Friday, May 13, 2011

Bloggers' Quilt Festival Spring 2011


This is my third time participating in the Bloggers' Quilt Festival and I know I will be spending a lot of time on my computer this week enjoying the festival. I chose my Winner's Bouquet quilt to showcase as it was a quilt that took 2 years to complete and I struggled with 'how to quilt it'.   I have been quilting professionally for 2 1/2 years on my longarm and even though I have quilted over 200 quilts I still suffer from the dreaded 'Sit and Stare' once in awhile.   Not a very productive technique if you are familiar with it!


I love working with batik fabric and had been collecting earth-tone shades for awhile so when I can across this beautiful pattern I knew that was the quilt I had to make with my fabric.  I loved the acrylic templates that came with the pattern and that made cutting a dream.  Once I had all the piecing done I hit a wall....."how do I quilt the odd shaped background".


I could have done feather but the fabrics just didn't call for that type of quilting.  I wanted the quilting design to enhance the piecing not overpower it.
I came up with a few designs, which were all over ambitions design that I drew out on my plexiglass design board. Now if you don't have a plexiglass board run to your local hardware store and get one because they are one of the best quilting tools there is.  You just have to add the colourful electrical tape on the edges so you don't accidently draw past the edge of the board!


So after 6 months of the Sit and Stare technique I finally decided on the final design and the quilting went quickly, especially when I discovered I had a ruler that had the same curve as the piecing!!


So the quilting was all free hand and ruler work.


Now if you like me and like your art over your bed to match your quilt I thought I would show you what I made to go with it.  I discovered Snow Dyeing  this winter and dyed this piece of fabric that I framed and put over my bed. In Northern Canada winter lasts 6 month of the year so we have plenty of snow to play with. And to be honest this fabric was more of a 'planned accident' that it match my quilt but that's our little secret :)
  If your curious what Snow Dyeing is all about I posted a tutorial Here.



I hope you are all enjoying the festival and thanks for stopping by.

48 comments:

  1. Wow, wow, wow! Beautiful! Awesome! Curve piecing must have been such a challenge!

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  2. I made Winner's Bouquet last year, but mine is smaller. I like the way you quilted it, really brings out the curves.

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  3. I love your WB. I just finished one but your beautiful quilting makes mine look blah! Your quilting was well worth waiting for inspiration.

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  4. Kathy, I love and adore your quilting! Thank you so much for sharing it!! You do beautiful work :)

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  5. It's just gorgeous! It was worth all the sitting and staring! I'm doing a bit of that myself right with a quilt. I love the plexiglass idea! That is so genius!! Thanks for that awesome tip!

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  6. You do terrific work!! I adore the colors and the quilting and ty for showing your technique(I mean the one you do after the "Sit and Stare!")

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  7. Your quilt is so detailed and the colors are exquisite.

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  8. This quilt is a real work of art! The quilting jumps right out and the coloured fabric takes a back seat to it. It is wonderful.

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  9. That quilting is absolutely phenomenal!

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  10. The quilt and wallhanging are just beautiful. And the quilting in the quilt; wow!

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  11. This is such a stunning quilt. I always love the way you use the batiks in a quilt. Beautiful colours. And it was worth the wait for the quilting design. It is so beautiful!

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  12. Wow this is really stunning! And the quilting really does accentuate the quilt! :)

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  13. absolutely fantastic!! and the snow dying is fascinating--have to try this next winter. your quilt by itself is a marvelous pattern and you surely did one of the most beautiful quilting i've ever seen--a great job. thanks for sharing and have a great day

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  14. This quilt is beautiful!
    I love the pattern, the fabrics and definitely the quilting.
    Great job!

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  15. I love the colours in this. Beautiful craftsmanship.
    Deborah

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  16. wow, that is a work of art. Absolutely gorgeous!! The quilting is amazing. Thanks for sharing!!

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  17. Well the sit and stare time was worth it. The quilting is perfect for the quilt. I love the combination of the quilting elements. And that ruler was a perfect match.

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  18. beautiful fabric, pattern and quilting, well done! Thanks for sharing!

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  19. This is a stunning quilt! I love the fabrics and the quilting. You did a beautiful job.

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  20. What a beautiful quilt Kathy! I love your sit and stare technique. I use that often too.

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  21. So beautiful! The detail is amazing! I love the matching artwork as well.

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  22. You are my kind of quilter...a batik lover! I absolutely love your quilt...everything about it! And the plexiglass idea...WOW. I'm getting that asap. I'm going to have to check out your blog and see what other great ideas you have shared...oh and the snow dying...I'm in Alaska...I just can't wait to try this next winter...after a sunny summer!

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  23. Love your the Freehand Quilting, you are very talented!

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  24. Well Kathy - your S&S worked so well - your quilt is beautiful!!

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  25. I have a couple things to say but I have to start with, I love you. I love you for mentioning the "sit and stare" syndrome (which I've experienced more than once) and getting my attention that way. And then, you mentioned the plexiglass.

    HOLY COW! The possibilities! I have a mid-arm and I hate starting and unstitching my initial thoughts when it's not looking as I anticipated.

    Second comment, your quilt is very pretty and I think the quilting is exactly right. Thank you for sharing today.

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  26. AMAZING ! you did wonderful work with the quilting ... your quilt is simply wonderful, and your snow-dyed matching piece compliments it just perfectly.

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  27. Amazing! I love your quilting, it's so beautiful. Great quilt.

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  28. The quilting is stunning, the sit and stare method does have some positives to it, you came up with fabulous quilting ideas. I love the way you have used the batiks.

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  29. Wow your quilting is so beautiful!

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  30. This is an amazingly gorgeous quilt. I hope you are VERY pleased with yourself!!!!

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  31. What a beautiful quilt! I can't believe all the quilting is free-hand and rulers! It is so perfect! Great work! Good idea with the plexi-glass too! I will remember that!

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  32. Oh, this is a stunning quilt - the curves, the colors, the quilting! Love your matching "painting" for the wall of your bedroom, too! Nicely done! And I agree, the quilting shouldn't overpower the quilt. Beautiful.

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  33. Oh yea Kathy!! I'm glad you put this in the show! Beautiful!!

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  34. It's stunning! I had never seen a plexiglas design board, it's totally cool. I'm not quite ready for such a tool but you can bet it's in my noodle awaiting the right time!

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  35. This is totally stunning- I love the soft colors and all that beautiful piecing and quilting. It is truly a work of art.
    I hope that you are staying dry and not in the flood zone.
    Warmest regards from Alberta,
    Anna

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  36. I love this quilt festival!! Your entry is exquisite. I really enjoy the fresh style of the quilting, and if this is the result of 6 months of the sit-and-stare technique, maybe it isn't such a bad technique after all. ;D

    Thank you for the tip about the plexiglass design board. I had not heard that one yet, and as I am very deliberative and particular about the quilting I want on my tops, this is a Must-Have!

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  37. I love your quilting on this. It does definitely enhance and compliment the design. I'm pretty good at the sit and stare method, too! Your snow dyed piece is fabulous and looks wonderful with the quilt.

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  38. I have to say that I am in awe of you and this quilt! It is one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever seen. It is certainly the best of show in this quilt festival so far! Congratulations on such a beautiful and challenging quilt.

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  39. Awesome awesome awesome!! I love the curved peicing, it gives such a unique quality tot he quilt and it looks super hard to do (to me anyway!!). I may have to suck it up and give curved piecing a try one of these days. :)

    Cheers!
    Rachel
    http://www.dewberrylane.com

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  40. Beautiful! and what a happy accident that your snow dying was a match!

    Thanks for sharing :)

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  41. What a beautiful quilt!! Amazing! I was surprised to read that you had trouble deciding on the quilting, because what you came up with was so absolutely perfectly suited to the quilt...good job!
    Great art too, it does really match!

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