Twirling Finale!
Happy Monday, everyone! Thanks for stopping by and seeing what I am up to. I enjoy reading and responding to your comments, so feel free to leave a comment or two.
A few posts ago, I wrote about putting the Twirl Me pattern together from Beth at Cooking Up Quilts. You can read my first post here. It is really a fun pattern to do and it’s paper pieced, so getting those precise points is a breeze.
That lovely 18″ block has been on my design wall for a few weeks now. I liked it there, smiling at me every time I looked up. Besides, if I used that excuse then I could delay trying to decide how to quilt it for a bit longer. However, I knew that since I posted a Part 1, there really should be a Part 2. I had to decide what to do.
I flip flopped between making a pillow or a mini quilt. I flip flopped between no quilting (if a pillow), hand quilting, or free motion quilting. I finally decided on hand quilting, because I figured I could do the least amount of damage that way.
It didn’t work. I didn’t like the look of the hand quilting and I didn’t have the right thread for the hand quilting.
That left me with free motion quilting. No big deal, right? I mean, this was just a sample block for fun. But I like the block and I didn’t want to wreck it. I’m working on getting over free motion fear, and I think I made some progress toward that this weekend.
I settled on making a pillow. I realized that since I was going to fuse some very thin batting to the top for a little stability before adding the pillow form, I could actually do some quilting without having to put my walking foot or free motion foot on.
So I opted for just doing some freehand lines, letting let the block tell me what to do. Have you ever done that? Or do you always plan your quilting? It actually was pretty relaxing. I’m not sure I would say this actually counts as free motion quilting, truly, but it was close enough for me to gather a little bit more confidence in moving toward more free motion practice.
As a little side note that filled me with all sorts of happiness, a little while ago I won a pack of 20 threads of my choice from Aurifil. I found thread to match all the colors in this pillow from that pack. I love it when stuff like that happens!
I started with the center, first following the shape of the green pinwheels. Then I decided to quilt some lines like rays on the blue. I just drew them in lightly with a pencil and went to town.
Here’s a close up.
Next came the brown patterned section. I decided to use the red hexi as my pattern for quilting.
It was kinda fun, like having a brain teaser while I was stitching. How can I stitch all around this red pattern without stopping? Some were easier than others, and I did have to do some backtracking.
Here’s what the back was looking like at that point. It was nice knowing I didn’t have to hide my knots!
The black and white borders were done just with straight line quilting running the length of the strips.
The red points were just a quick echo stitch around the inside. The white, brown and blue blocks around the points were echo stitched, for the most part. I think I was getting tired after all the brain teasers in the red patterned phase, being blonde ‘n all . . .
Once the top was done, I quickly made the pillow back with another piece of black and white fabric from my stash.
Then it was time to tuck the pillow form in. Drum roll, please . . . here is the finished pillow!
I’m very happy with the way it turned out. I might just add a funky button in the center of the green pinwheel. We’ll see.
There are so many fun options with this pattern. Beth shows some different ideas on her post. If you like, why not give it a twirl!
Keep those stitches running!
Linking up today with Em’s Scrapbag and Cooking Up Quilts.
Wendy
13 Comments
Jan O
Your quilting enhances it beautifully! I love how the brown corners make points when the pillow form is stuffed in, so cute. I like your idea of a funky button in the center.
louise hornor
Wendy, your pillow cover is super! That’s pretty much exactly how I would have quilted it, too. I love that you followed the red outlines in that funky fabric. When the fabric gives you a clear road map, ya gotta follow it 🙂
I rarely plan out my quilting and do a lot of “winging it.” But I completely understand wanting to be extra careful on a special piece like this one. I must admit that the quilt I’m working on right now is not making my heart sing, so I’ve been more willing to go out on a limb with some odd quilting. The bad news is there are some pretty uneven and skipped stitches, but the good news is I’m learning and stretching!
Have you picked out a place to display the pillow yet? Front and center in the living room, perhaps?
duelingthreads
I love the hex quilting. Great accent pillow!
shelteringhaven
Oooo….great work! And, I like the idea of a funky button in the middle!
Kathy A
Oh I love your pillow! And a funky button…would be cool! You did a great job on the quilting. That is how I plan some of my quilting is what looks good as you go along. I so…love reading all your sewing enthusiasm and ideas! You do inspire me to do more quilting. Thanks for sharing Wendy!
Cathy
This little pillow is so pretty! I love the pattern.
Karen Goad
your pillow turned out great – like the way you quilted it.
Vicki in MN
I think you did an awesome job of quilting! It’s custom-don’t sell yourself short!! I think a cool button and pulled to indent would be fun.
norma
It turned out so well. I love the pattern.
I tend not to plan my quilting but sometimes it doesn’t work. But yours did and it looks so good.
rixgal
You quilted the chicken wire pattern! I love it! So creative. Some day I will quilt and grow up to be like you.
Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts
Oh Wendy, it turned out so beautiful! Those little blue tips on the corner make me smile. You did a fantastic job with the quilting – it’s perfect! And I love that you made a pillow. A button would be super cute in the center! Thanks so much for making Twirl – I feel like a proud mama seeing one of my patterns made by a very talented quilter!!
Emily Bailey
The pillow looks great! Thanks for sharing your quilting process.
Needle and Foot
Wendy, excellent finish! I think your quilting decisions were perfect. While you are enjoying the success you had with this project, jump in and do it again. Even if it is just practice fabric that you toss afterward, keep practicing. Your stitches look great.
I love the idea of the button in the center too. ☺