16 : : A Finish!

I have to tell you up front - I'm going to stray from my picture format for the month. I just have to gush about this quilt, and the journey it has taken me on!


The making/piecing of the top, was straightforward and a breeze!

More of the challenge came when it was time to select thread for quilting, decide on fabrics for the back, and mentally preparing myself to quilt it!

I knew that it needed curves and movement in the quilting - it was crying out for it. But I was determined to have a solid plan before setting to quilt it. In the end it was Cheryl's comment that made everything click for me!

"Take one of the floral patterns from your fabric and use as an inspirational repeat. You could do it in each block, or as a linear pattern."

Make it a flower! In my sketch book I had already been doodling ideas and practicing the movement - when I read her comment I was put into action - thanks again Cheryl.

It's really hard to capture the entire quilt and highlight the quilting - but here's a few details :

In the center, I traced five circles, big circles, and then filled them in with circles - Like the center of a flower. I would do some quilting, pull it out and lay it on the floor again, see where I needed more and go do it! It was in those moments of looking at it I felt like an artist, like more than a simple quilter! I knew that I needed to do this quilting, but was more assured of why as I was actually doing it :)

Then I taped (painter's tape) the diagonals working out from the center. There's a few rows quilted, that had all four sides included -- lots of repositioning!!

The loops just kept on going! But working on the diagonal was great - so much less bulk to deal with - at times :) Having the areas taped off helped me to have a clear idea of where I was going and how big to make my loops as I went. Also, I've mentioned recently the perpendicular sewing machine, while quilting - I remembered where I learned that! My friend Andrea has actually posted a video of herself quilting this way, go check her out.

All the loops are random heights and widths - some have little ones inside the big ones. To me it is very organic and flowery feeling without being over the top. Just what I was hoping for!

And it is right at home in our room!

Some of these pictures were taken outside in the heat of the day - thus the colors vary a bit. I was too excited to wait for the evening sun - Oh well :)

I'm sure that I have more to tell, but I have managed to stay up to late getting this posted :) I'm hoping to catch up in my reader a bit before the zig-zagging gets underway! See you soon~
Amy

ETA: It is 100x110" and 110 blocks, I used spray baste for the first time and loved it! More freedom to move while quilting - but it needed 2 cans, I only bought 1 :) Next time!

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