Pantograph Review

I have done a few different and new patterns to me. Actually, they were all acquired earlier in the winter, but I just recently had a client that either chose them, or received a quilt I felt that they were well suited for.

In the last few hours before I left on vacation to the Cape, I received Andrea's last wedding quilt. It was actually pieced by her mom, sent to me for the 2 day turn-around quilting, and then back to Andrea for binding before the big event this coming weekend. This is stitched with a neutral tan SoFine thread, Bottomline bobbin. The pattern is Feather Meander by Linda Taylor. I had actually been avoiding using it, as I thought it might be dense and time consuming, but I so totally love it. It reminds me of a front-side freehand E2E that I do, but I just wanted to give the pattern a try. It will be used often. It is a wide pattern too - 14" I think.
And a better look from the flannely backside...

Here's yet another batik quilt in gorgeous greens and purples. I have used this pattern a time or two this year, but it's a nice one for this quilt. It is Woodlands, and is a rather dense leafy design. I used once again a SoFine thread in the top and bobbin, in a fuscia color (like the inner border).

The thread does not appear to show because the lighting for the picture was miserable, but it does show as pink against the plum backing. It is dense - many bobbins used.

The last pattern, again for one of the wedding quilts, is called Angel Wings. I chose a bright orange thread, again SoFine. Although it is being given at her wedding, it is actually a baby's quilt, with the gender unknown. The orange is a bold choice, but definitely relatively gender-neutral, and it does show up nicely without being bright red hearts all over the quilt.

This is a loose pattern and does quilt up relatively fast. I prefer the patterns to "interlock" more so that there is not the obvious look of hearts all in a row (aka - more like the Feather Meander I showed first), but that is life. It's delicate, without making a stiff quilt.

So I am now back from vacation, a week on the Cape, visiting what are really quite nice beaches daily even by my more Caribbean standards. All 3 kids are in school - even my youngest goes for the afternoon. My machine is home from its annual servicing, and I am easing into the notion of having 3 uninterrupted hours of sewing every afternoon without question. I have some client committments, as well as things of my own to finish up. My quilt going to MQX West is nearing completion (should be since the show is a month away). I also have no less than 4 others in the works. First up....a 40" wholecloth, all marked and ready. Just one semi-custom ahead of it. Oh, did I mention that the wholecloth is silk? Yikes. That is where the nerves kick in, and the ever-present quandry of what color thread to use. I started teaching my oldest how to sew a couple weeks ago and he is chomping at the bit to do more. That is on Saturday's agenda. So much fun, so little time! Visit back in a day or so and I will show a few more snippets of what I have been up to.