Happy Friday, Friends! I know I say this all the time, but I really can’t believe it’s Friday! We are looking forward to an Artisan Fair that is happening in our area. To me, visiting the outdoor fair booths this time of year is the perfect way to usher in the autumn season! I want to share with you today my Mosaic Stars quilt that is featured in Quilter’s World‘s October 2012 issue.
[Image source: Quilter’s World]
Mosaic Stars is a two-block quilt with an appliqued swag border.
The palette of this quilt mixes blue with the usual autumn colors to give an updated look. The rather unexpected use of blue also makes this quilt useable throughout the fall and winter season. In fact, I will be working on a fall dress for Miss Baby that is blue and brown – that way I get more mileage out of the dress. I don’t want her looking like a weirdo wearing an orange dress to church, say, in January. But a blue and brown dress would still work well for a middle of winter dress. Back to the quilt, the fabrics used for this quilt are from Quilting Treasures’ Autumn Bouquet collection.
Quilting was done using Aurifil‘s Mako 50 Cotton thread over Hobbs‘ Tuscany Silk Batting. If you haven’t read my articles on threads and silk batting – click here and here. I set out to quilt something that would look totally different on the back compared to what’s on the front. If you look carefully at the following picture, you can see glimpses of the quilting scheme starting from the center of the quilt.
And here, you see it more clearly how the quilting scheme actually played out on the quilt back. Except for those arches that were marked for me to know where the boundary was, everything else (feathering) was free-handed. Now, you can’t quite tell from the quilting scheme how the front looks, eh? Isn’t quilting fun — oh, how the possibilities make me swoon!
Here are a few close-ups of the front:
And here are a few close-ups of the back:
I shall stop annoying you with yet another photo showing yet more feathers. Believe me, I took a lot more pictures of just the feathers on the back. I hope you have enjoyed my Mosaic Stars, and I want to wish you a lovely weekend. Till next Monday!
Ivory Spring 
Beautiful quilt, Wendy! Have fun at the fair!
OMG Wendy this is beautiful. Lovely design, beautiful fabrics, but spectacular free-motion quilting.
Have fun at the fair this weekend. Sounds like a great way to welcome in Fall.
SewCalGal
wwwsewcalgal.blogspot.com
Holy COW, Wendy, that’s spectacular! Please, please, please, do “annoy” us some more!!
Hmmmm, interesting choice of words (“annoy”)! You, of course, know how OBSESSED we all are with “feathers”…..especially YOURS!!!!!! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all the pictures you include to help with our execution of the motif. Speaking for myself, it has helped immensely! Like it, or not, Fall is here! (I am a warm weather person…..yes, really warm weather! The drought was an unpleasant addition!) Will have to do a purchase of the mag…….the swag is the perfect “softening” touch!! You are, again, my “quilting hero”…..hugs, D
Wow! Wow! Wow! The quilt is just beautiful but your quitting is beyond amazing! I think I’m going to sit here and study your quilting for a while……thank you for sharing.
Beautifull work, and thank you for showing the back of your quilt.
May I ask what do you do with all your quilts?
M
I loved this quilt when I saw it in the magazine and love it even more now that you’ve shown us the quilting up close and personal. Thanks for sharing the yumminess! I love to study your feathers — they have great flow and form.
What a beautiful quilt Wendy and as usual your quilting is awesome!!
Ooh, pretty! You know, the picture from the magazine has got something weird going on with the lighting that makes the quilt look sort of tea-stained and faded. I love the “real” colors that show up in your photos, especially the crisp white and sky blue. Also, I love the way you used stripes on the swag border! From a distance, the stripes look like you strip-pieced the swag borders. It’s a nice, unexpected twist for what I usually associate with a very traditional quilting style. About those borders — I’m assuming you did machine applique, but the blanket stitching looks hand-stitched even in the close up photos. Do you mind sharing which stitch, thread, and settings you use for your blanket stitch applique?
What a wonderful job you did. I am continuously amazed at your machine quilting and the amount of quilts you are able to accomplish. Thanks for sharing and inspiring me.
That is an absolutely beautiful quilt – pattern, colors, quilting – it is all just beautiful.
Wendy, another drool-worthy quilt! You inspire me so much. Could you please say what you used to get those ovals marked on the quilt? Did you have an item that fit perfectly, or did you make the square fit the oval sections? I would think it might be easier that way. Could you devote a “column” on how you figure out the marking of the big picture of quilts? I understand the free quilting, and like that style a lot, but how do you get to that point? Thanks in advance, I’m sure from all of us.
Have a wonderful well-deserved weekend with your family. I wish I could get done what you do in a week.
Your quilt is just lovely Wendy.
Please take me off your newsletter as all I ever get is a blank page, then I have to go to your blog in order to see what I missed. Barbara in western NC
Wow!! Truly beautiful quilt and quilting. I really love every bit of it!
That’s a beauty!
I saw it in my magazine and thought it looked gorgeous. Great quilting too, Wendy.
What a gorgeous Quilt, fabric, pattern & quilting job!!!
Wow! That is so beautiful! I love the way your feathers “wrap” around each other – such a great use of the space!
Love the back as much as the front, you do amazing work.
Mmmmmmmm…..as always lovely! Your feathers rock!
I would have taken a million photos too Wendy – gorgeous!!! The sway border is a really nice touch. I was just awestruck at the look of the quilting on the back… Wow!!! And that blue fabric is just plain yummy – I may need to add a little of that to my stash :*)
love love love it!
WOW! I love this! especially the back view…
Incredibly stunning quilting, Wendy! Truly award-winning! Can you have quilted all those feathers without marking? I bet you’ll say, “Yes!” so I’m even more in awe. (Lifting my jaw off the floor…)
This is so beautiful. Did you quilt it with the back (solid colour) on top? You are such an inspiration and truly appreciate all the time you take to share your knowledge and skill. Thank you very much.
Hi Kelly,
No, I quilted it with the top on the top. I have thought about trying out quilting the back on the top though – I just don’t know how the bobbin thread would end up looking on the top.
Wendy
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