Bold and Happy

This is a very busy and bold client quilt.  It has many modern fabrics as well as batiks, and 17 hand embroidered squares.The fabrics don't really fall into one color family because they are prints, so choosing a compatible thread was both challenging and simple.  I could have used just about anything.  It would show a little here and none most everywhere.  Let that be a lesson - don't overthink thread selections when there is this much pattern.

Here's the thread I used.  It has nearly every color pastel possible in it.  I received this from Aurifil this last summer as a gift, along with a dozen other cones.  I have been very skeptical of cottons, and essentially quit quilting with cotton thread years ago, but hearing this, Alex Veronelli of Aurifil offered to send me a "couple" samples.  Many are different weights of cotton, and I really like most.  This happens to be a poly thread, but it quilts like a dream.

 The embroidery blocks were echo quilted using a coordinating SoFine! thread (50wt poly).  I didn't want the variegated thread to detract from the appearance of the quilt that she was going for.  This meant for about 6 different color changes, but I do have a lot of SoFine! colors, thankfully.

 What I did on the quilting is hard to decipher with all the print too.  The setting triangles (above) got 1/2" spaced lines, just to set this part of the quilt off.  The small dark (blue) stones were cc-d, and the background of the quilt received my all-over feather treatment, with some leaves.  There are aspects of this quilt that are somewhat organic -- the embroideries are of birds and flowers.  This filler is not incredibly fast, but it works well in spaces like this.

I also spent a few days last week working on one of my own.  This is small, 36"x53" and is made from Cherrywood.  Can't remember if I have shown this top finished or not, but here it is again.  It is free curve-pieced, and is intended to be more on the modern edge when I am done.

 I thought I had all the thread I wanted to use, but soon discovered I was wrong.  With the hundred or so fabrics I used (OK, maybe there are only 50 - but they vary in color and tone), it is hard to pick one or two that work well everywhere.  I did manage to get the framework stitched so that the quilt is stabilized.  Here's a peek at the feathers (I use that term loosely) that wander down through the falling leaves.  All but the last section of these is done.  I need a different dark blue thread.  Hello, Glide!

The background is getting something different, at least for me it is different.  These leaf-like shapes will be filled before I am done, but I need that thread too.  The 50wt thread I used up the sides on the hatching is too heavy and thready for my taste (it may come out and be replaced with the thinner stuff that I am getting).  It has a lot of work left, but something this size could be finished in a few days.  That's my theory and hope anyways.

My last bit of fantastic news is this.  Guess where I am going to be picking up this new thread??...HOUSTON!!  I am leaving for Houston next Saturday.  Meander Publishing is putting me up there - I found out last week.  I am so excited.  The airfares are cheap, but hotels run $250 per night, and I couldn't pull that off comfortably.  I am so thankful to have good colleagues and friends in this industry.  I will be working in their booth at Quilt Market on Sunday and Monday, and Wednesday evening for the Quilt Festival Preview.  I get to go to the awards presentation Tuesday, and to a winners's luncheon the next day. I have all day Tuesday to myself to find a class to take.  I hope to get into a painting class that is 1/2 day.  As an exhibitor, I will be able to get in to see the quilts during Market here and there, and I am told that we can go in to see them before hours also.  Officially, I only have Thursday to go to the show and to shop so that will be a crazy busy day.  It will end with Quiltapalooza - a costume party.  Remember that this is Halloween!  My daughter isn't thrilled about mom being gone for Halloween, but she'll be ok.  It just means that I have a ton of different things to pack.  'Nuff rambling, time to go get my day started!