Saturday, August 25, 2012

Quilting Along with Leah Day - Week 28

Detail from Seagulls on Parade
Seagulls on Parade
Based on a Pattern by Linda Worland
Created by Gwyned Trefethen






















Why do I seem destined to forget that less is more? Linda Worland designed a relatively simple paper pieced pattern of 5 seagulls on sand with the ocean in the background. It worked out to 4" H x 18 W" as designed. There was no border. I doubled the size of the blocks, multiplied the number of rows by 5, added a 3 strip border and modified the design to cope with a shortage of the water fabric.

Parallel Lines
I could have done an all over stipple as the quilting design and it would have been just fine. However, that just isn't my style. Instead I invented an echo series of feathers for the seagulls in a pearlescent white, quilted Leah Day's Goldilock's design in the sand with yellow/beige variegated thread and used another Leah Day design for the blue green background. This in a blue, green and purple variegated thread. Thank goodness for all the practice I have been doing travel stitching and learning how to navigate my way around motifs or in odd shaped sections. It really came in handy.

Now I was faced with how to quilt the borders? When I was designing the border I tried out a solid black border as well as a beach themed fabric border. Neither worked. The three strip border worked best for the quilt. However, now that it is time to quilt it the high contrast of value and solid versus pattern was giving me conniptions. Leah must have sensed my dilemma because her very next assignment addressed my question.

Cartoon Tree
The assignment for Week 28 was to audition several quilting pattern layouts for a quilt top. In the past I have researched what pattern to use. I have tested my preferred pattern on a practice piece. I have never actually sat down to draft multiple patterns and options to get a sense of how they would look beside each other. 

I drew out the piecing diagram of the lower left corner of the border and included a small section of the lower left block. I knew I wanted to use the same quilting pattern in the beach fabric that I had already used - Goldilocks. I also drew in the pattern I used for the blue and green background fabric. The only pattern I was uncertain of was what to choose for the black fabric.

First, I tried the simplest pattern I could think of - parallel lines. My hunch was to set them 1/4" apart. This would certainly make life easy. However, my attempts at stitching in this way often results in the channels looking pushed in opposing directions. 

Second, I wanted to see what would happen if the pattern more closely resembled the other pattern in the border and had a similar density. Cartoon Tree fit the bill. It also allowed the beach pattern to run horizontally and the quilting pattern in the black to run vertically. However, it just looks too jumbled to me.

Scallop Shells with Micro Stippling

Is less really more? My third and final option was to quilt scallop shell motifs into the black strips and surround them with micro stippling. What was I thinking? This is definitely the most technically difficult option. Thanks to working with Leah for 28 weeks I have the skill set to do it. I also know it will take me several weeks of work. It sure is tempting though.



11 comments:

  1. I love your diagrams, and my favorite is your last option too. The quilt is really cool, I like how you modified the pattern to make it bigger. I really enjoy following your projects :D

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  2. What a darling quilt. I love that all of the seagulls are going in different directions. I see your delimma in the quilting. But they all look beachy and appropriate. I can't decide which one I like best!

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    1. My niece's family has strong Cape Cod roots. When I found this pattern on-line I knew it was just right for my first grandniece. I'm glad you see the appeal, too.

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  3. I love your design and the third cartoon is the one that pulls me in and gives the eye a place to rest. It is inspired! Thanks Melinda

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    1. Thank you, Melinda. That third design is inspired. When I come up with something like this it feels like it isn't me, but my muse who has the idea. My job is to listen. I just wish it wasn't so time consuming to execute.

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  4. I'm so happy the post worked out right when you needed it! While it might look more technically challenging, I think your #3 might actually be less time consuming. Motifs do take extra time to draw them on, but then all you have to do is outline them, and they take up a lot of space that you won't have to microstipple.

    Good luck with those borders!

    Leah

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    1. I did a practice run yesterday using left over border scraps. I marked the shell motif on Solvy and pin that in place on the border. I think I can get away with 20 shells. I feel much more confident once the shells are stitched. Thanks for the encouragement.

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  5. I find that there's something very satisfying about parallel lines, but the seashells are also fun. Such an adorable seagull parade!

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    1. One of the disadvantages of auditioning various patterns is that there isn't necessarily just one perfect one. Perhaps it is like choosing between children.

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  6. Oh my goodness, are your hands hurting you? The work you do is above awesome. Can not grab a word right now. I love it. thanks for posting.

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