BQF Bed Quilt: Along the Jetty

This is my recently-finish beach scene quilt, which I called "Along the Jetty".

Each of my beach scene quilts is a little different, and this is one because of its size (single, or twin)and borders. To make the scene work on a bed, we (the friend who commissioned it and I) decided to make the scene to cover the top of the bed, and use a coordinating pieced border for the drop at the foot at sides, otherwise key parts of the scene would be lost. I also thought the scene might not work so well at the much larger size.

Something else new on this one is the appliqued kite. I continue to add to my stash of fabrics suitable for these quilts, and the kite print was a recent purchase. I like the extra pop of colour, and it's fun on a child's quilt.

The sun is the only section where the foundation-piecing is pre-determined. Everywhere else I allow the prints to dictate the cutting. In the lower section of sky, I used both an as-purchased section of a commercial pinkish sky print, and a few pieces of the same which I'd over-painted with a blue wash a while back - I like the over-painted bit better!

This time I also tried adding in an extra hut from a different print as an applique. I left a little of the background around the hut in the applique piece for a few reasons; to include the dog, to see if it would blend in better (not really!) and because the applique stitches would blend better on the background than over the edges of the hut.

Because of the taller scene section, I built the reef deeper than usual. This is all foundation-pieced onto sections of lightweight interfacing. Because the reef isn't right at the bottom of the quilt, I didn't quilt it quite as densely as usual, so that the quilt would be flat and have an even hand.

It's all free-motion quilted; I started by going along in the ditch where the beach section is appliqued to the sky, and where the water is appliqued to the sand, and then did the kite strings. The sun is quilted in the ditch, and then has a row of peachy-orange flames surrounding it, and the rest of the sky is filled with wind-like swirls. The sea is filled with wavy lines, which get more free-form deeper down, and I quilt around the feature creatures as I get to them. The reef is quilted in a multi-coloured variegated Superior Rainbows (trilobal poly) thread to add to, blend and complement the prints. I quilted in the ditch around the border frames, but left the actual strips unquilted for contrast.

I really like the way the borders worked; it just took a little luck and some calculations to make it all fit nicely.

Size: Approx 66 x 82in
Completed: April 2013
Design: Original
Techniques: Free foundation-piecing, machine applique, free-motion quilting

I am entering this quilt in the Bed quilts category of the May 2013 Bloggers' Quilt Festival.