Pages

Monday, September 16, 2013

Quilt Backs Can Be Beautiful Too!

There have been no idle hands in my house.  It seems there is always something waiting to be done.  In between painting about 150 clothespins for "birdie" legs and cutting out 220  birdies and 220 birdie wings. (Yes, I'll show you the final project one of these days.) I've been busy machine quilting.

I can only show you the back for now, but after it is published, I'll show you the front, too.

 
You have seen this back before it was quilted.  The bobbin thread is just a neutral ecru color since there were so many different pieces and colors of fabric in the back.  They do not match up with the blocks on the front so neutral was the way to go.  You can see the quilting better on the darker fabrics.
 
 
But I do like the relief you can see on the light sections, as well.
 
What I do not like is the border.  It is the rolling part you see on the lower edge of the above photo.  I think it is going to come out.  I know!  Hours of quilting, but before I put the stippling that was planned in, I need to be happy with what will be highlighted when the stippling recedes and the curves "pop".
 
What would you do?  Leave something you don't like or spend more hours picking it out?
 
 
You may see part of the problem with the border looking at this closer up photo of the dark blocks.  The border quilting is too small a scale now that the center is done.  I'm also not happy with the quality of the quilting in the border.  The border was quilted first because I thought it was what I wanted and I was still undecided on the interior.
 
Once the interior was finished, I decided the border just didn't cut it at all.
 

Can you see why now that you are looking at it again?  Yep, just not the right scale.  Sigh!  Where is that seam ripper?  I'd better get started.  Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike "unstitching" something?  It's my least favorite, but it's necessary sometimes.

Hope you are all beginning to experience some Fall weather.  Unfortunately it's still 104 degrees here today.  Won't be needing to use a quilt for a while yet!  Have an absolutely fabulous day!

 
Until next time!
 
xoxoXOXOxoxo
 
Lois
 
 
 

4 comments:

julieQ said...

Wow, I just cannot wait to see the front! Will the border quilting blend for you when you are done stippling? It looks fantastic to me!!

Botanic Bleu said...

Lois, all the beautiful quilting stitches are incredible. Ripping out the border is going to be painful, but I agree with you. If you don't rip it out and replace it, you will never like this quilt.

Still 97 degrees here today, but the weather forecast is calling for cooler weather...a balmy high of 90! LOL

Yes, if we lived next door to each other, we could get into all kinds of fun crafty things.

Judith

Lorinda said...

Hard call especiall when it involves taking out machine stitching. Knowing you, you really won't be happy unless you take it out. Since I primarily hand quilt it is a lot easier. I am in the process of auditioning stitching for a new quilt but I know I can take it out in a hurry -- the joys of big stitch quilting!

Botanic Bleu said...

Lois,
I am honored to nominate you and your blog to receive the Liebster Award. Please see my Nov. 6 post about the award to learn all about it.

http://botanicbleu.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-liebster-blog-award.html