First finished quilt of 2016
05/02/2016 § 7 Comments
For a baby girl, born on 23 January 2016 and named Isla …
The quilt was commissioned by her grandparents and tells a story. With Balinese fabric included as her parents first met whilst on holiday in Bali, little houses as Daddy is an architect, I Love London because that’s where the family live and where little Isla was born and the bumble bees – well that’s another story but they’re a significant choice for her quilt!
It’s a quilt that will grow with her – perfect for her first bed.
and this morning, it looked a treat hanging up for a photoshoot on the new ‘design wall’ in my studio…
Have a good weekend everyone
Adaliza x
I’m linking up with and popping over to Finish it up Friday to see what everyone else has been creating too!
Oh my goodness …
22/06/2014 § Leave a comment
just look who’s curled up on one of my quilts!
Annabelle and her quilt
Baby Annabelle came into this world just over a week ago. Her arrival was eagerly awaited by her lovely Mum and Dad and, strangely enough, by me! We’re not related, but Annabelle’s Dad took a shine to one of my quilts many months ago, when he spied them on my stall in Winchester, way back on a windswept day in March. We got chatting and then Annabelle’s Mum asked me to send her some photos of one very pretty quilt that had caught his eye. It was a quilt that I’d called ‘Cariad’ – Welsh for beloved.
I’d designed this quilt especially for a little girl – but I had no idea who she’d be. I kept Cariad to one side until Annabelle arrived – if she’d turned out to be a little boy then we’d have had to have a rethink! I added an embroidered name label with her birthday, on the day following her arrival, so she’ll always know it’s her special quilt. It was with great joy that I rocked her in my arms when she was handed to me for a cuddle last Thursday morning, as I handed over the quilt to her proud parents.
Isn’t she absolutely beautiful? I may have to borrow her for some quilt photoshoots as she grows up. She could become the ‘face of Adaliza Quilts – now there’s an idea!
Thank you so much A’s Mum and Dad for allowing me to show the photos here on my blog and for the lovely testimonial they wrote:
“We bought our quilt as a special keepsake for our newborn baby girl, and it really is something she will be able to treasure forever. The care and creativity that has gone into the quilt is astounding and it really brightens up the nursery. Adaliza also really cared about making sure the quilt was right for us and her communication throughout was brilliant.”
“It was my pleasure. Cuddle up, Annabelle. Keep warm and snug, little one!”
Adaliza x
A quilt commission …
22/02/2014 § 2 Comments
for a lovely lady.
Late last Autumn, I met a lovely lady who stopped at my market stall in Alton, for a chat in the sunshine. She admired my quilts, and asked if I could make a quilt especially for her. She went away to think about what she’d like to take back to her home in South Africa. When we met again a month or so later, ‘D’ asked if I could make her a quilt in subtle, neutral colours and white with possibly a few focus patches. I said I’d do some research too and send her some photos of possible fabrics.
We experimented with some colour combinations incorporating subtle aquas, taupes, beige and soft pinks. However, D had a colour scheme in her mind’s eye and it was my job to translate it into fabric. Quickly we ditched the colours, and then met up and went fabric shopping together, deciding to work with large square patches to fit over a double bed.
1st draft – fabrics incorporating some aquas and pinks – soon to be dismissed
2nd draft – patches laid out roughly to get an idea of how they’ll work together
D had an idea that she may like some honey tones, a script fabric and stripes. We rummaged together through remnant tubs and found some beautiful textured floral fabrics that she loved. The darker script worked well, the stripes were awesome but somehow those honey patches and a darker floral didn’t fit in- so out they came!
A further hunt – now going solo – I discovered a beautiful gingham that I thought would be just perfect.
3rd draft – looking good (it came on holiday with me in October)
We’d agreed on a wide white border all around and it always amazes me (even after making over 100 quilts), the transformation that occurs between rough patches and a finished quilt with borders, puffy quilting and smart hand-stitched binding …
finished quilt – clean and crisp – tranquil colours
beautiful neutrals, floral and pure white border, a narrow stripe and pure white binding
soft neutral tones
and finally – a special name for a special quilt – named after D’s grandmother
My special moments from this commission:
- chatting away in the Autumn sunshine, in beautiful Alton
- meeting up in Winchester, with a bag full of fabrics, a cup of coffee and doing a spot of fabric shopping
- discovering a beautiful fabric that worked well in reverse (light flowers on a dark background, then flipped over, dark flowers on a light background) – brilliant fabric
- working together to make those fabrics work so well together – a real team effort
- deciding on the name – something to remind D of her time in England, to symbolise an English summer
- a Ta-Dah moment at the beginning of December – one I’ll always remember
Adaliza x
