Scrappy Refractatorium Finish!

The sneak peek I shared with you all on Wednesday had lots of you waiting for the big reveal!  I was waiting too, and as soon as I returned from work Thursday morning, I cut the binding and got to work! So, without further ado, here she is.........  The Scrappy Refractatorium.......

 

I am so utterly in love with this, I can't even describe it!  So much colour.  So much to look at.  My ten year old daughter says it looks like an optical illusion!

 

Looking at it from different angles, gives you an entirely different view and you can see the shapes completely differently.

 

I deliberated a little over the quilting of this.  I didn't want to take anything away from the bold colours and black lines.  In the end, I decided to use 50wt Aurifil #2692 - aka black.  I traced my way through the black "web" and then pebbled myself silly all over the black border, or frame as I like to look at it.

 

I also straight line quilted just inside the two centre squares of each block.

 

You can see the quilting from the back MUCH better!  One valuable lesson I learnt whilst doing this is that it is incredibly hard to quilt black on black.  It is also incredibly hard to get the fluff from the batting off black fabric!

I'd never hung a quilt in my life, so had to flick through Google for some ideas.  I ended up putting triangles on either side of the top, and I also put a little mini "sleeve" in the middle, in the hope it would stop it from sagging.  I managed to measure correctly, and headed to the hardware store, where they cut me some 19mm dowel to size.  Perfecto!  I also grabbed some clear "removable" hooks - which ended up being far from easily removed.  When I stuck the second one down, I realised it was not level, so following the instructions, I gently tried to remove it - only to take a patch of paint and plaster with it!  Aghhhhhhh!!!!  Thankfully when editing these photos I had the "retouch" option!  Sneaky!  

And lastly - a photo to show you how absolutely divine a quilt can look once hung on a wall!  I managed to get photos in between horrific rain and wind storms today, and look at that sunshine streaming in.  Bella the cat was chief stylist for the photo shoot - again.

If someone had of told me even a year ago that I would be hanging quilts in my house - I would have laughed myself silly!  And if that same someone had of told me my husband would be happy to have me hanging quilts in our house - I would have fallen over!  Not only does he love it, but all four of my children have Ooohed and Ahhed over its existence.  A wonderful thing tis quilting.....

In the details:  Nine blocks of the Refractatorium paper pieced pattern by Quilt Jane.  Eight of these blocks were made by none other than Gemma @ Pretty Bobbins, Kristy @ Quiet Play, Fiona @ Finding Fifth, Gina @ Party of Eight, Lara @ Luellabella, Jane, Marieka and Alyce @Blossom Heart Quilts.  The nine of us make up the Wombat Stew Paper Piecing Bee!

Finished size is 105cm x 105cm.  A multitude of beautiful fabrics were used in the construction, and I chose black homespun to make the border and backing.  Quilted using Aurifil #2692 50wt.

I'm linking up with Needle & Thread Thursday, T.G.I.F.F., Paper Piecing Party and Fabric Tuesday!  Covering all bases again this week - school holidays!  You can too!

I've also just linked up with Gemma's new "I Quilt" linky party!