Baubles is one of my oldest UFOs, and I am thrilled that I finally finished it up this week!
The blocks were designed on EQ7 when I was first experimenting with the program. These are some of the first paper piecing blocks that I designed from scratch. Once they were assembled, they got set aside, and I didn’t touch them for nearly a year.
From the start, I didn’t have a particular plan for the blocks, but eventually I brought them together in a configuration resembling hanging ornaments.
The quilting was probably the most fun of the entire project. I really enjoy doing all over free motion quilting, and this quilt is done almost entirely with this technique.
The only exception is that each bauble is quilted with coordinating thread and a combination of free motion and ruler work specific to each block.
Once the quilting was finished, I embroidered silver hanging strings for each ornament.
I decided to keep the binding white to allow the illusion of the baubles floating in space.
Quilt Stats
Title: Baubles
Size: 44″x53″
Techniques: Foundation paper piecing, traditional piecing, hand embroidery
Quilting: Hand guided longarm quilted on an A-1 Elite using free motion and ruler work techniques
Fabric: White Kona cotton and assorted pink, red, blue, and turquoise cotton prints
Batting: Warm and White cotton blend batting
Thread: Pieced using white Gutermann Mara 100, Quilted with white, bright pink, and blue Aurifil 50wt cotton thread, embroidered with silver Wonderfil and Gutermann Metallics
Binding: White Kona, cut in 2″ wide strips on the bias, machine stitched to the front, hand stitched on the back.
This quilt was my One Monthly Goal for January!
10 Comments
Kristel
January 31, 2016 at 11:15 pmGreat looking quilt! I love the quilting – that’s a lot of fun!
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
January 31, 2016 at 11:35 pmThe use of the coordinating thread on the baubles looks wonderful from the back – it has a lovely glow. Congratulations on a beautiful finish; your free motion quilting looks amazing.
Jane
January 31, 2016 at 11:54 pmLovely quilting designs on your quilt. Congratulations on a beautiful quilt that’s finished.
Kate Chiconi
February 1, 2016 at 6:00 amThat’s a beautiful piece of work. I can tell you had lots of fun with the FMQ – it looks like Christmas ornaments hanging in front of a big window with a fabulous snowstorm going on outside! Congratulations also on completing a long-standing UFO, always so satisfying.
Heidi
February 1, 2016 at 1:39 pmTruly, an awesome finish! I admire your FMQ work and great patterning!
Lesley Storts
February 2, 2016 at 8:23 amCassandra – this quilt looks fantastic. I especially like all of the negative white space and your quilting. I also like that you matched the thread to your ornaments and kept the contrast low. Beautiful work!
Kathleen
February 2, 2016 at 6:24 pmThis is beautiful! Are you by chance selling the pattern for the baubles?
Debbie
April 6, 2016 at 11:16 pmBeautiful! What amazing quilting to finish off your quilt. Thank you so much for participating in the Finish-A-Long, on behalf of the 2016 hosts! And though I did find your Q1 list, to be eligible for prizes, please add a link to it in this post, ok? 😉
Sheila
November 30, 2016 at 1:11 pmI love everything about this quilt. Bravo!
Festive Baubles | The (not so) Dramatic Life
September 18, 2020 at 3:20 pm[…] just consider it 364 days early for next year! Festive Baubles is a reinterpretation of the Baubles quilt I made a few years ago. A lot of people really loved this quilt, and wanted a pattern for it. […]