(double-click this or any other image for a closer look)
I've decided to share Stars of the Sea. This is one of my largest quilts (it's plenty large enough to hang down the sides of our king size bed), and one of my favourites.
I'd played with the design for a long time before I got around to making it, when it was commissioned for Australian Patchwork & Quilting, moving it rapidly my my priority list.
It was originally designed to be much smaller, but as I was sandwiching it, I came to the conclusion that it was a 'useless' size (too big for most walls, not right for a lap quilt, and the wrong size/shape for any bed) so I unpinned the sandwich and added several borders. It's now so large that I don't have any practical location for photographing it flat! I actually took it to my parents' house today and finally photographed it properly, although due to a comedy of errors, I didn't get to press it first.
As much as I love the stars, the borders became probably my favourite part, due to the quilting. Using a bowl and a Hera marker, I marked the scrolling feather spine and scallops, then quilted them all freehand. The centre quilting is less interesting; loops on the background, but interspersed with snowflakes (despite the name, I see this more as a snowy quilt than anything else).
The quilting is all done on a domestic sewing machine (the Pfaff QE 4.0 I had before upgrading to my current machine recently). The stars are quilted in silver, each with a different radiating pattern of swirly shapes.
I especially like the effect of using a cream in the stars on the white background. Both the cream and the white are snowflake prints.
The stars were foundation-pieced - the best way for an impatient piecer to get sharp points and accuracy!
This quilt is set aside to go on our bed one day - but with two inside dogs, I'll leave the other one on our bed for now!
Now, follow this link to the rest of the amazing quits and stories in the Bloggers' Quilt Festival, and consider entering one of your own quilts if you haven't already.
25 comments:
Beautiful quilting, as usual. You do such nice work. I also admire the colors and piecing. Lovely.
It's a beautiful quilt, I love the colours and your feather work, that's coz I'm a feather fanatic, thanks for sharing!
Best Wishes
Kay in Scotland
Stunning as always.
It is so pretty. And the quilting is perfect.
I love your color choices and your quilting is wonderful! Beautiful quilt! Thank you for sharing!
Wow, that is beautiful, Emma! The quilting is fabulous! Love the snowflake!
Your quilting is amazing! And the top is beautiful. Love the colors.
Your blog is really inspiring - you do beautiful work!
WOW, the quilting is so special! Great work!!!
This is beautiful. I love the quilting on it.
That's *gorgeous*!! I love the stars, and the colours, and your quilting is truly beautiful--I'd be thrilled if I could quilt anything close to that on my sewing machine!
Hazle
suntred02 at aol.com
oooohhh love the colors so refreshing quilting is fabulous
Ann
Your quilting is amazing! I live those scallops around the edges.
I really admire the quilting here! Thanks for sharing.
j'aime beaucoup les couleurs rafraichissantes
It's lovely and the quilting is stunning!
This is such a lovely quilt! Your quilting is beautiful. My favorite star is the one on the bottom right, it has such a curvy sense of motion.
A very beautiful quilt. Love the colours and the quilting.
fantastic! lovely colors, fantastic quilting and fun name. thanks for sharing your great quilt and have a great day
I love this quilt. Your stars are perfect and the quilting is amazing.
The color combination for this quilt is just beautiful. I love the feeling of this quilt.
Hi Emma, Your quilt is gorgeous, I love the feathery scrolls in the borders and the colours you chose for your quilt are so serene.
I am from Adelaide too and am now your newest follower! Have a great weekend,
Shontelle.
Love the colors in this quilt and all the different stars. Beautiful quilt!
Is it possible to buy this pattern?
Vicki - I haven't produced a separate pattern, but this quilt was published in Australian Patchwork and Quilting v20 n11 (Oct '11), so if you could find a back issue that's your best bet. Emma.
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