First things first! One of the concepts I teach to students is something that really resounds with me personally and it’s simply this: Start with something you LOVE! Fabric, thread, pattern… whatever it may be. This piece is a good example of that for me. First, bold batiks in colors I love. Pretty threads I love! Add of course, I LOVE free motion! All of those combos are a great smorgasbord without calories! Sign me up! This pattern is one I adapted from Laura Heine’s pattern: “Fenced In” http://fiberworks-heine.com. I used the flower shapes, fused them together as her pattern calls for. Love the dimensional presence these three flowers have. Every stitch on this quilt is FREE MOTION! At least seven different thread colors and weights just gives me the ‘happy feeling’ and that’s what counts! And how about those BIG buttons! Thank you to the Quilt-A-Way for carrying such a “MarveLes” selection of buttons! (I’m a good customer!)
This quilt features bobbin play, free motion couching, confetti stitches, thread button stitching, silvery thread accents, satin cording, funky yarns, and multiple quilting motifs. (notice the bobbin play that creates texture under the buttons) I made this quilt in a celebration of summer, 2009.
Oh, I almost forgot to share a bit of a secret in regard to the satin cording on the edge of the center piece of applique on the flower… it has a tendency to become fuzzy and UNRAVEL (ugh!)… so in order to protect those unruly fibery edges after couching them on, I found functionality turned into another fun embellishment. I just love surprises that come out of problem-solving. I turned to my free motion ZIG ZAG using GLITTER thread, and kind of created a “belt buckle” effect on the satin cording. Beautiful and functional!
