Thoughts and process:-
When I dyed the fabric I didn't give consideration to the fabric outside the 6" block border.
So I decided to leave it as it was with the blue floating out into the extended area of the outside border…. I like it. !!!
Originally I began quilting with Mono filament thread in the top and gray 50 weight Masterpiece in the bobbin…
I didn't like it…so I changed to black thread top and bottom.
60/8 sharp needle and 50 weight Masterpiece cotton thread. I stitched over the majority of the drawn lines with the thread.
I leave the feed dogs up and use the free motion foot on my Janome 6600. They have a new tri free motion foot with double springs. It doesn't jump up and down as you sew but the quilt moves smoothly through the machine. Even though it's a free motion foot it moves the fabric forward like an ordinary foot… and remember I don't drop the feed dogs….
On the back I used a heavily patterned fabric, and for the extended border I followed the pattern on the fabric which showed through to the front giving me a pattern. So I quilted it from the back.!!!
Huh… problem… I had white thread where the blue wash extended… no problem, I just colored the white thread with a blue inktense pencil…. Perfect.!!!!
I'm happy…
Love it! I also like leaving the feed dogs up when machine quilting, so thank you for telling me to do that.
Thankyou so much for the wonderful inspiration. I have been following your design is in the detail from the beginning and am fascinated by all the wonderful details and processes used. Pictures from here ther and everywhere and lots of play. It never ceases to amaze me at how much you achieve 🙂
Thankyou. I love coloured pencils and have most in my collection but do not have the Inktense and am seriously tempted. Just love that colour!~
Pam, as a point of clarification – is all the black thread work or is some of it fabric or ink?
It is such a lovely piece. There appears to be great tenderness in the way they are looking at baby Jesus.
This mini quilt is lovely. I like the addition of the holly. I am amazed at how quickly you can quilt these. My Janome dealer has ordered this foot set for me. Thank you for the info.
The foot is wonderful… everyone who has purchased the foot has on had good things to say about it.
It is magical Pammy, just beautiful.