A Critter Quilt

This baby quilt is so cute, it's ridiculous! There's a fantastic energy surrounding it - a happy vibe - and it just makes me smile. :-)


Client quilt, fresh off the frame!
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My client told me a story that ended with the top having been washed prior to arriving at my studio.
As a result, it was a bit cranky at first, and had to be coaxed into behaving.


Loading a slightly cranky quilt
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A loose, swirly pantograph helped things along.

"Ripples" panto looks great!
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My client has the soul of an artist and was excited that the mountain scene would have extra texture and dimension! Yay!!!

Even so, I wanted to exert a bit of control over the lay of the land.
In an attempt to distribute the fabric across the area, I spritzed it with water and patted it into place. No matter what, it insisted on laying in vertical rows. I eventually gave up and went with it. Some battles ya just can't win!

Spritzed, patted, and left to dry over night
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The mountain worked out well, but drat! I ended up stitching a couple of pleats into the foreground! (That area was just as stubborn as - or worse than - the mountain fabric had been.)

Aack! Wrinkles are okay, but pleats were not in the plan!
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Out came my seam ripper (my faithful companion). After the pleats were released, I was able to convince them to relax into soft wrinkles so they wouldn't be as obvious.


Soft wrinkles will be even softer after the quilt is washed.
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My client was right - the extra texture adds dimension that is quite delightful!

In my mind's eye, the baby who receives this quilt will spend many hours of tactile enjoyment, stroking and feeling its softly intriguing surface. So soothing.

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And so stinkin' cute!

Today's Snippet
The wall hanging featured in my previous post came back from my guildmates today - finished!
One last photo op before it goes off the the museum:

Finished!
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I think the dark binding is the perfect finishing touch - and I love how the border quilting looks now that it has a frame!

A frame improves the look of...everything!
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Thanks for dropping by!

Try, Learn, & Grow!
Carole

Comments

  1. That baby quilt is adorable and you worked a miraowith your quilting!

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  2. What an awesome African safari baby quilt; I was so lucky to get to visit Tanzania in 2012 and see all those animals and Mt. Kilimanjaro in real life. What a great job working with a stubborn and cranky quilt; it turned out really wonderfully. The dark binding on the wall hanging does work just like a frame. :)

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  3. I don't think you could have chosen a better quilting design for the baby quilt. It looks fabulous! Thanks for sharing your story on working with a cranky quilt; it is so helpful to see how others deal with some of the same issues I sometimes have. I love the texture you achieved.

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  4. The swirly pantograph really added life to that adorable little quilt!

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  5. Wow! You really have a magic touch.

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  6. You're right the baby quilt is ridiculously cute. The museum wall hanging is gorgeous.

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  7. Both gorgeous, I really do love that dot to dot quilting on the hanging.

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  8. That baby quilt is absolutely adorable!

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