This weekend, the guild challenge quilt was finished, just in time to turn in this week. I got a little creative with the quilting instead of doing my usual pantograph. Our longarm association is going to do a series of programs for custom designs, and I got a little charged up to do some. So, when I left off, I had loaded the quilt.
Looking at the patchwork, I thought some ruler work might be good. I got out my straight edge ruler, and the curved one.
I began by stitching in the ditch around the edge and in the ditch between the black border and the middle. In the borders, I decided to echo the flying geese. Figuring out how to turn the corner took a few tries. I used a Chaco Marker to mark the lines as it comes off fast with a damp paper towel.
I quilted the lines in the borders, then stitched in the ditch around the black rectangles in the middle and stitched the chevrons. I advanced the quilt and did all the black sections. I stitched in the ditch around the geese.
Then I rerolled it back to the top, and did curved lines in the turquoise with turquoise Sulky® rayon thread.
I did all the turquoise sections, then rethreaded the longarm with white Sulky rayon thread and did freehand squiggles in the white areas.
I did the same around the lettering in the center. After I finished it, I realized that I didn’t stitch inside the zero, and I can’t decide whether to go back and do that, or just leave it.
Here’s a closeup of the black rectangles with the chevrons.
I made the binding in the same fabric as the black border. Some hand stitching time and the binding was done.
Now, where to put the butterfly that I stitched out with my embroidery machine? I cut it out so I could use it as an applique instead of a block. Had I known that I would be doing that, I would have stitched it with Sulky Solvy instead of the heavier stabilizer. This would have made the final applique softer and more pliable as all the stabilizer would wash away. I tried out a bunch of different spots, and settled on this one near the center, and straddling two sections. The butterfly and the words were stitched with Sulky® rayon threads.
I stitched by hand only over the butterfly body, leaving the wings free and dimensional.
So, all done!
I’ll turn it into the guild committee this week. All the challenge quilts will be shown at our local main library on March 19 for National Quilting Day. Do check out Sulky Threads for their fabulous threads and stabilizers for embroidery, quilting threads, and super clearance deals.
What are your plans for the week?
From My Carolina Home 
Love it, and love the butterfly!
Great job on the quilting and butterfly placement! I really like how the quilt turned out.
I am sewing the last row of a ragtime quilt that I am making for my son’s hockey team manager. I had all the players and coaches sign one of the blocks to commemorate this season. Hopefully it will then only take me a day or two to snip the edges to make them raggedy.
Looks really good! Great idea of repeating the FG shape…I may use that!
Looks great, Carole! The butterfly adds a great touch!
I like the way the geese are flying on the dark sky around the pinwheel center. They stand out.
What a beautiful piece!
Love where you placed the butterfly! Your quilt really celebrates 40 and the quilting is terrrific. I do love it when I take the time to do custom quilting. Hooray for a finish!
I love that butterfly
What a lovely quilt. Such gorgeous colour and I love the butterfly.
That turned out beautifully, Carole! I love your design, and especially that black background fabric. And the butterfly is a really fun addition, too! Is your guild having a special display to share everyone’s projects? That will be fun to see!
I love how your quilting turned out. What a lovely finish.
The butterfly does add a lot.
Absolutely love it! Stunning.
Gorgeous all over, the special quilting adds that extra!!! And the butterfly, perfect for the 40 years, making me think of how it became so beautiful from a black dot on a leaf to a caterpillar to emerge like this, just as a quilt and a guild grows.
I love your quilt! The colors are vibrant and the flying geese sections add a lot, ditto for the butterfly! Have a nice day! Felicia
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Really beautiful quilt – will you make a large size now? Maybe put a butterfly in the center instead of the number – as it is such a lovely touch! Thanks!
I think your quilting design is beautiful, and fits the quilt perfectly.
Personally, I like the open 0 on the 40- it makes it stand out a little bit.
I think it would look very nice by just going around the center of the zero right next to the embroidery. As it is, it catches my eye but sort of like an outie belly button. Haha.
You continue to amaze with your creativity. I love the dimensional butterfly too.
Your challenge quilt turned out even better with the challenges! Did you enjoy the SB? I thought it was a good game and it was nice to watch without a horse in the race.
Your quilting design really looks great, and so does the butterfly!
Love the colors and the butterfly is pretty special! Nice job.
That is a lovely finish and great work with the quilting, too.
Carole this is such a Sweet quilt to commemorate a great milestone!
It’s beautiful, Carole. I love how it turned out!
Beautiful! The colors are wonderful but that butterfly was the amazing touch. Leaving it freeform was perfect!!
It’s beautiful Carole. I like the chevrons on the black border.
The quilting looks good……