My most memorable quilt portraits (and the stories behind them)
When you've been blogging about quilts for as long as I have, some photographs stay with you long after the quilts themselves have moved on. Since November 2009, I've shared nearly two thousand blog posts and taken at least ten times as many photos of my quilts, scraps, quilted items, and my scrappy quilting process.
This collection of most memorable quilt portraits is not a list of my best quilts. Instead, these are the five quilt photos that earn a special place in my memory. And then there's one photograph that doesn't feature a quilt, but a series of luggage tags that I make of scraps. I can’t tell why I like this photo so much! Consider it a bonus photo on my list.
Here are the 5 quilt portraits and one surprise favourite photo of quilted items, and the stories behind them.
This photo of Heading North was shot there, one late July afternoon in 2016:
You can almost feel how perfect the weather and the moment are.
I finished the quilt when the rest of the family were elsewhere, which meant I didn’t have a quilt holder. I would have preferred to have that kind of photo for a change, but I wanted to share a picture as soon as possible.
It turned out that my post in IG and FB attracted a flood of positive comments – many more than usual! One even suggested that I print this photo, have it framed and use as wall art.
The reactions made me glad that I hadn’t had a quilt holder nearby!
When I see this photo, I’m transported into that holiday atmosphere. Because this is a rented cottage, we have no responsibilities other than to keep ourselves fed and to heat the sauna once per day. Very relaxing! And because we’ve been there so many times, the cottage feels almost like we owned it.
The Heading North quilt has a home now. I gifted it years later to my oldest friend, whose grandchildren have lain on it and maybe even had it as part of their play activities. My quilts love to be used!
When sewing the Flying Geese blocks, I stitched a double line on the corner to be flipped, and ended up with the actual block and two bonus half-square triangles (HSTs). I used many of those HSTs in the outermost border. The backing features bonus HSTs as well:
Block: Flying Geese for the centre; outer border features bonus HSTs from making the Flying Geese blocks
Size: Lap quilt size, accurate size not written down
Quilting: longarm quilted by Soile Kivinen at Töölön Tilkkupaja
Quilting pattern: Horizontal wavy lines
Backing: Self sewn from stash and the bonus HSTs from making the Flying Geese blocks
Binding: Store-bought, slightly stretchy bias binding
Finished: July 2016
Quilt number: 25
The quilt was quick and easy to make, and I found all the necessary fabrics in my stash (which did NOT surprise me). When it was finished, I took it to our garden for a photo session, and this was one of the pictures:
It is late September and Forget Me Not looks almost like a small pond in our garden that is showing its autumn colours. When I look at this picture, I always remember that Make Modern magazine shared this picture in IG soon after I’d posted it, and how flattered I was!
Dear Daughter loves this quilt.
When planning the quilting pattern, Soile suggested a then new pattern whose name was Forget Me Not. It is the English name for Dear Daughter’s favourite flower, but in Finnish, the flower has a different name. I came to think of a famous Finnish tango called “Ethän minua unhoita,” which is an ornamental way of saying “Don’t Forget Me”. That is how the quilt got its Finnish name.
Block: Hourglass block
Size: Twin quilt size, 165 cm x 230 cm (65” x 90,5”)
Quilting: longarm quilted by Soile Kivinen at Töölön Tilkkupaja
Quilting pattern: Forget Me Not e2e pantograph
Backing: Self sewn from stash, features a few leftover hourglass blocks
Binding: 6 cm wide, self-made bias binding in light blue Amy Butler fabric; folded in half before attaching
Finished: September 2016
Quilt number: 27
However, that is where we went, and I have no regrets. We had our daughter with us, and the whole trip was a pleasant surprise after another – with a few curveballs thrown in.
Positives:
This collection of most memorable quilt portraits is not a list of my best quilts. Instead, these are the five quilt photos that earn a special place in my memory. And then there's one photograph that doesn't feature a quilt, but a series of luggage tags that I make of scraps. I can’t tell why I like this photo so much! Consider it a bonus photo on my list.
1 – “Heading North” on a pier
For more than 20 years, my family has had a favourite holiday place – a rented cottage on a Finnish lake. Many summers, we’ve stayed there for a week or two, and it’s been a destination for many off-season weekends too.This photo of Heading North was shot there, one late July afternoon in 2016:
I finished the quilt when the rest of the family were elsewhere, which meant I didn’t have a quilt holder. I would have preferred to have that kind of photo for a change, but I wanted to share a picture as soon as possible.
It turned out that my post in IG and FB attracted a flood of positive comments – many more than usual! One even suggested that I print this photo, have it framed and use as wall art.
The reactions made me glad that I hadn’t had a quilt holder nearby!
When I see this photo, I’m transported into that holiday atmosphere. Because this is a rented cottage, we have no responsibilities other than to keep ourselves fed and to heat the sauna once per day. Very relaxing! And because we’ve been there so many times, the cottage feels almost like we owned it.
The Heading North quilt has a home now. I gifted it years later to my oldest friend, whose grandchildren have lain on it and maybe even had it as part of their play activities. My quilts love to be used!
When sewing the Flying Geese blocks, I stitched a double line on the corner to be flipped, and ended up with the actual block and two bonus half-square triangles (HSTs). I used many of those HSTs in the outermost border. The backing features bonus HSTs as well:
Quilt details for “Heading North” / “Matkalla pohjoiseen” quilt
Pattern: Self-designedBlock: Flying Geese for the centre; outer border features bonus HSTs from making the Flying Geese blocks
Size: Lap quilt size, accurate size not written down
Quilting: longarm quilted by Soile Kivinen at Töölön Tilkkupaja
Quilting pattern: Horizontal wavy lines
Backing: Self sewn from stash and the bonus HSTs from making the Flying Geese blocks
Binding: Store-bought, slightly stretchy bias binding
Finished: July 2016
Quilt number: 25
2 – “Forget Me Not” in the garden
Forget Me Not (Ethän minua unhoita) is one of the rare quilts that I’ve made trying to create a similar quilt to someone else’s. Dear Daughter had seen a picture of Saija Elina’s Väre quilt and wanted one for herself. Same idea, same colours.The quilt was quick and easy to make, and I found all the necessary fabrics in my stash (which did NOT surprise me). When it was finished, I took it to our garden for a photo session, and this was one of the pictures:
Dear Daughter loves this quilt.
When planning the quilting pattern, Soile suggested a then new pattern whose name was Forget Me Not. It is the English name for Dear Daughter’s favourite flower, but in Finnish, the flower has a different name. I came to think of a famous Finnish tango called “Ethän minua unhoita,” which is an ornamental way of saying “Don’t Forget Me”. That is how the quilt got its Finnish name.
Quilt details for “Forget Me Not” / “Ethän minua unhoita” quilt
Pattern: Self-drafted, based on Saija Elina’s beautiful Väre quiltBlock: Hourglass block
Size: Twin quilt size, 165 cm x 230 cm (65” x 90,5”)
Quilting: longarm quilted by Soile Kivinen at Töölön Tilkkupaja
Quilting pattern: Forget Me Not e2e pantograph
Backing: Self sewn from stash, features a few leftover hourglass blocks
Binding: 6 cm wide, self-made bias binding in light blue Amy Butler fabric; folded in half before attaching
Finished: September 2016
Quilt number: 27
3 – “Trixter” in Norway
In 2024, Husband suggested that our summer trip would be a road trip, and that we would drive to see Hammerfest and Lofoten in Norway. He was clearly expecting cheers, but my first reaction was colder than lukewarm – I mean who wants to escape summer and go to so high up north?!However, that is where we went, and I have no regrets. We had our daughter with us, and the whole trip was a pleasant surprise after another – with a few curveballs thrown in.
Positives:
- Norway is an incredibly beautiful country.
- We got to see the midnight sun.
- We had so much fun!
- I had remembered to bring three quilts with me for photographing in less-than-ordinary surroundings.
- Did I already mention that it was a super fun trip?!
Curveballs:
- Our daughter's wisdom tooth got angry on the first day of the trip, and she had to have it removed.
- It rained a lot in Norway, on some days heavily – but our clothes were up to it.
- We got a flat tire near a small town and had to turn back – but by chance, that town had a local tire-repair shop whose owner was available even though it was Saturday afternoon, and we got our tire fixed in 15 minutes.
- Our plan to return from Lofoten via ferry fell through because of heavy winds, and we had to drive a long way to get to that day’s destination.
This photo was shot at a scenic stop near Svolvaer in Norway on our route back towards home. This was one of the rare sunny days during the trip. The quilt holder was standing on a picnic table to keep the quilt from touching the ground and to allow me to get the fjord into the same picture:
Another picture just for contrast: This photo of the Trixter quilt is almost as nice as the Norwegian one - but not nearly as memorable. The weather could not be much more different:
Size: Twin quilt size, 160 cm x 224 cm (63” x 88”)
Quilting: longarm quilted by Soile Kivinen at Töölön Tilkkupaja
Quilting pattern: Waves e2e pantograph
Backing: Very light single-fabric
Binding: 6 cm wide, self-made scrappy bias binding in turquoise, folded in half before attaching
Finished: September 2016
Quilt number: 71
Let’s concentrate on the Goodwill Among Neighbours quilt first. I was again inspired by a picture of a quilt, or more accurately, a picture showing a part of a quilt sewn of quarter log cabins.
I decided to use a variety of corner squares and choose extremely odd fabric combinations for the logs and see how that would work. I only made sure that the strange fabric matches would not be garish, but everything else was allowed.
When it came time to build the quilt surface, I first didn’t know what to do. I didn’t quite like the blocks next to each other. I even bought a length of neutral grey fabric for sashing, but that looked even worse than the version with no sashing at all. Then I got it: I would use a very narrow, black strip for sashing. That worked beautifully!
In this photo, our dear kitty meditates in a pool of sunshine, considering whether to lie down or not. She looks almost like a toy, that’s how cute she is:
Only six months later, Sokeri had moved to the other side of the rainbow bridge. I still miss her every day.
Sokeri was a beautiful purring machine, smart and savvy, and she had the thickest fur. If she had a stalking project ongoing in the garden and it started to rain, she would stay outside because a little bit of rain wouldn’t go through her fur.
Block: Quarter log cabin
Size: Twin quilt size, 172 cm x 220 cm (68” x 86,5”)
Quilting: longarm quilted by Soile Kivinen at Töölön Tilkkupaja
Backing: Light peach-orange-y-yellow, speckled single-fabric
Binding: 6 cm wide, self-made bias binding in nearly black with a bit of white pattern; folded in half before attaching
Finished: December 2022
Quilt number: 64
The design process for Sixten quilt was unusual for me. When I was first playing with the idea, I created a test block, which was ridiculourly small. The second test block was of a suitable size, and with the size known, I was able to sketch the hexagon surface to see how many pieces I needed. Then, I printed the sketch and used colour pencils to design the colouring – and only after that, started cutting and sewing the blocks.
I took this photo in a nearby patch of woods in late April 2024. See how blue the sky is!
The day of the photoshooting was incredibly bright, and Husband and I were driving around our neighbourhood to find background-worthy spots for quilt photos. I’d taken pictures of Sixten when I’d just finished it in December, and the colours in this photo were just so much better!
Sixten was a surprisingly quick make: it only took me one month from start to finished surface – even with a full-time non-quilting job. I’ve written a commercially available pattern for this quilt as well, and it has been very popular.
Size: Twin quilt size, 186 cm x 223 cm (75” x 88”)
Quilting: longarm quilted by Soile Kivinen at Töölön Tilkkupaja
Quilting pattern: Daisy Doodles e2e pantograph
Backing: Very soft, yellow-flowered single-fabric
Binding: 6 cm wide, self-made black-and-white striped binding; folded in half before attaching
Finished: December 2023
Quilt number: 72
My BFF Soile had reserved a table for us in a commercial crafts event, and I’d been making luggage tags to sell there. I took the batch outside, quickly set them up on a weather-beaten wooden pallet that we have on our lawn for some reason and took ONE photo.
Maybe I like the photo so much because of the contrast between the colourful, freshly made tags and the faded pallet. Or maybe it is because I know that the pallet looks almost ready for the dump when seen with one’s eyes, but rustic and almost chic in photos.
Or the reason could be the memory that the photo evokes: a fun evening with Soile before the event, and the event itself – also fun.
The luggage tags are a veritable recycling innovation. I can use small scraps and small pieces of leftover batting. Only the strap requires a slightly longer (but narrow) piece. On the other side, there is a see-through plastic pocket where the owner can slip a paper with their name and address. Those I cut those from colourless plastic sleeves that we used to use to organise our papers.
Looking through this selection made me realise that quilts are so much more than items. They are part of my creative journey, they sometimes remind me of the audio books that I’ve listened to while cutting and sewing, and they bring back memories and feelings that might otherwise be forgotten.
Do you have favourite photos of your quilts? If you do, why do you think you like them the most? Because the photo shows the quilt to advantage, or for some other reason? Please share in a comment – I’d love to know!
If you want to follow what I’m working on and what I’ve finished (and get some quilting tips, too), you can subscribe to my biweekly newsletter here: https://tilkunviilaaja.blogspot.com/p/subscribe-today.html
Quilt details for “Trixter” quilt
Pattern: Trixter quilt pattern by TilkunviilaajaSize: Twin quilt size, 160 cm x 224 cm (63” x 88”)
Quilting: longarm quilted by Soile Kivinen at Töölön Tilkkupaja
Quilting pattern: Waves e2e pantograph
Backing: Very light single-fabric
Binding: 6 cm wide, self-made scrappy bias binding in turquoise, folded in half before attaching
Finished: September 2016
Quilt number: 71
5 – “Goodwill Among Neighbours” with our Sokeri
To be fair to our late kitty Sokeri, all of the photos in this post should have featured her on one or more of my quilts. She was the most faithful fan of my quilts, and she is remembered! The photo I picked is only the best of hundreds of others, and was by far my most liked IG post in 2024.Let’s concentrate on the Goodwill Among Neighbours quilt first. I was again inspired by a picture of a quilt, or more accurately, a picture showing a part of a quilt sewn of quarter log cabins.
I decided to use a variety of corner squares and choose extremely odd fabric combinations for the logs and see how that would work. I only made sure that the strange fabric matches would not be garish, but everything else was allowed.
When it came time to build the quilt surface, I first didn’t know what to do. I didn’t quite like the blocks next to each other. I even bought a length of neutral grey fabric for sashing, but that looked even worse than the version with no sashing at all. Then I got it: I would use a very narrow, black strip for sashing. That worked beautifully!
In this photo, our dear kitty meditates in a pool of sunshine, considering whether to lie down or not. She looks almost like a toy, that’s how cute she is:
Sokeri was a beautiful purring machine, smart and savvy, and she had the thickest fur. If she had a stalking project ongoing in the garden and it started to rain, she would stay outside because a little bit of rain wouldn’t go through her fur.
Quilt details for “Goodwill Among Neighbours” / “Naapurisopu” quilt
Pattern: Self-designedBlock: Quarter log cabin
Size: Twin quilt size, 172 cm x 220 cm (68” x 86,5”)
Quilting: longarm quilted by Soile Kivinen at Töölön Tilkkupaja
Backing: Light peach-orange-y-yellow, speckled single-fabric
Binding: 6 cm wide, self-made bias binding in nearly black with a bit of white pattern; folded in half before attaching
Finished: December 2022
Quilt number: 64
5 – “Sixten” quilt in a patch of woods
A hexagon quilt was on my to-do list for ages and I’d even bought a 60-degree ruler for the purpose. I finally got my act together when the Goodwill Among Neighbours quilt gave me an idea to use a very narrow strip in my hexagon blocks.The design process for Sixten quilt was unusual for me. When I was first playing with the idea, I created a test block, which was ridiculourly small. The second test block was of a suitable size, and with the size known, I was able to sketch the hexagon surface to see how many pieces I needed. Then, I printed the sketch and used colour pencils to design the colouring – and only after that, started cutting and sewing the blocks.
I took this photo in a nearby patch of woods in late April 2024. See how blue the sky is!
Sixten was a surprisingly quick make: it only took me one month from start to finished surface – even with a full-time non-quilting job. I’ve written a commercially available pattern for this quilt as well, and it has been very popular.
Quilt details for “Sixten” quilt
Pattern: Sixten quilt pattern by TilkunviilaajaSize: Twin quilt size, 186 cm x 223 cm (75” x 88”)
Quilting: longarm quilted by Soile Kivinen at Töölön Tilkkupaja
Quilting pattern: Daisy Doodles e2e pantograph
Backing: Very soft, yellow-flowered single-fabric
Binding: 6 cm wide, self-made black-and-white striped binding; folded in half before attaching
Finished: December 2023
Quilt number: 72
+1 – Scrappy luggage tags on a wooden pallet
I promised to share a surprising favourite photo, and this is it:Maybe I like the photo so much because of the contrast between the colourful, freshly made tags and the faded pallet. Or maybe it is because I know that the pallet looks almost ready for the dump when seen with one’s eyes, but rustic and almost chic in photos.
Or the reason could be the memory that the photo evokes: a fun evening with Soile before the event, and the event itself – also fun.
The luggage tags are a veritable recycling innovation. I can use small scraps and small pieces of leftover batting. Only the strap requires a slightly longer (but narrow) piece. On the other side, there is a see-through plastic pocket where the owner can slip a paper with their name and address. Those I cut those from colourless plastic sleeves that we used to use to organise our papers.
Final thoughts about quilt photography
One might think that it would be difficult to pick only five favourites out of thousands, but it wasn’t. I only had to cast my mind back and choose the first five I remembered.Looking through this selection made me realise that quilts are so much more than items. They are part of my creative journey, they sometimes remind me of the audio books that I’ve listened to while cutting and sewing, and they bring back memories and feelings that might otherwise be forgotten.
Do you have favourite photos of your quilts? If you do, why do you think you like them the most? Because the photo shows the quilt to advantage, or for some other reason? Please share in a comment – I’d love to know!
If you want to follow what I’m working on and what I’ve finished (and get some quilting tips, too), you can subscribe to my biweekly newsletter here: https://tilkunviilaaja.blogspot.com/p/subscribe-today.html
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