching them use it. My husband is delighted.
They sure make life easier. Thanks for showing them to me, Mel.
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