Hush in the Forest

Here at last is the flurry of photos of Hush in the Forest. I really love this one, for both the design and the quilting - which is just as well, since it has been a big job! Click on any photo for a closer look.

The centre of this quilt is my tree design  - which is available as a pattern in my Etsy shop.

The pieced owls and squirrels come from Margaret Rolfe's book Go Wild with Quilts

With the exception of the owl in the tree and some of the colours in the pieced owls, all the fabrics for this quilt come from 3 Moda ranges: Hushabye (by Tula Pink), Eva (by Basic Grey) and Twiggy (by Sanae).

The quilt includes three different sorts of owls (pieced, appliqued and printed), rabbits (printed) and squirrels (pieced).

I did more open McTavishing (quilting lines about 1/2in apart, instead of under 1/4in) in the centre to keep the quilting at a similar density across the quilt. After the pinwheel border, the quiting density does reduce a little to keep it from getting stiff, but not so much that the quilt doesn't naturally lie flat and square.

I thinik the squirrels are my favourite part, each with their own little nut to nibble on.

If you look closely at the branch the pieced owls are perched on, the grain of the wood goes the wrong way!

I got a bit enthusiastic feathering these corner kaleidoscope blocks and put some of them the wrong way - and had to unpick and re-sew them!

I trialled loads of designs for this outer pieced border, wanting something which used the block design, but everything was too heavy, and while this feathering completely disregards the piecing, I don't think it detracts form it too much - and it looks great on the back!

I has fun feathering two borders in one - but in hindsight should have included the outer brown and pink bunny damask border as well.

The photos above and below were taken once I'd moved the quilt into sunlight; it was a very dull day.

I love how the feathers in the centre (below) swirled together so nicely.

I think this is the only photo showing the quilting of the corner kaleidoscope blocks:

Detail of the tree roots and the quilting in the pinwheel border - done in pink:

Nearly done...

Last one...

Now as soon as I can get my printer to recognise the new colour cartridge, I can print and attach the label, and send it off to a little girl who's soon to turn 4 (as signified by the four leaves in the tree).