Wedding Quilt Part 2

This weekend is all about making progress on the wedding quilt, commissioned by a friend for her son's wedding. Having pieced the top, incorporating fabrics from the duffel bag full of fabric she gathered in his grandmother's storeroom and sections cut from the woodblock printed bedspread, it is time to stop procrastinating and get on with the quilting.

An encounter this summer with a woman who quilted large pieces on her home sewing machine gave me pointers on how to wrangle this quilt. I layered the center two-thirds with batting and backing, leaving two wide side sections aside. Less fabric has made maneuvering the quilt under my machine manageable. The center section is nearly complete. By the end of the weekend I hope to have figured out how to attach the sides, if not quilt them.

I am always impressed by how quilting elevates and completes a piece, adding nuance and definition, taking the piece from flat to dimensional. It is an issue I have with some quilt shows, that award prizes to the person who created the top, regardless of whether they quilted the piece or had it quilted by someone else. The person doing the quilting may be mentioned, but is often not included in the award. There are pieces that are entered as the collaborative work of two people. I believe if the quilt is stitched by more than one person, all parties should be equally recognized. Compare the photos in this post to those of the quilt taking shape but not yet quilted, here. 

Summer!

Lamassu

Summer in Maine. Time to get out and enjoy other people's work at quilt shows, craft shows and galleries. Time to visit and reconnect with family and friends from away. We plan to paint the dining room/studio so, for the first time in a long while, the design wall is empty. I've been working on a commissioned king-size bed quilt for which I was asked to include a woodblock printed heavy cotton, with images of Cyrus the Great, Ahura-Mazda and protective Lamassu! What to do? I collected over 30 fabrics before I dared cut up the hand-blocked textile. I took courage from the fact that the piece had stains and would likely not be used again as it was. Keeping the piecing simple showcases the focus fabrics. A center section and borders are pieced but separate. I am contemplating whether to quilt in sections, complete the top before quilting on my trusty Elna, or complete then send the top to a long-arm quilter. I think my next step will be to work on quilting designs. That may drive the final decision. Here's a sneak peak!

Center panel