Monday, April 8, 2013

Bailey Is Done!

I finally decided to settle down and quilt my beloved Bailey quilt.  I finished the top in January.  You can read about its construction in previous blog posts.
I have been thinking and thinking about how to quilt it.
 I was pretty sure I wanted the direction of her fur to be my guide.
I was looking for the courage to start.
 
Then, a package arrived in the mail.  A book!
A book about people and portraits compiled by Martha Sielman. 
 It couldn't have been better timing.
 
This book is fabulous and browsing though all the beautiful quilts, I got the courage I needed to start.
I came up with a plan.  I printed the quilt on a piece of 8 1/2"x11" paper.  I slipped it into a plastic page protector and roughly drew my vision - following the lines of her fur.
 
I started doing the quilting one section at a time, starting with her nose and radiating outward. And of course I had to adjust as I progressed because paper isn't cloth.  As I finished a section, I poured through my machine quilting books looking for inspiration for the next section.
 
Machine quilting is not my forte.  I do enjoy it and I like the puzzle aspect of it.  I do not mark my quilts for free motion quilting because then I don't think it's spontaneous - which is what I like.  To be spontaneous, the design needs to flow from within.  To achieve this, I find a design that speaks to me and then I start drawing with a pencil on a piece of paper.  The design often morphs and changes while drawing into something that I am comfortable with. Then I know I am ready to stitch it and then sometimes it changes again.  The flow is what's important.

 
 
Ta Da! Here it is.  Done.
 I am very happy.  It is finished and bound with a sleeve and a label, ready to hang.
Here are some close-ups of my quilting - not too close though.
 

 

11 comments:

  1. It looks wonderful. I'm betting Bailey gives 'paws up' (since dogs don't have thumbs) on this one! :D

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  2. Wow she looks great I can't wait to see it in person.I do notice the "pink" collar!

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  3. looks awesome, variegated thread?

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  4. OMG - she's sooooo PERFECT! I just LOVE her little curly-doodles!!! Truly inspirational!! (but I can sure understand how you had to screw up your courage, not wanting to "mess up" such a pretty piece with quilting that may or may not work the way you'd envisioned.

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  5. What a wonderful way to do the quilting, I was thinking about doing an overlay or just drawing on a photo of the piece, to get ideas.
    He looks wonderful, love how he came out.

    Debbie

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  6. Glorious results, Cheryl! You should be so proud!!!

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  7. You have outdone yourself! Oh my! Such detailed quilting. Can;t wait to see it from up close. Looks just like Baily!

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  8. Beautiful! Can't wait to see it in person!

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  9. Mazel Tov on being included in the magazine. This means I'll need to buy a copy. Looks great.

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