Saturday, October 3, 2015

Wholecloth feather wreaths



Today I thought I would write about this little wholecloth quilt.  I started out with a 36 x 36 inch piece of white Kona cotton divided into fourths with a circle drawn in each quadrant.  That was the basis for the feather wreaths.  This was a project suggested by one of my students in a 5 month free motion quilting class that I taught.   


We learned several different kinds of feathers, top left is a paisley feather, top right - I don't know what that feather is called, but it is going around :).  bottom left is a bump-back feather, and bottom right is a swirl feather (easy-peasy and pretty).  

The next month we learned different fills, some pebbles inside the wreath and pumpkin seeds around this wreath.

This wreath has a curved spiral (not too perceptible) and a paisley fill.
The inside border design with the curving feather is from a stencil (another lesson was using stencils...)


A filled grid around the top wreath and a stencil fill around the bottom one.  
The borders were another lesson - designing your own borders.  I demonstrated how to use curved rulers to design a border for the quilt, then played with different fills to accentuate the border.  

Can you see the stitched binding?  We even learned this technique that I learned from Melody Crust when she was in town last year.  I love putting embroidered designs on bindings.  I have done this many times since I learned it (and I got a new/used Viking with lots of pretty designs).  


The last touch is a piece of an old linen (damaged in some places) for the sleeve.  Ooh, I love this quilt!

And do you know what I did?  I donated it to my guild auction.  I figured I could always make another piece for classes, arggghh.  I have decided to bid on it myself - I want it back...  The money will still help the guild, it doesn't matter where it comes from, right?  So if you are going to be at the Alamo Heritage Quilt Guild auction on October 10, and want this quilt, be prepared to pay out the nose for it!


I am linking up with Whoomp There It Is... linky party.  Check it out, there's lots of great Saturday finishers there.  

9 comments:

  1. Just found your blog through A Quilted Passion link up. Now I am following via Bloglovin.' Your quilting is lovely! WOW!

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  2. Your wholecloth quilt takes my breath away, it is so beautiful Karen! You are one very amazing quilter! I loved looking at all the closer shots.
    I rarely have my husband read a post, but I wanted him to see your quilt and then we both cracked up at the end, over you planning to bid on your own quilt. Love your sense of humor! Hope you win it! I found you on "Whoomp, There It Is!" too.

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    1. Thanks for the compliments... and glad I gave you guys a good laugh. I'll let you know how it turns out... at the auction, I mean.

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  3. Wow Karen, your quilting is amazing! I see why you want it back...the quilt is phenomenal and the embroidered binding makes it extra special.

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    1. Thanks, and I am also loving your linky party. See you next Saturday!

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  4. Holy shnikes! That's amazing! Also found you through the link up at A Quilted Passion. Your quilting work is stunning!

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  5. Wow! Your whole cloth quilt is gorgeous!! And you donated it for an auction?? That will make it extra special if you win it back. thanks for sharing your masterpiece.

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  6. WOWZA! this is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.

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