"Arcadia Avenue" is exactly that.
The colours sing against a dark background, and the blocks - well! Intricate piecing pushes this quilt over the top!
My client requested a feathered wreath in each block, and I was certainly game!
It seemed like a smart way to enhance the quilt. Still custom, but less intensive than designing something different for every block.
The blocks are quite large (as you can see, below), so I needed a large-scale plan.
Hatching the Plan
Executing the Plan
A stitched spine kept the inner and outer feathers of the wreath tidy. A chalked boundary helped keep the wreath nice and round.
I used an acrylic template as a stitch guide for the spine, and a somewhat more humble foam plate for chalking the boundary line. (...officially a tool once the pin was added for centering, right? Yep!)
The chalk line also acted as a pretend-spine for the outer ring of feathers, added to fill the remaining space in the block.
(You can see what I mean in the picture, below. Notice the wreath in the center, and the filler fronds around the outside edge.)
I was pleased with how great the feathers looked in every, single block!
(Everything is just a theory until the needle goes into the fabric!)
See what I mean?
Giant wishbones were used in the background between the blocks. Their straight lines provide a foil for the feathers, and they don't pull attention away from the stars of the show.
Generous (gigantic!) feathers flow along the top and bottom borders, and also appear in the skinny "filler" triangles along the sides of the quilt.
Here is what the top looked like before it was quilted - I was a little nervous about poking a million holes in this baby. (Ulp!)
But all's well that ends well!
Linking up with:
Needle & Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation
Try, Learn, & Grow!
Carole
The colours sing against a dark background, and the blocks - well! Intricate piecing pushes this quilt over the top!
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
My client requested a feathered wreath in each block, and I was certainly game!
It seemed like a smart way to enhance the quilt. Still custom, but less intensive than designing something different for every block.
The blocks are quite large (as you can see, below), so I needed a large-scale plan.
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
Hatching the Plan
- Step one - make a bunch of small doodles to generate ideas.
- Step two - draw the best ideas at actual size.
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
Executing the Plan
A stitched spine kept the inner and outer feathers of the wreath tidy. A chalked boundary helped keep the wreath nice and round.
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
I used an acrylic template as a stitch guide for the spine, and a somewhat more humble foam plate for chalking the boundary line. (...officially a tool once the pin was added for centering, right? Yep!)
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
The chalk line also acted as a pretend-spine for the outer ring of feathers, added to fill the remaining space in the block.
(You can see what I mean in the picture, below. Notice the wreath in the center, and the filler fronds around the outside edge.)
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
I was pleased with how great the feathers looked in every, single block!
(Everything is just a theory until the needle goes into the fabric!)
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
See what I mean?
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
Giant wishbones were used in the background between the blocks. Their straight lines provide a foil for the feathers, and they don't pull attention away from the stars of the show.
Generous (gigantic!) feathers flow along the top and bottom borders, and also appear in the skinny "filler" triangles along the sides of the quilt.
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
Here is what the top looked like before it was quilted - I was a little nervous about poking a million holes in this baby. (Ulp!)
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
But all's well that ends well!
 |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
Linking up with:
Needle & Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation
Try, Learn, & Grow!
Carole
The plate and pin definitely qualify as a tool. :) It looks great!
ReplyDeleteThank you again, as always I am so happy with the amazing work you do on my quilts. It has usurped Oh Canada as my favourite quilt!!
ReplyDeleteThat is a wild quilt. You picked a great design to quilt it. Love how it came out!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic piece! So meticulously designed and sewn...amazing. And your feather wreaths are perfect for it! Great job with the quilting, Carole :)
ReplyDeleteYour quilting really enhanced the quilt. It looks great. (And anything in the house that's round is officially a quilting tool.)
ReplyDeleteLove your quilt and the colors you used. Your quilting is amazing too.
ReplyDelete