Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Just Keep Swimming...





Oh wait!  I'm not swimming anymore!  I'm DONE!!




The turtle applique quilt is on its way home!! This quilt idea has been interesting, frustrating, and quite a journey.  I was commissioned by a special mom that I had worked on a Butterfly Kiss project for her other daughter. She contacted me because she had a Pottery Barn crib set, but she couldn't get the actual quilt. 


Pottery Barn Kids


I had her send me pictures from her room and all of the bedding she did have so I could make sure I coordinated as best as I could.  The pink quilt she bought was plain, but had some actually really pretty hand quilted effects.  




 It was at that point, I knew that I wouldn't feel "right" about just machine appliqueing on some turtles and sending it back.  I found this sweet seersucker fabric so that the turtle backs would have some texture.



 My biggest concern was that it would look like I added the turtles after it was quilted.  Granted, yes, I was adding them after, but I really wanted it to feel like the end result was exactly how it would be if I were making the quilt from the start!

 To get a bit of dimension that I was looking for, I fused some batting to the backside before appliqueing the turtle backs on.  I did hand needle turn applique on all of the pieces. 


I added some seersucker flowers because one of the prints that she had for nursery had "girl" turtles with flowers tucked in behind their "ears".  I also added embroidery floss stitches on each turtle back bout 1/2 inch from the edges. 

I wasn't truly happy with the entire quilt until I decided to blanket stitch all of the solid pieces.  I started with the seaweed first because it was the making me the least happy.


 And when I finished them, I realized that the turtle bodies needed the added touch too!.



 It made them look less "glued" on that way.  
I also changed my mind about doing a machine embroidered name. 


 It seemed that it just was too commercial looking when I went to all the trouble of doing the handwork on the rest of the quilt.

The only downfall?  I still have chronic swelling of my hands and finger from my surgery.  The process that normally would be pretty quick for me, became laboriously slow and tedious. 





But it was worth it! 
Now I just hope Momma and Finley are happy with it!!!


6 comments:

  1. This projects has had it challenges and I commend you on your results Heidi. Never easy to take a commercial quilt and add to it. You have done a lovely job, well done. Hope your arm is better, take it easy wont you. hugs

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  2. super sweet Heidi!
    the hand stitching would have been tough for me too! But it's adorable!

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  3. OMG - I feel like I just got caught snooping for Christmas presents! Heidi, THIS IS AMAZING! It looks better than I ever imagined and you are right about the extra embroidery. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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  4. Beautiful work Heidi! What a thoughtful approach to this quilt. :)

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  5. You did an awesome job. My step-daughter wants this same quilt so I get to make it. If you have any helpful hints I would appreciate them.

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    Replies
    1. To be honest? The only thing I would have changed was to find fabrics for the bodies that had a texture/tone-on-tone type of print. I really did not love how "flat" the bodies looked to me! Feel free to email me anytime!

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