Auditioning

Okay, day two. Auditioning!
I used the grid to guide the flower and petal block design you see here. It introduces a new vision of the block layout that adds a third dimension. I just love it when you see a quilt from a distance and you see one voice speaking to you through the fabric layout.

Then you step closer to the quilt and the thread suddenly introduces a completely new voice and idea. That is the "wow" factor for me.

I did a second petal design that is more fluid and loopy. It almost spins in place. My gut feeling is that it doesn't work with this quilt top.

The last variation I want to share with you is more of an all over meandering. It is a ribbon that is blowing across the top. I would need to add more ribbons but I like the idea of the ribbons intertwining and playing with each other. I even like the bright yellow color I'm using for thread. I've got some wonderful Caryl Fallert brytes thread in my machine right now. It would work great on this bright beauty!

I'm leaning towards the overall windy, windy ribbon right now. More auditions tomorrow.

I've got to live with a quilt for a bit to see how it speaks to me.

In the mean time, here is another quilt I'm working on for a new client. She has made a divine baby nines quilt that is just precious. I'm thrilled that I've got so much space and room to let the quilting shine through and add that extra dimension I mentioned above.

Here's the quilt with the grid lines laid out. Next step is to audition some designs.

First Step- find the grid

Take a look at this incredible quilt I've received to work on! Check out all those ribbons this quilter has on her design wall and she is just as impressive in person, too!

This top was made by a meticulous piecer who's work is incredibly precise. She made this top for a teen in foster care. She chose bright colors and fun fabrics. Her hope is that a bright, cheery top like this will help that teen during those inevitable down days.

My first instinct on a scrappy quilt top like this is to do an all over design. But first I place a grid on the quilt top to see if there are any secondary patterns I could tease out with some well planned quilting.

I import a photo into the computer and use a paint or photo edit program to draw on the photo. In this case, I used neon green and the straight line tool to draw my grid.

Next, comes auditioning quilt patterns.

Tigger's Happy Dance

The Tigger quilt is done! I'm putting the binding on it now. This was peiced by a friend of mine for charity.

You can see the pattern I used for the blocks in the darker photo.

I hate that I have to alter the colors so the quilting pattern shows up on the computer screen. You can see the stitches much better in person.

I used a linked heart motif in the borders. This one was fun to do because I used some new tools I got for making my marking much easier.

Since I used one block pattern and one border I would classify this quilt as "Quilter's Choice" which is priced at $.025 an inch. The quilt is a baby quilt size. I haven't measured it as I quilted it for charity.

I mention the classification of quilting simply to give you an idea of what the "Quilter's Choice" quilting would look like.

Some little kiddo is gonna love their new Tigger Quilt!

Next on the frame- Baby Nines!

Here's a beautiful baby quilt made by a very sweet friend. Some new little baby is going to love this!

Now I just need to work out the quilting pattern to use so I can highlight her work!

Feathered wreaths and stressfree feathers

I've finished a charity quilt for a wonderful friend of mine. I really wanted to highlight the circles the piecing made.

I decided to do a feathered wreath in each circle.

My next step was to elevate those organic curvy lines with very straight and rigid lines.

I put 1/4" echoed lines between each of the circles. The contrast in graphic style between curvy and straight works nicely with each other.

Finally, I treated her outside borders as all one unit.

With my tan thread, I stitched a broad ribbon spine for some long, sumptuous feathers expanding and contracting down the length of each border. Each feathered ribbon is filled with curves that arc in the opposite direction from the actual feathers. The result is a balance to the eye but movement around the quilt as your eye dances from corner to corner.

It took me longer than usual to do this quilt as it involved a lot of ruler work for the straight lines. However, my using the stressfree feather technique, the wreaths and border were almost meditative for me.

Next up on the frame- Tigger!

Love Covers

A sweet friend of mine sent me these two love covers for a charity project we are involved with. Her piecing is so precise and she normally hand quilts everything at lightning speed.

She graciously sent me these two tops to play on with my Millie. I found some great kiddo fabric for the backing and loaded both quilts up on the frame.

It was fast work as I did a simple heart meander on the red brick quilt and an "abc" meander on the diamond quilt. I'm putting binding on them now.

Next up? This blue and mocha quilt is being loaded today! I'm hoping to finish it before the kids come home from school.