Day of the Dead: The Quilting

In an earlier post, I talked about a repeat client of mine who is not a quilter, but who found a piece of fabric that she fell in love with, and bought a big chunk of it, and saved it for some time before deciding to ask me to make it into a quilt.  She didn't give me many parameters, but did want me to work in the medium blue color into whatever fabrics I could find to accent the very busy and unusual Dio Des Los Metros fabric skeleton band.  And she wanted it big enough to wrap up in to watch TV or read a book or take a nap.


As I built the center fussy cut feature diamond, and worked several complementary fabrics into the simply pieced design (she wanted the feature fabric to be the star) I decided not to quilt a skull design edge to edge as I originally considered, and threw my shoulder into unusual combinations that did not overwhelm the prints, but worked well together and tied the feathers from some of the strips together by adding them to the corner units of the center diamond medallion. 

I circled the fussy cut skelly band in the center diamond, and microstippled around them so when the quilt is washed, they will puff up.  I then feathered the outside of the circle, and echoed out tot the sashing border.

Then a curvy oyster clam design for the side feature panels.

And each strip of accent fabrics has its own border design.  Adding some feathers, and some jungle fern borders kept things curvy but not obtrusive.

Just have to bind it now in the chevron fabric, and make a label with machine embroidery...a little saying she wants to add about life as a journey.  Should be fun when it's finished, and it was a challenging and interesting project.  I'll post again about a particular problem with the blue backing fabric and how to be creative when bad things happen!  Till then, 

happy quilting!

Beth

Breast Cancer Quilt in Loopy Edge to Edge

One of the great things about having your own small business is being able to make choices for yourself without hesitation!  Recently, one of my long arm clients decided to make a quilt to donate in honor of some things she's going through in her own life, and I had the great pleasure of quilting it for her.  She wanted a large edge to edge and we decided on a loopy swirl flower design that complimented the rail fence straight lines of the piecing.  And here's the best part:  I split the long arm service with her so that I could participate in a small way in her generous gesture.  I lost my own mom to breast cancer four years ago, and I always try to participate whenever possible in any kindness extended to women fighting the good fight.  (My mom got 27 years more by taking treatment and continuing her fight.  During that time she met great grandchildren, saw many family victories and celebrations and inspired so many with her courage.) 

Geometric piecing of rail fence design is set off nicely with the feminine texture of swirly loopy flowers.

The backing fabric is tiny pink ribbons on a creamy ground, so I used the palest pink thread on top and in the bobbin to set off the texture and not conflict with too much color statement to interfere with the lovely collection of pink piecing fabrics!  (thread is 50 wt. So Fine by Superior, my favorite quilting thread ever!)

So honored to be a part of this kindness.  Great job, Karen!!