Photo overload on this but I do have some step by step processes on this one. This was my most bold thread attempt I think I have ever done. I wasn’t even sure if it would work but I was willing to try out one set of rays and rip it out if I did not like it.
Lou Ellen is a good friend of mine, fellow WWIT bee member and a master at piecing anything. She had a vision for this quilt. Diane Phillips “supernova quilt” had caught her attention. She wanted to do something a little on the wild side and play with crystals. She requested long extended points behind the compass rays. I thought, those all look like crystals added to that quilt. What if I quilt in thread colors to match each rainbow section? I had not done this before, wasn’t sure I could pull it off but I was intrigued. I pulled my threads.
But first I ditched and was able to do some fills before working on each color. I do love The Quilted Pineapple curved rulers! #8 was a perfect fit for these units.
Unquilted on the wall – Lou Ellen and I were trying to decide which way was going to be the top. It can really look different as you turn this quilt hanging the top at each of those 4 locations. This was our favorite version that seemed balanced.
Crawling underneath the frame looking at the backing
#8 Curved Ruler and Superiors Micro Quilter 100 wt thread. I loved that thread for ditching this quilt.
Trying it out. First I had to draw in a design that I liked that gave the appearance of overlapping rays. Next was the problem that I had so many starts and stops. Using Glide threads, those end must be buried. I find if I were to just snip those, they often fray at the edge and there is no getting rid of that bit of fuzzy end. Because of the design I chose, I could not backtrack to get to the next section because it was high contrast thread. I did give up on the small compass detail and backtracked in that curve. If I had not, I would have had 20…. Yes TWENTY starts and stops on that tiny section. As the old saying goes… Time is money…. so I backtracked. Just no other option.
I even changed thread color for each of those rays.
Starting to look nice! I also allowed space for Lou Ellen to be creative with her crystals.
Looking down from my sewing room (Previously my longarm room)
Oh those colors made me happy to see them each morning
Backing side
Blue Ribbon at Greater Houston Quilt Show
At quilt retreat this past week, several had black and rainbow quilts for show and tell. Lou Ellen made #1 and #3. #2 is Denise Green (Holly Dee Quilts – Judy Niemeyer CI) and #4 is a Ann Moore (local DSM quilting instructor). and on the table unquilted is another by Denise Green.
I know, way too many pictures. I love this quilt and I am so happy that Lou Ellen challenged my skills to create something very “out of the box” for me. Lou Ellen picked up it up on Friday, bound it over the weekend and then had to deliver on Monday for that show. Next local show will be in the fall so she has time to work out the next phase of her transformation. I cannot wait to see what she does with this!