WIP - Shell Collection and Tree Serenade

This week I focused on two projects. The first was a redo of "Tree Serenade." The second project was work on my "Shell Collection" piece.

"Tree Serenade"
AFTER the Redo

"Tree Serenade"
BEFORE the Redo

I presented "Tree Serenade" to a private on-line critique group that I belong to. I asked the question "Is it finished?" Most felt that the white section kept it from being finished and was unsettling. The consensus was that it needed green, perhaps leaves to break it up. I spent a full studio day creating and placing leaves around the white (sky). The result was, frankly, horrible. The uneven edging just didn't jive with the rest of the straight line piecing. The following day I removed the leaves and changed out the binding, substituting green for the original white. This, at least provided an finished edge for the sky. I also, appliquéd a cardinal in the middle of the piece, nestling it in amongst the leaves. This helps draw the eye from white on the left and to the quilt's center.

Detail from "Tree Serenade"
Cardinal Nestling in the Leaves

 The flowing lines quilting patterns, that I have been practicing thanks to Leah Day's assignments, are perfect for my series of blocks for "Shell Collections." In the snail blocks, I modified the filler of the pattern to be spirals in order to reference the snails.

Two Snails Block
To Be Included in "Shell Collection"

Quilting Along with Leah Day - Week 35

Although Leah Day designed the pattern, Goldilocks to suggest tendrils of hair, I used it in my grandniece's quilt to suggest the tidal patterns on sand. So, when Goldilocks became our Week 35 assignment and I had plans for a quilt with a working title of Shell Collection, I knew I would work up a section of beach.

Front Side of Goldilocks Sample
to be used as a section of beach in
Shell Collection

I found Goldilocks rather straightforward to execute. I can now create flowing lines and stippling with ease. My only hangup was figuring out how many times to echo a line and where to place the next pod of stippling. In retrospect I might have a preferred a few more echoing lines and a few less stipple pods on this piece.

You may find it easier to view the Goldilocks pattern on the backside. However, since I matched the front thread on the back, the contrast between the cream colored backing thread and white backing muslin isn't that large. The backing is a solid color therefore there is no distracting pattern on the fabric the way there is on the front.

Backside of Goldilocks Sample

This was my first time using Quilter's Dream Polyester Batting. I've been using Hobbs 80/20 for years. It helps to preshrink Hobbs 80/20. Whether it is the batting or my new washing machine, preshrinking my Hobbs 80/20 batts has been less than satisfactory. Instead of shrinking and thickening the batt, it tends to stretch and have areas of sparsity. Quilter's Dream doesn't require and actually discourages preshrinking. It does quilt up nicely. However, I noticed some of the poof disappeared when I ironed my sample. The final test will be to see how it handles the soak and blocking phase.