Happy Saturday, everybody.
QuiltingFool is putting her beautiful Ukraine quilt up for auction on Balloon Juice tomorrow!
At our first action auction, I let you know about QuiltingFool’s wonderful idea to auction off her Ukraine quilt on Balloon Juice, with the winning bidder entering the winning amount through the Balloon Juice for Ukraine thermometer.
I am happy to announce that this quilt is ready for auction! I heard a rumor that John Cole loved it so much that he has commissioned another one to buy from QuiltingFool to give to an important person in his life who has ties to Ukraine.
The quilt has a name – Slava Ukraini – and it is pictured here today, but the *auction will happen in another post that will be put up on Saturday morning.
Winner of the auction will donate the winning amount directly into the Balloon Juice for Ukraine thermometer, and they can decide whether to donate to just one of our 5 organizations or whether they want to split that amount between the Balloon Juice for Ukraine organizations in whatever way suits them.
Bidding will start at $375. The quilt is 84″ x 84″.
If you are a Balloon Juice Artist or Artisan (or spouse!) and you are interested in doing something similar with one of your creations, just send me an email message and we’ll get that started. Otherwise, if that description fits you, you are also welcome to put up an Artists in Our Midst post. So much talent here on BJ!
IMPORTANT:
*If you would like to participate in the auction but it turns out that you cannot be around “live” during the auction, you can send me email so I can bid for you in the auction, up to whatever amount you set. Or if you are buds with one of the other BJ peeps and you want them to represent you in the auction, you are welcome to do that, if they are agreeable.
Betty Cracker
I think that’s the most beautiful quilt I’ve ever seen!
hilzoy
That’s gorgeous. Do you know the dimensions?
Dan B
Spectacular quilt! Bravo!!
eclare
Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much, QuiltingFool.
JPL
It’s just gorgeous.
Sure Lurkalot
I’m uncharacteristically at a loss for words. What beautiful work and such generosity of time and craft.
KayInMD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager))
Just beautiful! I second hilzoy’s question: what are the dimensions?
prostratedragon
Beautiful quilt –a potential heirloom– and lovely donation.
WaterGirl
She told me the dimensions, but i have forgotten. I put up the bat signal (by email) so I imagine QuiltingFool will be here soon to answer questions.
WaterGirl
QuiltingFool started the quilt on March 5, about 10 days after they were invaded. I think this was a labor of love for her, something concrete she could do to help.
debbie
Beautiful work!
WaterGirl
Okay, I found an earlier email with the dimensions: 84” x 84”.
I will add that up top, also.
zhena gogolia
That is incredible. Tears.
WaterGirl
@Betty Cracker: QuiltingFool is also planning to make another Ukraine quilt – but different from this one.
People can “buy” a square, which will enter them into the raffle to win the second Ukraine quilt.
As you no doubt guessed, “purchases” of the squares will be entered directly into the Balloon Juice for Ukraine thermometer.
Cost to “buy” a square will be determined after we see how many squares there are in the quilt once it’s designed.
Faithful Lurker
From one quilter to another…Brava!!! Those stars are not easy, take my word for it. A beautiful quilt. I wish there was a close up of the actual quilting. I bet it’s outstanding too. Did you do the quilting, QF?
J R in WV
Prize winning creation, no question! Beautiful work, wonderful design. Amazing !!!
Thanks for donating this to the Ukraine cause~!!~
WaterGirl
@Faithful Lurker: Earlier today I asked QF for some closeups of some of her favorite squares in the Slava Ukraini quilt. Surely those would show the quilting?
I bought a quilt from her a few months ago and the workmanship is amazing.
Gin & Tonic
The generosity of people, here and elsewhere, who have no obvious connection is awe-inspiring.
WaterGirl
@Gin & Tonic: For maybe a dozen different reasons, I think we all feel connected to Ukraine.
There are multiple billboards here that have the Ukraine blue background and a sunflower, and every time I pass one it brings me to tears.
And yes, making this quilt and donating to Ukraine is incredibly generous.
WaterGirl
Are there any questions about the auction?
Old School
That is one beautiful quilt.
Well done, QF!
MagdaInBlack
Oh my lord, that is a beautiful quilt !
Faithful Lurker
@WaterGirl: Oh, good. To quilters the actual quilting is as important as the piecing. It is a beautiful quilt and 84 X 84 is a good size.
WaterGirl
I think everyone knows that you can click on the picture to enlarge it. Clicking a second time enlarges it more. I think the material on the back is gorgeous, too.
WaterGirl
@Faithful Lurker: I can take a close-up of part of my cat quilt and post it here so you can see the quilting if you like.
Tazj
So beautiful.
WaterGirl
The bidding is starting at $375 because that is what QF would charge for this quilt if she were selling it on Etsy.
persistentillusion
@WaterGirl: WG, I second that. I have a quilt she made. It’s beautiful in design and magnificent in the craftswomenship of the execution. Just gorgeous and excellent work!
WaterGirl
@persistentillusion: With my quilt, I could see that she has an eye for colors and fabric designs that come together to make it a work of art.
WaterGirl
I’m about to close the computer for the night, but I’ll check back for any auction questions in the morning. I will be sure to answer them HERE before the auction starts.
Quiltingfool
I’m going to contradict Watergirl – the quilt measures 87” x 87” – okay, 3 inches bigger both ways may not be a big difference , but hey! You might need it, lol!
There will be more Ukrainian quilts. Last week I bought lots and lots of blue and yellow fabric (about 55 yards, I went a little crazy). I will sell them and donate the proceeds to charities helping the Ukrainian people. I am planning to make a Ukrainian cat quilt, because I love making cat quilts.
We all have ways of coping, quilting is my way.
jnfr
Utterly gorgeous. You are an artist indeed, Quiltingfool.
CaseyL
What a beautiful quilt! I’d be tempted to hang it on the wall, but I’m sure it’s so soft and comfy it’d be a crime not to use it.
WaterGirl
@Quiltingfool: Not wanting to contradict you, just double-checking…
You wrote this to me on 4/2:
?♀️
If this is a magic quilt that expands and contracts, I think you should definitely charge more. :-)
Mike in NC
Fabulous work of art.
Alison Rose ???
@WaterGirl: My only question is why am I not rich enough to bid on it because damn, that is beautiful
Quiltingfool
@Faithful Lurker: Yes, I have a quilting machine, nothing fancy. I find quilting designs and videos to give me ideas of what to quilt. In other words, I guess I do “freestyle” edge-to-edge designs.
Here’s a link to give you a close up view of the quilting. It’s not in this picture, but I quilted the words “Slava Ukraini” in a couple of places.
https://pin.it/3KL5c0u
SiubhanDuinne
My god, that’s beautiful. Absolutely stunning.
Quiltingfool
@Gin & Tonic: I think we all here have a connection to each other. I may not have a family or ancestral connection to Ukraine, but you do, and you are here sharing with us. So, I am connected, through you. And I thank you for that.
Benw
I love it!
MomSense
QF this is so beautiful. I’m in awe.
Quiltingfool
@WaterGirl: Oh, you are right! I looked at some old notes, and forgot that when I redrafted John’s quilt. My bad, senior moment!
Quiltingfool
Just a quick correction – Watergirl is correct, 84 x 84!
Thank you to all for the wonderful compliments!
Quiltingfool
@Faithful Lurker: The Lemoyne stars in the outer border are easy-peasy; I use a ruler made by Studio 180 called Rapid Fire Lemoyne Stars. You get perfect stars with no y-seams. Now, the assorted stars in the first border are a bit tricky, no ruler, but I do get practice on y-seams and such. The sunflower in the middle was made using the Skinny Robin ruler, and it is pretty easy, too.
zhena gogolia
@Alison Rose ???: Haha. My friends keep selling their artwork for Ukraine support so I have already laid out a pretty penny. Very tempted by this, though.
Jackie
The Ukrainian cat quilt will be gorgeous! I can’t wait to see it.
This quilt is spectacular! Blue and yellow are one of my favorite color combinations, and sunflowers ? are one of my favorite flowers. I just can’t afford it, but we all know the highest bidder will be very lucky and honored to win it!
PsiFighter37
Perhaps too technical a question – is this washable? With a young toddler at home, I am always concerned about things getting dirty.
Villago Delenda Est
The quilt is GORGEOUS! In totally unrelated news, there’s this: Yet another example of TFG’s dumbassitude.
eclare
@Villago Delenda Est: I agree with the comments. Asshole can’t read. Maybe he could at one point, not anymore.
NotoriousJRT
@WaterGirl: what time will bidding occur?
West of the Rockies
I bid four hundred quatloos!
West of the Rockies
@West of the Rockies:
Seriously, it’s gorgeous. My mother was a quilter and I know how much effort goes into such a creation.
PsiFighter37
@NotoriousJRT: Second this. I will be alone watching my daughter and would like to be around!
Ruckus ??
The quilt is gorgeous!
My grandmother used to quilt and make lace doilies which she had all over her house. I can not recall any quilt that was as much art as this one, they were nice, but she made quilts to keep you warm. She was born around 1895.
If I was still working, I’d bid on the quilt, but that’s out of my range.
Avalune
that’s really nice
Lyrebird
At least what I can see by clicking on the top photo and zooming in a bit is gorgeous. It shows up better in the lower parts of the photo than in the top. She’s used different contours in the center. It’s really beautiful.
Quiltingfool
@PsiFighter37: Yes, it is washable. Use cold water and tumble dry medium to low heat – or outside, if you have that option. I put my quilts in the dryer. Quilts soften and get a crinkled look. Makes a quilt good for snuggling!
Quiltingfool
@zhena gogolia: You are giving to the cause, that’s what’s important!
Quiltingfool
@Ruckus ??: I never slept under a blanket that wasn’t a quilt! Both my grandmothers made scads of quilts; and they did it the hard way, no rotary cutters. They didn’t buy fabric, they used what they had left from making clothing, and from patterned feedsacks. Their quilts were attractive, though. I used to sleep under a quilt that is called Grandmother’s Flower Garden, however, I always though the flowers were fried eggs! My mother gave the quilt to my cousin – it is in sad shape, so I am going to repair/stabilize it so my cousin can have it around longer.
JAFD
It is a really beautiful quilt. If I had bed big enough for it, or place to store it, or $$$ to pay for it…
May it bring joy and comfort to its future possessors.
WaterGirl
AUCTION TIME
We have to give the CA peeps time to get up and going, and noon would be 9 am for them.
Would 12 NOON to 7 pm be a good amount of time for the auction, so everybody has a chance to see the post? Or is that too long?
I have no preset idea about how long it should last, so all ideas welcome. Until NOON, at which point if there has been no other input, the auction will start.
All times blog time, or, as some people like to call it, Eastern time.
ANYONE CAN SEND ME THEIR STARTING BID and/or MAX BID, AND I CAN BID FOR YOU. Just be sure to tell me your nym so I can identify who a particular bid is for.
BooksandCoffee
@WaterGirl: May I get your email address please?
WaterGirl
@BooksandCoffee: Sure!
You can send email to my nym at balloon-juice.com
If that’s too cryptic, check out CONTACT US in the white bar at the top, where you will find examples.
zhena gogolia
@WaterGirl: I sent you a max bid.
WaterGirl
@zhena gogolia: Got it!
Cephalus Max
@Quiltingfool: Wow, that quilt is absolutely gorgeous!
Can you provide a link to your Etsy store? Or a keyword to search for it?
WaterGirl
@Cephalus Max: Compare my nym at #65 with your nym at #66.
Mine is blue, yours is black. If a nym is blue you can click on it and go to the website the person has linked to their nym.
In this case, Quiltingfool has a blue nym, and if you click it you go right to her Etsy store! :-)
Miss Bianca
@Betty Cracker: Just stunning. I am in awe. I wish I could afford to bid on it! Lucky the jackal who wins that auction!
Cephalus Max
@WaterGirl: Thank you, Watergirl! Now I feel a bit like an idiot, but I appreciate the gentle education. :)
NotoriousJRT
@WaterGirl: As a left coaster, this seems good.
WaterGirl
@Cephalus Max: Actually, the education wasn’t just for you – I bet when we started, half the people here did not know that, so I used your question as an opportunity to let others know, too.
Like I do every time someone asks that question. :-)
hilzoy
@WaterGirl: Thanks!