For some unknown reason, my old Bowtie UFO jumped to the top of the queue this week. I really was disliking it when it resurfaced, but it has really grown on me. I had 33 blocks sewn together, and 12 more blocks ready, so I cut the pieces for 68 more blocks, giving me more than 100 in total. Here are the blocks being organized into a layout. 
And here are the piles of blocks by my machine ready to sew. It looks like a big mess, but it is an organized mess, and it worked out perfectly. It's always "iffy" when you take the blocks from design wall to sewing machine, but all blocks ended up in their proper place.
Now I'm working on the border decisions. I don't want to buy anymore fabrics so this is what I have left, plus a few scraps that will make a nice binding.
How can it be that a project I was not liking turned out to be so pretty!?!?
The ugly duckling turned into a beautiful swan!
29 comments:
Looks great Kathy! I very often go through a phase with each quilt that I make where I think it isn't going to turn out and that it will be really ugly. Happily, I have had very few - maybe one - that I have not been happy with once it was finished. I am glad that your UFO has rewarded you and turned into a wonderful quilt.
Great finish! I've had a couple of quilts that I just fell out of love with (I box them up and send them to Sarah). I like the darker border as it frames that lovely center - the lite washes them out.
It looks great... I love how the colors are arranged creating lots of movement. I'm glad it has grown on you!
It looks great. I agree that the darker color is best for a border to frame it. The lighter one makes it float so which ever way you choose will be good. You could bind it with the lighter toned fabric.
This looks great!! Isn't it amazing how a project can tell YOU it needs to be worked on? :)
It is TOTALLY beautiful! So glad it found it's way to the top and you found motivation to work on it and do so quickly! Thanks for blogging and inspiring :) Kathi
Very nice...ALMOST makes me want to do one too! Almost!!!
I do prefer the darker border too but if you don't have enough why not use the light on one side and around the corner and the darker one on the other side and around the corner!
Love the color combos - the gold/off-white with all those yummy colors! Glad this one made you happy in the end!
I made a bowtie quilt in another design a couple years ago and got it quilted last year finally - I went back and forth between loving it and hating it for some reason - I finished it but I was tired of it by time I did!!
It is beautiful indeed Kathy! I love simple blocks like the Bowtie - they are so versatile and make amazing quilts!!!
Lovely! and great that you learned to love it.... ha ha I'm battling with bow ties too lately....
It turned out lovely! I have had quilts get pushy on me too. When it happens, the only thing to do is go with it. For some reason,they aren't responsive to argument.
I really like how this quilt is looking. I would never have made it because I don't like sewing the same thing over and over. But you have something special there.
Oh, this is a beauty! I do prefer the dark border and I think a scrappy binding will be wonderful! So glad this unloved project is now loved!! : )
Wow - your bow tie quilt came out great! Looking forward to seeing it as a top. Will you be hand quilting this baby too?
A beautiful swan, indeed, Kathy. My bowties are still sitting in their box, but at least they were found, thanks to you, and will be going with me to my Friday sewing circle.
I just made a bow tie block for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and here I am reading more about bow ties. :-) Serendipitous. Love the bow tie block. It is so versatile in setting. Love the transitions from one colour to the next in your layout. The dark border frames the quilt. The lighter border floats the bowties. Both have merit - personal preference will rule. Can't wait to see your decision.
Love it when that happens! Just goes to prove that we should never give up on our projects.:)
This is just wonderful! So happy for you . . .
I love making bowtie blocks, and your quilt looks fabulous!
Beautiful finish! So glad you dug it out again.
Sometimes you can get sick of seeing the same scraps under your needle! Good thing the bow ties floated up to the top at just the right time! Looking great :)
That is genuinely pretty!
I am so glad you have come to relove it. I think it is beautiful.
xo jan
This is so fantastic !!!
I love bow tie quilts and have made several - this one is fabulous!
Beautiful. I think quilts pick their moment to shine. I've done a few that I didn't like but 6 months down the line I love them. xxx
That is simply gorgeous! I love how you set it. How big are your blocks? A bow tie quilt is on my to-do list ... so many quilts, so little time!
It turned out beautifully. Sometimes it just takes a few blocks all laid out for you to see the pattern that just works for you. Glad you decided to finish this one.
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