So Embellished

 

Working more on the Stretching Art and Tradition 24 quilt. Here's one of the centers done with some free-motion quilt stitching and a whole lot of needle felting.

Here's what the back looks like. I almost like this better!

Pinned on the colored shapes.

Choosing threads for the zig-zagging.

Final placement of the shapes.

No help at all today from the studio assistant. Naps were more important.

Zig-zagging on the outside of the shapes done, and the quilting stitching on the inside of the colored shapes. Two of the centers are stitched down, the rest pinned. So close to done.

How About Texture

Continuing work on the Stretching Art & Tradition '24 quilt. In my original sketch the centers of each of the seven shapes were grey-silver. Different than the background. My notes included the idea of having some sort of texture. Here is my first attempt with the seven centers made with grey fleece.

Here's one with grey fleece on the right, and on the left, grey suede. (I had grey suede?Huh.) Good, but needs more texture.

Out came the rarely used embellisher aka the needle felting machine.

 This circle is gray cotton fabric with wool roving, suede scraps, fleece scraps and stitching. It's not sewn down yet, so it won't be raw-edged.

The roving color was a little too brown instead of gray on that last one, but I still wanted something else that was wool. Ages ago I bought a bag of wool penny circles in random colors and sizes. I chose the ones that were grey, grey-patterned and embellished them on to one of the fleece circles.

I like it with the wool patterned fabrics.

This one is just pinned on so far, but I'll stitch it down with a zig-zag.

I think I'm really liking how this turning out.

At this point, I'm thinking that I'll embellish one more circle, leave the small one with the suede center, and leave another one of the circles just plain fleece.