my oh my, where has the week gone? wait ~ i remember. perfecting a buttermilk biscuit recipe… test driving a mid-arm quilting machine at a local quilt store {babylock}; studying isaiah, {i’m leading bible study and giving the messages for awhile!}, and i’ve joined a local gym to help alleviate joint {hip} pain issues, sending out orders from my etsy store, and besides enjoying our amazing october weather, i got out for some lunch with friends, and even {semi-enjoyed} grocery shopping! whew. am certainly loving retirement!
and… a great portion of time at the sewing machine. now that’s what i call a terrific week!
i’m really honored to have been asked by superior to create this special piece, and very excited to show you my quilted rendition of “northern night lights” ~ a special commissioned piece for my favorite thread company: superior threads!
approximately 20″x 34″ in size, it began with a beautiful inspirational piece of hand dyed fabric that gave me the idea for the northern lights theme, dyed by the talented vicki welsh.
i hand painted additional colors, with silks acrylic glaze paints, added real silver leaf, and layers of bits of angelina fibers i melted together to create custom colors, as well as a strips of textiva film, and other accent pieces of hand dyed fabrics that were added to the base of the quilt fabric, all prior to quilting it.
i used quilters dream batting, ‘dream orient’ between two traditional layers. no extra stabilizer.
let me give you some other facts about this completely thread painted art quilt. approximately 16+ jumbo bobbins from my bernina 830 were used; about 13 different threads {at my last count ~ i may have missed some!}, and i think maybe 20-30 thread changes, as i went back and forth, looking, pausing, and adding thread colors here and there as i quilted along. silver metallic, razzle dazzle, magnifico, masterpiece, and bottom line all made their way into this piece; size: 21″x 34.”
how much time from start to finish? about 50-60 hours. and i loved every minute!
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| looking from the top down into the body of the quilt. |
the back side: {i always love using bottom line in white, with all my silver metallic threads, especially in free motion.}
yeah… lots of pics, and the weather was beautifully cooperative with no wind, and pretty sunlight, {although my last pic wasn’t so great of the entire piece} and now it’s time to pack it up and mail it off to superior threads where it will be in wonderful company i am sure! {pun intended!} lol
thank you superior threads, it was an honor, and i give all the credit to our loving, and living Father Above.
Soli Deo Gloria!
XO
Leslie
Comments 13
How many ways can I say that's just beautiful Leslie!
This gave me heart palpitations – such gorgeous, gorgeous colour!
wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!!
Ditto all the above! Awesome piece, as always, Love, Love your work.
ruthanne
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. YOU are gifted Leslie! Hope you are well! hugs, jane
Oh La La Leslie…..you had lots of FUN with Northern Lights! This one has you written or sewn all over it! Nicely done!
LuAnn in Oregon
luannkessi.blogspot.com
Leslie, I am so glad you blog, you are such and inspiration to me. You keep topping yourself with every piece you make.
I'll look for it at their booth at the HMQS in SLC next year. At least, they'd better have it there! Gorgeous!!!
Wooow, very nice and wonderful!
LG from Germany,
Klaudia
Oh my gosh! Superior Threads is so fortunate to have this! It is spectacular and emotionally moving. Congratulations!
Colors are yummy!!!! Beautiful work as always!
Breathtaking!!!
Spectacular?