Apparently, January 2015 is the month of
The List. This past week, I dove into my fourth project from it - Underwater. No, I wasn't sewing underwater. It's the name that this little piecing exercise gave to itself...
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It's from an April 2013 workshop with Elaine Quehl. You can read about how I made those curves
here.
I deliberated for a long time. To emphasize it's watery look, I wanted to create ripples of wave-y quilting. I also toyed with the idea of appliquéing a fish and some water grasses onto it. In the end, it seemed unlikely that I would be as satisfied with my appliqué results as my piecing results. And I couldn't think of a way to quilt the ripples without interfering with the appliqué. Did I ask you, dear readers? Nope. Didn't think of that at the time! ☺
So waves of quilting it is. First up, choosing the thread. Remember when I went all crazy
buying thread for Honey? It really came in handy when I went to match these Konas!
To keep things straight (and avoid wasting precious quilting time), I opted to number my spools once I had matched the thread.
Then I added painter's tape numbers to the edge of the project with the corresponding numbers.
Then I got down to the fun stuff! I opted for organic ripples of quilting. I didn't bother to FMQ these... the walking foot works well for this sort of thing. The lines of stitching cross over each other and the different colours of stitching don't necessarily stay within the bands of colour on the quilt top.
I'm very pleased with the quilting so far. I might add a few more lines of darker stitching in the upper/lighter strata. Up next, binding....
I'm thinking of matching the binding to the layers of colour... dark at the bottom, working it's way to light at the top. It's gonna be fiddly as hell to match it up. What do you think? Someone please tell me there's an easy way to do this!
I'm linking up today with
WiP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced, as well as...
J
P.S. If you haven't had a chance, pop on over to
Monday's post and enter my giveaway! You've got until midnight tonight!
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love it, its simple and elegant
ReplyDeleteGorgeoous - really like your quilting choice! Fiddly binding will be gorgeous on it!
ReplyDeleteIt is gorgeous! Those colours! Those curves! And your organization of the thread was pretty darn smart. You are so productive with your WIP list lately! If I ever get to the end of my list of baby quilts maybe I can start some WIP list reduction!
ReplyDeleteI love the quilting you chose for this, and an ombre binding would look awesome! I can't think of a super easy way to do it though :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I have made many like this and the hardest part is the binding! Lots of piecing and auditioning the binding before sewing!
ReplyDeleteIt looks lovely--very restful to look at it. It sounds too fiddly to do ombre binding, but I'm essentially lazy so don't take my advice!
ReplyDeleteI think the quilting on this is spot on! In terms of getting the binding right, I would probably start with one color and slowly add on each successive binding strip as you put it down to get the alignment just right. Yup, it's going to take some time, but it will be so worth it!
ReplyDeleteThose curves are beautiful! The quilting is spot-on as well. The matching binding sounds like a challenging but awesome idea. It will probably be a bear to tackle, but the results will be amaze-balls. Lol
ReplyDeleteHi! This is really beautiful! I love blue, sea, waves and here you have them all! Wow, those curves look fantastic and the curvy quilting just perfect! I think I would make the binding with different colours as you said, but I would let each colour pass a little bit to the next wave (not to be exactly the same colour with each wave). Looking for to see how you finish this. x Teje
ReplyDeleteLove this quilt. Being from N.S. now in Alberta I do MISS the ocean.
ReplyDeleteLove everything about this quilt. So happy you decided to quilt it this way, it gives such movement.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
You've done beautiful work here Jenn, and the finished quilt has such a sense of serenity. I love it! I've been practicing my curves like this too.
ReplyDeleteWow! Your piecing is spectacular. And the quilting does so much to enhance the design and really makes it shine! Funny you should mention making matched binding.... I have been working on a binding post to share on the 31st. I would recommend you check out this tutorial by Debbie of A Quilter's Table for matched binding. She sure makes it look easy! http://aquilterstable.blogspot.ca/2012/06/about-that-binding.html
ReplyDeleteVisiting from Let's Bee Social. The curves and matching threads caught my eye immediately in the thumbnail photos. Looks good. I really like your idea of numbering the colors when you have so many. I tend to like matching thread and fabric, so will be using this trick. claire aka knitnkwilt
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely beautiful. I love the curves and also the quilting.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and thanks for sharing your tip with numbering the threads - a great idea
ReplyDeleteThis is SO pretty! Love the curves, colors and quilting--especially how it overlaps.
ReplyDeleteThat is beautiful! Those curves are just fab! And a great tip about numbering the threads, too.
ReplyDeleteLovely! And a great organizing idea. :)
ReplyDeleteI wondered what happened to that. Great quilting.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Please no applique! Quilting is great!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful use of curves! I also love that your fabrics and design really do evoke a feeling of water.
ReplyDeleteWow! I love this! So pretty! I would think the only way to match up binding colours for each section would be to carefully measure and cut sections of fabric. I'm almost wondering if you could just turn in all the edges 1/4" and top stitch around your quilt. Not really a binding but a finished edge :)
ReplyDeleteI think if you try and match the binding and are off just a bit it will draw the eye, making your piece the opposite of serene. I suggest pillowcasing and avoid a binding altogether; much better suited to wall/art quilts than a binding.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this quilt. Seriously -- the colors, the movement, the quilting. So I got the basics of your approach (the numbered tape pieces were so smart) ... I take it that you did all of one color thread and then moved on to another and another. Did you experience any puckering or comparable problems? And you quilted from edge to edge?
ReplyDeleteLove the quilt!! The different color threads and waves really add to the quilt! Amazing!
ReplyDeleteUse facing instead of binding....very modern looking and pretty easy.
ReplyDeleteThe flow of this is just so FUN! Love this share. :)
ReplyDeleteOooh! Lovely.
ReplyDeleteHow about hunting for an ombre binding fabric? Or perhaps, more simply, choose just two colours for the binding - a light for the top and a dark for the bottom. As a maximum - three colours: light, medium and dark. You would not have to be precise, just cut strips about the right length and pin them in place to eyeball it.
Beautiful colors and lovely curves! Your quilting is fabulous! If you can't find a binding solution you love, consider a facing. I have a tutorial on my blog. http://www.terryaskeartquilts.com/Studio/tips-tutorials-and-more/my-new-favorite-quilt-facing-technique/
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