This mini quilt, the second in my color series, has been a long time in the making. I started this baby in the midst of a crazy work schedule, and eventually had to ask myself what I wanted from this piece. Was it to be done? Or was I going for awesome? Neither of these answers would necessarily be wrong, but I had to aim for the latter on this project.
Since I’ve been patterning and sewing like a crazy person to get through this summer theatre season at work, I have been doing a lot of projects where “finished” is the major goal- opening night comes whether or not we are completely ready. (This isn’t to say that things aren’t well made- we just can’t expect “perfect” when we are moving at this kind of pace) It was kind of nice to cut myself a little slack on deadlines for this project and make something that is really well thought out and constructed.
The segments of yellow were strip pieced first and then slashed diagonally and spaced with a piece of white Kona cotton between them and to the side. I am trying to use this series of quilts to explore various methods of activating negative space in the quilt composition.
Green Grass, the first quilt in this color series, was quilted using free motion quilting with a mix of green and white thread. For this quilt, I thought it would be interesting to move away from organic quilting and try some different linear patterns with my walking foot.
Quilt Stats
Title: Yellow Rays
Size: 20″x20″
Techniques: Machine piecing
Quilting: Linear quilting with a walking foot on a Bernina 1008
Fabric: Assorted yellow prints and white Kona Cotton
Batting: Warm and White cotton batting
Thread: Pieced using white Gutermann Mara 100, Quilted with white machine quilting thread and 50 wt cotton Aurifil in yellow
Binding: Scrappy yellow prints also used in the quilt top, cut on the bias in 2″ wide strips, machine stitched to the front, hand stitched to the back
What was new?
Exploration of linear quilting designs to activate negative space using a walking foot
Quilt 23 / 50
Goal #9 is Finished!
13 Comments
Wanda Ann Dotson
June 27, 2015 at 9:41 pmThe quilting on this mini is very well done. I can’t tell but do you embed all your threads or backstitch? I’ve been done backstitching is frowned upon and isn’t the professional way to machine quilt. What do you think?
Irene
June 28, 2015 at 6:41 amAwesome indeed!!
Judy
June 28, 2015 at 8:02 amI’d say you nailed awesome, Cassandra! The quilting really adds dimension and keeps the eye moving around the quilt. Beautifully done!
Joy
June 28, 2015 at 9:33 amSince I started quilting, I’m all about yellow. In particular, this rich yellow. What a great composition. Bravo!
Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl
June 28, 2015 at 11:19 amI really like how the yellow quilting thread gives the negative space a definite glow. Also, continuing the negative space breaks into the quilting is a great way to keep movement and flow in the very angular piece.
Rochelle
June 28, 2015 at 12:12 pmThis is so creative and awesome. I can’t wait to see more in your series. Inspiring!
Chantal
June 29, 2015 at 8:37 amReally well done. So simple but so effective. I hope one day I could come close to that. Great inspiration.
Kristen
June 29, 2015 at 11:06 amYour mini quilts are so inspiring! I wish I had your skills. 🙂
Laura
June 29, 2015 at 3:28 pmWow, I love love love the quilting you did – such a great way to play with all that negative space. And I know it’s a mini but that must have been a lot of work going back and forth. Looks amazing!
Carla
July 4, 2015 at 10:02 amThat is the joy of sewing something for yourself – you get to take your time and work on it until you are happy. No pressure!
Jenny
July 6, 2015 at 4:30 pmThis is wonderful. I love the linear quilting and the use of the yellow thread. I will certainly give that a go. I’m always in awe how your heavily quilted minis stay so square and flat. Mine develop quite a few kinks and never seem to hang flat!
Adrianne
July 12, 2015 at 4:44 amOooh, this is really lovely!
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July 20, 2015 at 12:11 am[…] Yellow Rays: Mini Quilt #23 […]