Underwater Adventure #3

Sewing in the Seaweed...

I thought this motif turned out pretty cool...looks somewhat like a sea creature ready to float across the quilt.

I loved sewing these pebbles and stones...the unusally oblong shape added a lot of interest and 3D texture.

Robin did a great job hand-dying her fabrics.

I know I've already posted pics of these scales, but they were my favorite part, so here they are again!

More "sea creatures" and seaweed...

And of course....Mermaid Hair in the borders...which also looks like swirling ocean waves.

Underwater Adventure #2

Robin's quilt had several large plain blocks that lent themselves to fancy quilting. I had fun designing and fitting this funky feather in one of the larger squares. This feather always ends up looking fabulous, but it takes FOREVER to stitch all those itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny circles around the edges. It was worth it though. Robin was very happy with the results. Her selection of hand-dyed cottons (which she died herself), lace, velvet, seersucker and a variety of other fabrics, in combination with the wacky overall design of the quilt squares gave this quilt an unusual funky feel. The design of the quilt also allowed for a wide range of funky stitching designs. I had fun playing around on this one. There's a lot more of where this came from...so stay tuned everybody!!!!

Underwater Adventure #1

The quilt I recieved from Robin had an artsy funky feel to it. She had creatively stitched together several different fabrics, including velvet, cottons, lace and a variety of others. She said to do whatever we wanted on it! I love hearing those words! The quilt was framed in a green batik border with fish printed on it. This is what originally inspired me to take this quilt in an "ocean themed" direction. The rest of the fabrics were somewhat neutral and did not have a specifically nautical theme...but when I saw the border I knew the decision making process was over. I immediately dove in on this underwater adventure and had a blast stitching seaweed, pebbles, waves and scales all over the quilt! More to come soon so stay tuned!!!

Something Fishy Coming Soon!!!!

I've had so much fun sewing fish scales, waves & seaweed all over this quilt...wait til' you see it!

The Background...Last of the Bernina Stash Dash Quilt...

Don't really have a whole lot to say about the background. I'm glad I decided to go ahead with doing Mermaid Hair. It ended up being just the right thing for the background filler around the center star and the various blocks. It also meshed well with the other curly swirls background filler (seen in last photo).

Here you can see the 2 background fillers meeting and meshing well.

Stash Dash Quilt Up Close, Part 5

Borders....there were A LOT of little vines, leaves and flowers to quilt around. Getting started on this special Heart of Carolina Stash Dash quilt was little intimidating. The purple, red and orange stars were the first things I quilted. I was ready to rock n' roll after doing 28 of these. The feathers really enhanced the elegant look of the stars. Below you can see how teeny weeny the quilted feathers are - that's my baby finger.

Stash Dash Quilt Up Close, Part 4

This block turned out simply dynamite! For once I did not practice drawing the design before sewing it....I just went for it! I love free-wheeling it with the quilting. During the entire quilting process for the Bernina Stash Dash quilt I carefully rehearsed and drew and re-drew everything before stitching anything. So when I came to this block, it was thoroughly refreshing to just dive in!

No quilting in the purple added to the 3 dimensional look of this block. The quilting overall set this block spinning in motion. It almost looks like a pinwheel swirling in the breeze.

These last 2 photos show the quilting I did in the 4 cornerstone blocks at the edges of the quilt. Minimum quilting seemed the most appropriate option due to the fact that these stars are the last thing seen by the viewer. Because of this and the fact that the viewer's attention needed to be directed to the central, grand star I simply wiggle stitched in the ditch. The beauty of the block itself is in its traditional design and rich colors. The quilting therefore needed to quietly blend in and enhance the block without calling attention to itself.

Stash Dash Quilt Up Close Part 3

In the four different blocks framing the quilt I did different, custom quilting for each. Here are 2 more of them.

Love how it turned out looking 3D...it really popped.

At Bernina...

Today I had the pleasure of going to Bernina. http://www.berninaworldofsewing.com/ I was delighted to see the Stash Dash quilt I slaved over hanging so beautifully in the classroom. To those of you who live near or in the Raleigh area, I highly recommend an outing to Bernina. They have quite a few classes they are offering and lots of fabrics and all sorts of things for the everyday quilter. I enjoyed chatting with Marilyn (shop owner seen below.) I was so flattered today when, during the Bernina club meeting, she pointed out "what a great job" I had done quilting the Heart of Carolina Stash Dash quilt. I really appreciated that. Then all the ladies in the club applauded me...thank you ladies!

I visited Bernina Club today to see quilt Artist, Roxane Lessa. Her brilliant work was inspiring. She had several great ideas for machine quilting designs and shared several magnificent and intricately crafted quilts with us. WOW...she is a gifted artist.

470... that is the final head count of quilters who attended Stash Dash. That's a lot more than I estimated in a previous post!

Stash Dash Quilt Up Close, Part 2

This block did not call for much quilting...in fact I even considered not quilting it. The beauty of the block is in the fabulous design..."over-quilting" it would greatly detract from it's 3D look. I wanted the block to still be "in motion" after I quilted it. Just a few wavy lines here and there did the trick. It ended up looking even more 3D than before I quilted it. Mission accomplished - the quilting enhanced the block. This sizzling star was probably my favorite block in the whole quilt.