Serenade–Quilting Part 3

Motifs are gradually getting quilted.  Notice the monogram in the center of the Mariner’s Compass star.  Hmmm, I wonder who’s initials those are?Look at the puff between the motifs – a bit like hills.  Also look the fabric on the outside of the quilted border; it is also out of control but I do have a plan.  It is always good to stop and consider a plan when things are not quite going the way you want it too, right?Well this was my plan – not elegant by any means but it did work to squish that poofy poof down so I could quilt it.  Notice the inside of the small feathered Mariner’s Compass.  Do you see the shadow of the number 2?  Well, I ripped it out as it just was not obvious to everyone what those numbers stood for….2012, one number in each circle for the year.  I had intended to finish it in 2012 but that didn’t happen either so just decided to rip out my stitching and go with plan B.This is what I came up with for the middles of those Compass motifs in the corners.  I did the background quilting all the same throughout the quilt, another thing I would have changed if I were to do it again.  I would have chosen to use more background fillers in different sections to add more interest.  Will draw out the background quilting motif on another post to show how I quilted those worm like motifs.All quilted!  I love the way the camera picked up the texture of the quilting.Took this photo so show the scale of the quilting motifs on this miniature whole cloth quilt.  That is my hand quilting thimble laying on the quilt.I always wash my finished quilt in the mild quilt soap, rinse well, roll in a towel to get some of the water out, then block it to square it up before trimming and binding.   The reason is that as I quilt, especially when I quilt this densely it tends to distort the quilt, and it removes the heavy starch I used on the fabric, plus any body oils or just plain dirt that has accumulated since it was begun.  Here it is all pinned square on a terry towel to dry. I measure from corner to corner and multiple places plus horizontally and vertically to make sure it is square before I pin it to the towel.  The countdown to the State Fair has begun.  Two days to go before delivery to the fair…will I make it?
Until Later,
Lynn