Cocktails On The Beach Quilt

 
Beach Quilt
Fresh from the dryer.
The Cocktails On The Beach quilt was a long time coming. Inspired by the peak season weekly cocktail meet ups on little Useppa Island, where we spend our Spring Break vacations. Actually, I’ve only attended these cocktails meet ups on the beach once, maybe twice. It’s more the idea of cocktails on the beach, that inspired this quilt.

The inspiration for this quilt originally came from Kaffe Fassett’s “Baby’s Corrugated Quilt” in Passionate Patchwork. The idea of the shirting stripes against the bright bits of color appealed to me. This is my spin on that idea.
The patchwork squares are all from men’s dress shirts. I’ve been collecting the perfect ones from the thrift store for over a year. The bright triangles are various solid quilting cottons, a few cut from bright shirts bought second hand. Meant to completely pop out against the blues, soft grays, and pinstripes.
I machine quilted straight lines on either side of the horizontal and vertical seamlines. After that, I hand quilted around each bright triangle configuration with various blue and blue-green shades of perle cotton. I am not a hand quilting expert, and am sure my stitches could be smaller and closer together, but I like the extra dimension it gives the quilt.
Beach Quilt
 
It was fun to use little details from the different shirts.
Beach Quilt
 
The back is Tula Pink’s “Floaties and Sinkies”.

 
The binding is Kona “Bone”. Finished size is 66″ x 76″.

19 Comments
  • daniela

    July 31, 2013 at 5:54 am

    wonderful, i absolutely love this “upcycled” quilt. i just finished a top in a granny square style, though now it’s the backing which needs the attention…

  • season

    July 31, 2013 at 8:04 am

    Such a beautiful quilt! I love the way you chose to quilt it. The hand quilting detail is perfect.

  • Alexandrea

    July 31, 2013 at 8:21 am

    This quilt is BEAUTIFUL! I especially love the fabric you picked out for the back. I wouldn’t have thought to use a print like that.

  • kristin

    July 31, 2013 at 12:42 pm

    It’s an absolute stunning piece of artwork Blair! Worth every trip to the thrift store. Well done.

  • erin

    July 31, 2013 at 2:31 pm

    i love this! the shirting fabrics are perfect with that punch of color. (i have a collection of fatty’s that need cutting into.)

  • Jennifer

    July 31, 2013 at 5:58 pm

    Gorgeous! Such a fabulous result. Those shirts only improved with upcycling. I wouldn’t have thought of this, but I’m so inspired by it.

  • Roma Dutt

    July 31, 2013 at 8:45 pm

    Nice and stunning piece of work.
    Triveni writer at ommrudraksha.com

  • Liz

    August 2, 2013 at 7:45 am

    I. LOVE. This. Quilt! It’s beautiful – and I love that it’s shirts. I just may have to start collecting!

  • lisa {plain jane creations}

    August 5, 2013 at 8:05 pm

    Wonderful quilt, beautiful shirtings with a bit of pizzazz! Love it!

  • blair/wisecraft

    August 9, 2013 at 9:31 pm

    Thank you Daniela! I always forget that the backing poses a whole new design challenge! Good luck!

  • blair/wisecraft

    August 9, 2013 at 9:32 pm

    Thank you Season!

  • blair/wisecraft

    August 9, 2013 at 9:32 pm

    Thank you Alexandrea! That backing fabric was a late night “a-ha!” choice!

  • blair/wisecraft

    August 9, 2013 at 9:33 pm

    Thank you so much Kristin. It was so fun to make!

  • blair/wisecraft

    August 9, 2013 at 9:33 pm

    I bet that collection of shirts will make a great quilt!

  • blair/wisecraft

    August 9, 2013 at 9:33 pm

    Thank you Jennifer!

  • blair/wisecraft

    August 9, 2013 at 9:34 pm

    Thank you Liz!

  • blair/wisecraft

    August 9, 2013 at 9:34 pm

    Thank you Lisa!

  • Claudia

    August 19, 2013 at 8:15 am

    I truly LOVE the whole idea – the shirts, the colours, the squares, the tiny colourful corners, what a beauty. I must keep this in mind when I start on my next quilt some time soon. Thanks for sharing – such a lovely quilt! Greetings from Germany

  • amira

    September 10, 2013 at 11:57 pm

    I love this quilt. Look so fresh! I am a new follower to your crafty adventures! Thanks for a wonderful why crafters should blog article too!
    Amira @ http://littlemushroomcap.blogspot.com

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