charismah

Quilter 54 sent me this quilt for long arming.

AT first glance I just assumed it was a Christmas quilt..maybe for the complimentary colors of red/green.....but it is moda red...so not necessarily Christmas..maybe it was because she also sent me the snow-famiy quilt? But then I saw the red fern'y type leaves in the last border?? Florida Christmas? I have never been south or east of Vegas..I think? ( except when I went on a mission trip to Jamaica)
But I put on Golden Girls re-runs..and started thinking...designs.


I asked Quilter 54 if she wanted me to feather it like I did my other stars..she said I could do what I wanted....so I thought..I can't cookie cutter design this quilt...I just love that last border..it is exactly the flare for this quilt. But what was I going to do?
This is exactly why I love my job...I have to push myself to find new ideas..and I get beautiful canvases ( quilts) to work with....The beauty of it is this is an original..I will probably never quilt another quilt like this again. It is so specific to the fabrics.

So I pinnied it on....started with the background fabric...(still hadn't decided on last border yet) and I thought in the background I would try to make a spin off design based on the backing fabric..the kind of ruffled leaves and flowers....

Then the star burst..I want to treat each burst with a different design..to add texture and also act as a burst...so each layer has a different design.

I then outlined everything..buying time for myself...then it hit me..I loved that fabic..and if I just quilted all the "veins" of those leaves it would be plenty of quilting and add some dimension...PERFECT! I love it....it makes me even more happy that I didn't take away from her purposefully chosen fabric I just helped to enhance it..making it QUILTER 54's choice and not mine....
So there is another glimpse into my process...I think The Golden Girls helped to guide me in that one..after all they are in FLORIDA...right?

I quilted this on my INNOVA...no computer quilting all my by own free hand...thanks alot!