Woven Sunshine Quilt............DONE

I had a day to myself today.............and it was a fun day!

Thread Shed, Music & Machine Quilting

My needs are few...

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With the exception of the stem in the middle of the vines, this was all free motion quilting without any marking. If you click on the image and enlarge it.....you can see the faint white chalk line down the center of the vine. That line keeps me going in the right direction as I move across the quilt stitching 90 mph.

I LOVE these Chubby Crayons for marking. They are made by Miracle Chalk. I purchased mine at my local quiltshop: JanniLou Creations in Philomath, OR.

They are soft and yummy and glide over the fabric effortlessly.

The BEST part of Chubby Crayons is...........you just iron the chalk off when you are done! As soon as the heat from the iron touches the chalk......it disappears completely!

You can quit reading this post now if you like.......because that was the best part of it!

Here is a peek at some of the whimsical vine quilting on the woven background area.

I learned the whimsical vine motif from Patsy Thompson. I purchased her DVD's a couple of years ago........and my machine quilting has improved more than I had ever hoped.

I chose a botanical quilting motif for the background and it was a good fit. I am happy with the way it turned out.

After all the machine quilting was done.......I blocked the quilt.........and was ready to trim it up square. This 20 inch Ominigrip Square Up Ruler is the absolute best and most accurate for squaring up those corners. I am sorry I waited 15 years to get one.

This 2o inch ruler makes it easy to have perfectly square corners on your completed quilts.

Here is the Woven Sunshine Quilt all DONE and ready for a binding. I am looking at all this leftover green batik fabric..........hmmm.........I also have a lot of leftover black fabric........that might work for a binding? After 9 hours of quilting today I am done making decisions.......the binding fabric will have to wait for another day.

Good Night,

LuAnn

To see my New Work CLICK HERE

To see the Thread Shed CLICK HERE

To see my Exhibit Quilts CLICK HERE

To see Tutorials CLICK HERE

Woven Sunshine......Machine Quilting

At this point all of the applique stitching is complete

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The contrasting applique thread colors help define the separate sunflower petals, black crow and dead leaves at the bottom of the quilt.

The invisible thread applique stitching is barely visible in the background

This is the backside of the quilt top.....yes.....you are looking at batting.

I followed the instructions in the Simply Stunning Woven Quilts book...."fuse the woven strips to the batting." If I had it to do over again.......I would not have done this. It has left the quilt top very stiff and very difficult to manage under the sewing machine during the applique work.

Next time I will fuse the woven strips to a very, very thin piece of interfacing. I think the quilt top would be softer and more drape-able and easier to scrunch under the throat of the sewing machine.

This tape roller worked great to keep the threads and batting fibers cleaned off the quilt top as I worked on it.

The quilt sandwich has been spray basted and is now ready for machine quilting. I have chosen a lightweight bobbin thread that will blend in with the backing fabric.

Bobbin Thread: Bottom Line 60 wt. Taupe by Superior Threads

This leaves NO build up of threads on the backside of the quilt, even when you are heavily quilting.

I tightened the tension a bit on the bobbin to accommodate the thinner thread

Righty Tighty.....Lefty Loosey

I warmed up on a practice sandwich before I started on the quilt.

This is my favorite free motion foot.

The cut out circle gives me more visibility.

Sunflower BEFORE quilting

Sunflower AFTER quilting

Sunflower 2 ........ quilted

Burgundy red thread on the petals

Teddy brown thread on the center of the flower

Sunflower 3 ........ quilted

Quilting on some of the dead leaves at the bottom of the quilt

The quilting gives these leaves the definition that they were lacking earlier.

The machine quilting is complete on the sunflowers and leaves.

Today's threadwork is bringing this little quilt to life...

As I lean over my sewing machine to turn out the lights and call it a day....I give thanks for my little Thread Shed......thanks for my favorite guy who built this room with his two hands.......and thanks for living a beautiful farm life here in Western Oregon.

With Gratitude,

LuAnn

To see my New Work CLICK HERE

To see the Thread Shed CLICK HERE

To see my Exhibit Quilts CLICK HERE

To see Tutorials CLICK HERE

Woven Sunshine.......Design Work Done!

I dug through the fabric cupboards for all possibilities for crow fabrics. I like to have LOTS of choices when auditioning fabrics.......it took me awhile but I found 4 dozen black and gray fabrics.

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Wouldn't you know it........the very first 3 fabrics I grabbed worked perfect for the crow! I put the other 45 fabrics away for another day...

The base crow fabric reads as a solid black, but it is a black on black print with leaves.

The next layer for the wing and tail feathers has some gray in it for contrast and texture.

Isn't this great eye fabric?

Here is Mr. Crow...........waiting for lots of thread work later.

Perfect fabric for dead leaves that have fallen to the bottom of the quilt.

A few dead leaves & petals at the bottom of the quilt with 2 yellow finches pecking around.

This yellow finch is sitting on a leaf, just eyeing up those scrumptious sunflower seeds!

Everything is fused down and all the applique design work is done.

Here is the completed Woven Sunshine Quilt Top.

It was only 2:00 so I grabbed some leftover fabrics from the sunflower quilt I just completed earlier in June, along with the leftover green batik challenge fabric and made a little "back art" for the quilt.

Time to think about thread choices for the applique stitching.

I chose mostly contrasting threads for the applique, took the quilt off the design wall and brought it over to the sewing machine...........I'm ready to go!

The first thing I will start with is invisible thread to stitch down all the woven background strips........a little boring, but once that is done.....the fun will begin!

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn

To see my New Work CLICK HERE

To see the Thread Shed CLICK HERE

To see my Exhibit Quilts CLICK HERE

To see Tutorials CLICK HERE

Woven Sunshine.......Design Work

I had the day to myself to get more design work done on this Woven Sunshine Quilt.

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On the far left is the green CHALLENGE fabric I am required to incorporate somewhere into the quilt top. On the far right side are a few green fabrics I am auditioning for leaf fabrics. I have chosen a very bright green striped batik for the stems of the sunflowers.

I prefer to use Light Steam-A-Seam 2 for most of my fusible applique work. It has release paper on BOTH sides of the fusible. It is extremely lightweight and doesn't add too much stiffness to the completed quilt. What appeals to me most is that this product sticks to the surface of your quilt (temporarily) without any fusing. I can place the applique shapes all over the quilt top and check for the very best placement possible. They stay where I put them. When I am satisfied with the placement, then I fuse them down permanently. I have many brands of fusible, but I always reach for the Light Steam-A-Seam 2.

At this point I have added 3 sunflowers..... odd numbers just work.

I tend to work with larger quilts....and I ALWAYS work with the quilt in a vertical position. A cordless iron is perfect for fusing down the applique pieces directly on the design wall. No moving the quilt to the ironing board, trying to keep all the pieces in place to fuse everything down. I bring the iron to the quilt hanging on the wall and fuse everything in place.....it's wonderful.

There was a knock on the door of the Thread Shed... I was in need of a break......and this was just the little guy to lure me away from my work. This is my Grandnephew, Brandn. He was so very excited to show me the fish he just caught! It made my day!

5pm.......I am ready to turn out the lights and head back to the house.

This is what I completed for the day: The flowers, stems and leaves have been fused in place. I used some of that green CHALLENGE fabric for a few of the smaller leaves. I have just begun to add a few dried out flower petals that have fallen to the bottom portion of the quilt. I think I would like to add some dried out leaves too......and definitely a crow. In the fall the crows spend most of their day in our real sunflower bed trying to peck the seeds out of the flower heads. They are great fun to watch!

I am the only one who sees the view under my sewing machine table. Gunnr and Suzy spend many hours asleep under here. I think they are ready to call it a day.

Weaving Sunshine,

LuAnn

To see my New Work CLICK HERE

To see the Thread Shed CLICK HERE

To see my Exhibit Quilts CLICK HERE

To see Tutorials CLICK HERE

Design Wall......Woven Sunshine

Something new up on the design wall

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This is my first attempt at a woven quilt. I have been following the work of Anna Faustino for a couple of years now. I am working from her book, Woven Quilts.

I made this 36 x 45 inch quilt top last fall. It is now time to complete it so I can include it in an exhibit in September...........deadlines.........they work for me!

The 2 fabrics used for the woven background are: Benartex Glacier Park by Caryl Bryer Fallert. The gradiations in the fabric makes these absolutely perfect for this technique. The fabric does all the work for you!

Last fall I was foolish enough to sign up for my quilt guild's 2009 CHALLENGE. I paid my $10 and reached into the box full of Ziploc bags and pulled out this gorgeous green batik fabric (which instantly reminded me of leaves), with a yellow crayon attached. The challenge rules state that I must use the green fabric and the crayon should be my accent color..........you do know.......rules were made to be broken.

The yellow crayon is very bright.......like sunshine! Sunflowers have always reminded me of sunshine.........hmmm.

I auditioned some of my brightest yellow fabrics, and threw in a few rusty gold batiks to mix things up a little bit.........I think these yellows might add up to a bit more than an accent color. They are a good contrast against the woven quilt top.........it's a start.

I worked with this Phil Beaver sunflower pattern for the Sunflower Quilt I just completed.......it is the best! It makes it easy and fast to create the most gorgeous sunflowers! I guess I have not had my fill of sunflowers, because I am headed in that direction again.

When I begin a new piece I rely heavily on the design wall. Right now it is layered about 6 deep with new work in progress (I am getting ready for an exhibit in the fall and I am working on 20 different quilts in all different stages of completion). So, don't pay attention to the quilts underneath. I threw a piece of muslin on the design wall, pinned up the woven quilt top, the challenge fabric and crayon, possible stem and leaf fabrics for the sunflowers, maybe a chicken or crow.....I like to see all the possibilities together in one place..........after awhile I begin to pull things off the design wall that aren't working.

I pulled out the Phil Beaver sunflower pattern, placed it on the light table and began to trace out the petals onto VERY lightweight fusible.

I placed a Teflon pressing sheet on top of the sunflower pattern (I can see through the Teflon) and began to place the petals in order. This is the easiest method for getting proper placement.......and it's fun.

It is exciting to see the sunflower come to life!

When all the applique pieces are in place.......fuse everything down onto the Teflon sheet.

Wait for the sunflower to cool off after pressing.

The sunflower will be stuck to the Teflon sheet. Once it is cool, it will peel off easily.

Ta-da! Here is your entire sunflower all fused into one piece of applique. I love this method for big applique motifs.

Now I can take the entire sunflower head and audition it in different places on the quilt top until it tells me where it wants to go......it told me it was lonely, and it wants me to go make a few more...

These are some of the quilts I am preparing for the exhibit in September. It is my very first solo show.........."The Evolution of a Quilter". I am preparing 20 quilts that will represent the 20+ years I have been quilting. Some of them only need hanging sleeves or labels.........some of them need a whole lot more than that. Over on the very left edge of this photo you will see those colorful swimming noodles. The completed quilts will be wrapped around a noodle, covered in muslin, labeled and sent to the exhibit hall. It is a great way to transport them. They will arrive without wrinkles and ready to hang. Swimming Noodles.......you gotta love'em!

Weaving Sunshine,

LuAnn

To see my New Work CLICK HERE

To see the Thread Shed CLICK HERE

To see my Exhibit Quilts CLICK HERE

To see Tutorials CLICK HERE