It's easy to get carried away and forget that simple can be strong.
This t-shirt quilt featured a number of stretchy, shiny, slippery (aka, uncooperative) fabrics. Some of the logos were heavily embroidered and others were kind of rubbery.
Either way, the stitching needed to be dense enough to prevent the logos from rippling, yet simple enough to visually disappear.
Thankfully I remembered the KISS principle in time to use it! (Keep It Simple, Silly)
I decided to alternate vertical and horizontal wiggly lines over the logo blocks, and then repeat the wiggles in the border for a cohesive finish.
Alternating swirls and wishbones in the striped rows between the blocks added interest and quickly filled those spaces.
Sometimes simple is best, don't you think?
The next quilt was also quilted simply.
My client requested large swirls in the background and wishbones in the printed border, and nothing too "frou frou", please!
Alrighty, then!
To enhance the radiating design, I used point-to-point wiggly lines in the giant diamonds that make up the star, wiggly outlines in the triangles, and loopy "L"s around the perimeter of the medallion.
A zigzag wiggle following the curve of the yellow-green fabric that encircles the star completed the picture.
The zigzag wiggle came about because of seams that needed repair. Repeating the same wiggle in a decorative capacity integrated the repairs into the design.
I often repeat elements (swirls, loops, wiggles) from the quilt's body in its borders. Not only does it fit the KISS principle, it adds a sense of unity to the project.
So striking!
There's nothing quite like a log cabin quilt that plays with light and dark - AND there are stars!
I love stars!
What a great example of the KISS principle! Repetition of one simple block, rotated and thoughtfully placed = a delightfully complex looking design!
This quilt just says "comfort" to me.
About the time I wanted a picture, I realized the light was good in our basement guest room.
How pretty!
My next client designed herself a Canada 150 quilt based on a photo of a Peace Country icon - the sheds by the highway that signal the final leg of our journey home.
Baste-y, baste-y, little quilt.
The reference photo had big, fluffy clouds high in the sky, so I went with similar clouds in the quilting.
I used a combination of small, geometric curves and loose, wavy verticals in the field to imply distance. The small curves also help the trees fit into the scene by directly relating to them (another geometric shape of a similar scale) and grounding them (by touching at their base).
The vertical, straight lines of quilting around the trees are repeated horizontally around the lettering, completing a visual "L" that frames the scene.
KISS quilting. My favourite kind!
Linking up with:
Whoop Whoop Friday @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Show off Saturday @ Sew Can She
Try, Learn, & Grow!
Carole
This t-shirt quilt featured a number of stretchy, shiny, slippery (aka, uncooperative) fabrics. Some of the logos were heavily embroidered and others were kind of rubbery.
Either way, the stitching needed to be dense enough to prevent the logos from rippling, yet simple enough to visually disappear.
Thankfully I remembered the KISS principle in time to use it! (Keep It Simple, Silly)
 |
| Client quilt FreshofftheFrame.com |
I decided to alternate vertical and horizontal wiggly lines over the logo blocks, and then repeat the wiggles in the border for a cohesive finish.
Alternating swirls and wishbones in the striped rows between the blocks added interest and quickly filled those spaces.
Sometimes simple is best, don't you think?
 |
| Client quilt FreshofftheFrame.com |
The next quilt was also quilted simply.
My client requested large swirls in the background and wishbones in the printed border, and nothing too "frou frou", please!
 |
| Client quilt - BEFORE quilting FreshofftheFrame.com |
Alrighty, then!
To enhance the radiating design, I used point-to-point wiggly lines in the giant diamonds that make up the star, wiggly outlines in the triangles, and loopy "L"s around the perimeter of the medallion.
A zigzag wiggle following the curve of the yellow-green fabric that encircles the star completed the picture.
 |
| Client quilt - AFTER quilting FreshofftheFrame.com |
The zigzag wiggle came about because of seams that needed repair. Repeating the same wiggle in a decorative capacity integrated the repairs into the design.
 |
| Client quilt FreshofftheFrame.com |
I often repeat elements (swirls, loops, wiggles) from the quilt's body in its borders. Not only does it fit the KISS principle, it adds a sense of unity to the project.
 |
| Client quilt FreshofftheFrame.com |
So striking!
 |
| Client quilt FreshofftheFrame.com |
There's nothing quite like a log cabin quilt that plays with light and dark - AND there are stars!
I love stars!
What a great example of the KISS principle! Repetition of one simple block, rotated and thoughtfully placed = a delightfully complex looking design!
 |
| Client quilt - BEFORE quilting FreshofftheFrame.com |
This quilt just says "comfort" to me.
About the time I wanted a picture, I realized the light was good in our basement guest room.
How pretty!
 |
| Client quilt - AFTER quilting (Hearts in Bloom panto) FreshofftheFrame.com |
My next client designed herself a Canada 150 quilt based on a photo of a Peace Country icon - the sheds by the highway that signal the final leg of our journey home.
Baste-y, baste-y, little quilt.
 |
| Client quilt - BEFORE quilting FreshofftheFrame.com |
The reference photo had big, fluffy clouds high in the sky, so I went with similar clouds in the quilting.
I used a combination of small, geometric curves and loose, wavy verticals in the field to imply distance. The small curves also help the trees fit into the scene by directly relating to them (another geometric shape of a similar scale) and grounding them (by touching at their base).
The vertical, straight lines of quilting around the trees are repeated horizontally around the lettering, completing a visual "L" that frames the scene.
 |
| Client quilt - AFTER quilting FreshofftheFrame.com |
KISS quilting. My favourite kind!
Linking up with:
Whoop Whoop Friday @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Show off Saturday @ Sew Can She
Try, Learn, & Grow!
Carole
Oh, the quilting on the My Canada 150 quilt really finishes it perfectly. All are lovely examples of great quilting choices.
ReplyDeleteI second Yvonne comment on the 150. I like the idea of the wiggly lines for repairing a quilt seam.
ReplyDeleteAll so different, yet each quilt demonstrates the power of simple quilting. The log cabin is my favorite! :)
ReplyDeleteThey all came out great, Carole! Keep It Simple is the motto I live by!
ReplyDeleteYour use of swiggly lines, especially in the t-shirt quilt, is wonderful - so much easier to quilt than straight lines. Thanks for posting simple quilting solutions. Very refreshing!
ReplyDeleteHi greatt reading your blog
ReplyDelete