I made this more traditional patchwork for my Mother. I tried out machine quilting a motiff through a paper pattern on the plain blocks. It worked quite well though I did have to use tweezers to remove the last tiny bits of paper.


The question is "What has a gate got to do with quilting?'.

I think that the gate is to keep all of us out. I sure love that quilt, and you'll need to lock that gate if I come to town!

That would be a great free hand quilting design.

Spot on zyxquilts. :D

I had been reading Dilys Fronks "Enchanted Views" and loved the idea of the wrought iron gates so I looked in my own backyard for inspiration. I photographed my gate and drafted it out onto paper. I used a bit of artistic licencse and turned it into a more impressive double gate :!:

I then traced it onto Wonder Under and bonded it to black fabric and cut it out.

Tippy, It would make a great freemotion quilting design and when I can manage freemotion a lot better I might try it on something. At the moment I have just graduated from straight lines to paper patterns of curved designs (easy ones) with a bit of meandering thrown in.

Saravincent, If you come to town the gate WILL BE OPEN. :D

Love the traditional quilt, but am going to be most interested to see how the gate and the watercolour quilt go, would it be possible to see photos of it as it progresses each step of the way?? I think that would be most intrigueing.:) Sort of like a serial about the quilt - don't think Bold and The Beautiful would be appropriate but something like Gated Paradise, episode 2 etc etc :) It is your quilt, you think up a title.......could be fun!!

Deecee, watercolour quilts are easy, its like doing a jigsaw with fabric. Your stick those 2" squares on to an iron on fabric and then sew then in place down the lines on the back of the iron on fabric. It really couldn´t be easier. Put your applique gate on top with perhpas a tree at the side would look great.

Elle

Deecee, there is a gate quilt in Whims Watercolour Quilts. Just google Whims, its beautiful. They even have a demo of how to on their site.

Elle

What a beautiful quilt your mom will love it!

Can't wait to see waht you do with the gate too.

Beautiful quilt! Your mom will love it.

gorgeous quilt :D

Very purty!

Nice quilt you did for your Mom. She'll love it.

I'm soon going to do a small quilt top to practice some FM quilting--- haven't done any yet, but many people say they love it once they get the hang of it.

Can't wait to see the results of the 'gate'!

ranger

I love that quilt!! The colors are absolutely perfect. The light pink makes it all float.

The gate is easy--you want the curly part on top for a quilting pattern!! :D

Okay--going to read to see if the answer is here... but what else could it be? :wink:

I peeked--holymoly--what a gorgeous idea for the gate!! I can't wait to see what you do! That was waaaay better than my idea. :lol:

Gorgeous!

Thanks for all the input everyone :D

Wings, You had to put daytime soapies in my head :!: All that keeps running around in there is "Like sands through the hourglass - so the gate opens......." but we all know THIS gate will remain firmly shut.

So I think your name Gated Paradise wins but it may have to be
Gated - Paradise? Episode 2 might come up tonight if I have time.

Have to go to work now. Cheers everyone.

Very nice quilt. You also paid attention to where the roses are in the border. :D

Beautiful quilt. Looking forward to seeing what you create with your beautiful gate!

Your quilt is lovely and your mom will be pleased.

Very romantic quilt for mom. The pink roses are just lovely. I like the way you fussy cut the centers. Mom surely is going to love it.

Your gate is going to be great! I hope you show us the progress as you go along.

I look forward to seeing your progress on the gate piece DeeCee:)

Hi bearisgray - if you knew my mother you would know that pattern matching/placement/colour is of paramount importance.

Myself, I sometimes like the odd and whimsical.

I shall post some more gate stuff now named after Wings' suggestion - Gated - Paradise? - the questionmark because all I can guarantee is the gate part although my backyard is my own little slice of paradise.

Gated - Paradise? Episode 2

Firstly, let me confess – this is not a full size gate quilt. I do not want to bite off more than I can chew and I would like to get it finished in the near future, so this gate is small as far as gates go. Finished size will be approx. 18" x 20" – cushion gate?

Finished cutting out the gate with my blade and found all 10 fingers intact. Hard going on the arthritis bumps on the fingers :cry: Won't be doing this again in a hurry!

I decided to only use stash scraps for the watercolour background
so sorted through what I already had in 2" leftovers and cut some more... and cut some more....and after discarding some fabrics already cut.... cut some more. Some patterns that looked suitable in the piece didn't work out after I cut them up. I need to do another watercolour to use up my spares!

Background garden coming along. Every time I walk past I change one or two squares but I must be firm and just stop :!: :!:

Your finished quilt is beautiful - I love seeing the inspiration ... to the work in progress of your watercolour gate ... can't wait to see it finished.

Thanks for all the encouragement everyone. I am trying to finish this quickly so I can continue on with son's wedding memories quilt - hopefully a Christmas present for DIL.

I can see two things :
1. A Art Quilt
2. A quilting design

OH ya What a beautiful quilt.

OH MY!!! The gate is awesome!!
The colors you have chosen are perfect!!

Deecee... Your quilt is just adorable
and the Gate quilt is going to be beautiful!!
I can hardly wait to see it finished.

Gorgeous!

You can use the gate design as your quilt top pattern, it would be a wonderful reminder of that lovely gate.
Regards,
MaryAnna

Deecee,

Love your quilt for mother; it's quite lovely.

I am enjoying watching your process on your "watercolor gate" piece. It is very inspiring. Cannot wait to see the finished product! I have always wanted to try one, but have my fingers in too many projects already (or so DH says! :oops: But what does HE know??? 8) )

Keep us posted,

Odessa

Gated - Paradise? FINAL EPISODE

Unfortunately the camera batteries went flat so while they were on the recharger I kept powering on.

Fused the background garden and was very pleased with it. I could have kept fussing with it forever but hubby said "for goodness sake just fuse the thing and get past it!" Done!!!

I was going to hand applique (blanket stitch) the gate but I decided to take the quicker option and machine blanket stitched it on to the background.

Now came what I found to be the hardest part - quilting around the whole gate with the dreaded monofiliament thread. After reading all I could find about using invisible thread and using hints from the Board posts regarding stopping it from tangling on the spool, I put my thread in a jar behind my machine, loosened my tension and had a trial run on scrap. Not a problem! - but once I started on my gate things became more difficult.

The thread jumped out of the thread guides or tangled itself and kinked and broke at what seemed like 5 minute intervals at first, but by going veeeery sloooowly and constantly checking that the thread was running smoothly through ALL guides, I finally finished. I wonder if sewing through the Quilt Fuse and all the seams of the background were part of the problem?

Now I only have the binding to do. I think I will take my time, relaxing and sewing this in front of the telly. ( Hopefully I can get this part finished tonight and get back to son's wedding memories quilt. )

Hope you have all enjoyed this journey - I know I have enjoyed reading your comments and encouragement. :D

Forgot to resize, SORRY!

Try again.

I'm impressed!!! Great job!!!!

Deecee, that is just beautiful! Can I borrow your idea? I just love how you have accomplished it. Not having any books/magazines that really show how this technique (the watercolor-style background, more so than the black applique) is accomplished, your photos and narrative are great inspiration.

Thank you for showing us all your creative process!

Odessa

As much as I love your Mom's quilt :D :D I am absolutely enthralled with your Gated Paradise quilt!!! WOW it is soooo awesome!!! Thank you for taking us on the quilt's journey with you!!! You have inspired me to go ahead and try one... :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

You don't even have to do a watercolour to put the gate on. I have a wallhanging I did with a European type of hillside & then put the black over it. They're very striking.

Hi everyone,

thimblebug600 - You're right, the gate can be added to any type of background, it doesn't need to be a watercolour or even pieced, a pre-printed panel would still come up a treat. In the book I have, fanlights and leadlight windows are used as well.

amma - Have a go. Very satisfying to complete.

OdessaQuilts - I certainly can't claim it as my idea, but you can borrow it anyway. The watercolour is made very easy by using Quilt Fuse. It leaves you with continuous long seams instead of individual piecing of 2" bits.

The book I mentioned earlier by Dilys Fronks "Enchanted Views" goes through the watercolour process including choice and placement of fabrics very clearly, although she doesn't use Quilt Fuse to piece her backgrounds and reverse appliques her gates.

Looking forward to seeing someone elses view through their gate or perhaps window.