Summer Vacation - A Wing and a Prayer

Greetings from Upstate NY where I've spent the most fabulous summer creating, quilting, teaching, playing and retiring!!   

Yep -- I did it -- I've retired from my full-time job and I'm now working 1/2 time (20 hours a week) to phase out and transition my work to a someone new!!  It's all very exciting and what I've dreamed of doing for the last few years.   Yippee....  Keep your fingers crossed that it allows me to spend more time quilting and blogging.  

Now let's talk summer  --- it's been a wild one and I haven't shared any blog posts with you.

Shame on me!    

I have been busy posting quick images and updates on Facebook and Instagram though -- so if you're on either one of those platforms be sure to follow me there. 

One of the things that I've been anxious to share with you this summer,  is a sweet little flimsy that I had the opportunity to quilt for a friend.   

The quilt is aptly named "A Wing and A Prayer" and was designed and created by my friend Jan Manley (SewandSowFarm Blog & Featherweight Quilt Company).

Jan created the quilt as part of the 2016 Hoffman Challenge using the beautiful Crystalia fabric by Hoffman -- Read more about the challenge by clicking here.

I was honored when Jan asked me to quilt it for her and I wanted to share some before and after images and some quilting details with you today.

Ya'll know that I do all my quilting on my home machine.   

It's sew much fun!!
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I chose to use 100% Wool Batting by Quilters Dream.

This batting really does quilt like a dream -- and the loft is so yummy.

Here are a few images of the quilt before FMQing on my home machine.

Isn't it just beautiful ?  Jan created 5 Patchwork of the Crosses (POTC) units with English Paper Piecing (EPP) and beautifully fussy cut fabrics --- she did an absolutely amazing job of it.  

It was so very beautiful I was nervous to quilt it. 

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But....

the Challenge deadline was looming so I moved forward.

In addition to using the 50Wt Hoffman Challenge Collection by Aurifil,

I selected more Aurifil weights and colors

from my AuriStash ;)

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In an attempt to compete in the "Best Use of Aurifil Thread" category I used 50Wt, 40Wt, 28Wt and 12Wt Threads and had a blast!

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  Although "A Wing and a Prayer" didn't receive a ribbon, Jan and I were pretty pumped that it was accepted into the Challenge and will travel in Hoffman Challenge 2016 Trunk Show.  

I hope you get a chance to see it in person.

As with all domestic machine quilting I started in the middle of the quilt to FMQ around the beautifully fussy-cut and english paper pieced center...    

I chose to use an Aurifil 40Wt thread to give the center a bit of jazz.

This is what the first round of quilting with the Aurifil 40Wt thread looked like:

And here's a closer look at the quilting.

I call these feathers "fast feathers". 

They are inspired by Bethanne Nemesh...

A variation of  "Nemeshing"

Doesn't that Aurifil 40Wt and Dream Wool combo work perfectly here?

I love it!!

Ok - Now I moved onto the background fabric for the center POTC mediallion.

I thought a little top stitching with Aurifil 12Wt would look fabulous

I really do love the way the Aurifil 12Wt thread stitches with my walking foot.

Stay tuned for yet another blog post about the logistics of that... 

Working my way outward from the center I decided to echo stitch the beautiful Crystalia print -- but first I used an Aurifil 28wt thread to outline many of the butterflies.

Then I reached for the Aurifil 50Wt thread to get some echo quilting done.

Looking pretty good so far...

You'll notice in the center mediallion that I've yet to finish quilting. 

I decide to go back later with the Aurifil 40Wt and add some more fast feathers in the white space. You'll be able to see it a bit later.

Next up though, {I still question if I should have done this, but} I decided to do a teeny-tiny blanket stitch around all the POTC blocks.  Jan did a fantastic job of appliqueing them but I was afraid all my quilting was going to turn them up -- so I experimented with this setting on my machine and went for it...   

Here is one completed -- if you look close you can see the minuscule blanket stitch that goes around the POTC.

I did this with a walking foot and Aurifil 50Wt thread.

OK - up next let's get some quilting in that beautiful Hoffman Watercolor Batik -- this one was called "Shrimp".  It was fun to stitch.  I went back to the Aurifil 40Wt thread and the fast feathers.

Above... How about Jan's beautifully fussy cut butterflies!

WOW!

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OK -- Here's a close up of the fast feathers...

How about that thread and batting combination !!

Woohoo!

Now the quilting is complete on

A Wing and A Prayer

Here's a close up of the center...

And here's a full view of the quilt before I sent it back to Jan.

I must say -- I was pretty excited about working on this with Jan.  She is an amazing designer and a wonderful person.  Again, although we didn't win any ribbons we're both pretty psyched at "A Wing and a Prayer" was accepted into the Challenge and will travel for the next year  in the Hoffman Challenge Trunk Show.   

My congratulations goes out to all the entries and ribbon winners -- beautiful work all.

You can see the Winners Online here.

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You can read Jan's A Wing and a Prayer Blog Post here.
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If you get a chance to see the quilt in person, I would love it if you could tag Jan or I in any post you make on any social platform.   Thanks so much.

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Gotta run but stay tuned later this week

for another exciting blog post

and a fun tutorial on the Moda Bake Shop!

Woot - woot!

Keep on Quilting

Karen