Artful Elegance - Finally!

I have been waiting SOOOOOO long to share this quilt, and let's just say waiting is NOT my strong suit.

 

You guys! My quilting has been PUBLISHED!

 

 This project came to me veiled in secrecy and anticipation. Linda from Rumpled Quilt Skins, in Okotoks, Alberta, had submitted a quilt pattern to be considered by Better Homes & Gardens "Quilt Sampler" magazine. They periodically feature profiles on various quilt shops in their publication, along with a pattern developed by the store owner.

Linda emailed me and asked if I would be interested in quilting her original design, but it had to be absolutely secret and that it would be a quick turn-around, due to production schedules with the magazine. Her pattern had to go through revisions with the editorial staff before it could even be appliqued. And each time she changed the pattern, she'd send me a new version, for me to work up some sketches on how I thought the quilting might look. She gave input on which ideas she liked or didn't and offered suggestions for designs that I hadn't thought of. Linda is always lovingly challenging me. She encourages me to try new things (aka drags me into new territory, even if sometimes I cling to my old comfort zone while kicking and screaming! Ha!). 

When I finally received the quilt top in my hands, I had less than a week to get it quilted, so that her crew could get it bound and shipped off to Iowa for professional photographing. Pressure! In the end, I think it only took me a few days. Since we had done such intense pre-planning and marking on the quilt top, it basically quilted itself.

Here are some preliminary sketches I did as the pattern was going through the design stages.

Even after doing more pre-planning than my usual, I still had to change course mid-journey. I had intended to leave those areas pictured below unquilted, to give the quilt some 3D pop. But after quilting, I just felt it was too big of an area to be left naked and worried that it would be susceptible to creasing. So I ripped it out and inverted the designs in those areas.

The photo below shows an area that was all Linda's idea. An example of her pushing me to expand my comfort zone. I had just planned to fill around those appliqued areas with a dense filler. But she wanted this echoing feature idea. And I have to admit that she was right. I'm really happy with how it turned out.

 

Congrats to Linda and crew on this stunning design and great feature article! Pick up your copy of the June-July 2017 issue of Quilt Sampler Magazine (by Better Homes & Gardens) today. Stop by Rumpled Quilt Skins in Okotoks, AB, to see this beautiful piece in person and purchase a pattern to create your own version!