Postcard from Sweden Finish
My Postcard from Sweden quilt is finally finished, and I’m excited to show it to you today.
This has been a collaborative project between me and my longarmer and good friend, Connie. When I brought the quilt to her, we kicked around some ideas for the quilting. I’ll show you that in a minute.
The name Postcard from Sweden makes me think of the summer vacations my family took when I was a kid. We were a camping family, towing a camper wherever we went around the U.S. One of my favorite things was to send postcards back home to my grandparents and friends. So when it came to finding backing for the quilt, I had to go with a fabric with text.
I used this grey fabric with text, made by Andover. It reminds me of the scribbly writing often seen on the backs of postcards!
So, thinking along the lines of postcards, Connie and I thought about mail going all over the world. So she suggested we quilt a map of the world on the front of the Postcard quilt. I’m doing to do my best to show you the quilting.
Can you see the outline of Africa?
Here’s South America. The continents are quilted with vertical lines. The water is quilted in waves.
Difficult to see, but this is North America. See Florida there in the mid-right side?
Connie used a grey thread for the quilting, and it blends really well with all of the bright colors.
Here’s one more photo of the quilting on some of the lighter fabrics.
A full view photo of the quilt on my deck.
Although I didn’t get the quilt done in time for the end of the quilt along with Sandra of mmm!Quilts, I thoroughly enjoyed making this quilt. I’m delighted with it!
Linking up today with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
Did you send postcards when you were a kid? I’d love to hear about it.
Enjoy your weekend, everyone!
Wendy
41 Comments
Kathy
Wow! Love the bright colors and it looks beautiful! And great work quilting too! What a show piece!
piecefulwendy
Thank you, Kathy!
Preeti
GASP!!!
No wisecracks today. Just pure admiration and awe. I bow to the quilting queen.
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Preeti!
Lynn White
Wow, Wendy that is stunning. I also finished mine (well almost just a little bit of binding to go). Straight lines are amazing, I was well and truly done with mine but yours are another level altogether!
piecefulwendy
Thank you, Lynn! Heading over to see yours now!
Lisa J.
I love that you put text fabric on the back it’s so fitting and what a brainwave to quilt a map of the world. It makes the quilt so special. I bet you are keeping this one.
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Lisa! Yes, I’m keeping this one 🙂
Melanie McNeil
That’s brilliant, in both ways! Congrats.
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Melanie!
shelteringhaven
Wow! Wow! Wow! Wendy, you and Connie created a remarkable piece of art! This is so fabulous! ❤️
piecefulwendy
Thank you, Diane 🙂
RicefordStreams
Wow, Wendy and Connie, the quilt is amazing! Wendy, love your choice for the backing as well. I hope you enter this in a quilt show so people can see it. The fabrics, pattern, and quiowould appeal to a lot of people.
piecefulwendy
Thank you, Tracie!
karenfae
I still send post cards now even though there is email and texts – my daughter’s great niece by marriage loves to get post cards and she is included as part of the family and I always try to send her a couple of them on our trips – I love how you all quilted the county’s on the quilt!
piecefulwendy
Thank you, Karen! Fun that you still send postcards 🙂
cozyquiltslb
What a lovely quilt. I love hearing the back story to your quilt. You have a very talented friend and longarmer…..did she have a panto for “the world” or did she create it herself? Yes, we travelled North America with our camper trailer, but never sent any postcards
piecefulwendy
Thank you! Connie created the design herself. I have fond camper trailer vacation memories!
Cocoa Quilts
Wendy love the backing pick. We too were a camping family, although we were tent campers with a boat. Beautiful finish.
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Jan!
Vicki in MN
While the quilt is just beautiful in itself, the quilting was so darn clever!! Good job you two:)
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Vicki!
Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting
Whoa!!! How did Connie do that?! What an amazing finish to an amazing quilt! I have so many questions. Do the continents run up and down or crossways on your quilt? And how did she do that? Did she get Japan in there? (personal interest!)
piecefulwendy
The continents run horizontally on the quilt and yes, Japan is in there.
TextileRanger
I love the bright colors. Remember that old math problem about “what is the minimal amount of colors you can use to differentiate countries in any map?” I like your version much better! And I am in awe of Connie for creating her own quilting map!
piecefulwendy
Thanks!
Laura M
The postcard half square triangle quilt really is spectacular with those beautiful solids. I appreciate the story behind the quilt. It’s always fun to “see something” within a quilt and move it in that direction. Love the world map idea.
Barbara
It’s gorgeous, Wendy. This one is on my bucket list. Love the quilting.
Louise Hornor
This. Is. AMAZING!! I love love love the idea of quilting a world map over the bright fabulousness of Postcards! You and Connie should be so proud of the results, Wendy. I think you should seriously consider entering this one into a show! Congrats on a wonderful, creative finish 🙂
StoriedQuilts
Quilting the world map is an awesome and creative idea! Love the quilting and all the bright colors too.
rl2b2017
Hi Wendy! What a fabulous finish you are sharing with us today!! I love the first glam shot – that looks so professional. And how clever to quilt the world map! Yes, I can see the continents, and the water stitching is fab. My absolute favorite part is that backing fabric you selected! Just perfect for a postcard-themed quilt. Love it! Happy Friday! ~smile~ Roseanne
Sandra Walker
WHAT an absolutely fabulous idea to quilt the world on the quilt! It’s just perfect, and the waterlines in the background, vertical lines on the continents…Wow! Did she project an image on the quilt for the shapes of them? I hope you’ve tagged Kelly on IG! Thanks for quilting along with us!
Sparkle On with Abbie
Oh my gosh Wendy! Your Postcards quilt is gorgeous! I love the story of how it all came together, with the handwriting fabric and the world quilting. How ingenious.
😊
somethingrosemade14
This quilt definitely is a big oooooh, just love the quilt with the map quilting-what a great idea. I hope this will be hanging on your wall for all to admire.
Liz
Ohh that is such a beauty! Bravo! I love the continents stitched in, how creative, and I can totally recognize them!
My Sewful Retirement
Wow Wendy your Postcard quilt is stunning! Love the bright colors. The quilting is amazing also — I loved reading the story behind the quilting!
dawn tornes
I’ve always been attracted to the Postcard from Sweden. I love the quilting idea to put a map across the quilt! Amazing!
Kathleen McCormick
Such a terrific quilt and what a finish! The quilting is spectacular and so reflective of your ideas about the quilt – perfect! I love the continents and the backing fabric is just right. I did send post cards – to friends and family. I no longer do – kind of sad.
Rochelle Summers
A beautiful quilt. I love the idea of having the text fabric on the back and the map of the world for the quilting. What creativity!! My granddaughters are leaving on an Alaskan cruise next week and I asked for a postcard from each. Had to give them each a printed label and a postcard stamp. We’ll see if the remember. I try to send postcards to family when on trips.
Sandra Healy
Beautiful quilt, Wendy, I love the backing fabric too.
thedarlingdogwood
Wow, I LOVE that you quilted it with a map of the world!!!! What a fantastic idea!