Secret Quilting – A Secret No More

Close up of hand guided quilting design element by Karen Overton
close up of hand guided quilt design element
-Sneak peak – secret quilting is about to be secret no more

If you have been following The Quilt Rambler on social media the past few weeks you have seen little snippets or sneak peaks of a “secret quilting” project I have been working on ….and now…the big reveal!

Why was it a secret you ask? Well, on occasion, as a longarm quilter I am asked to keep things secret for a time being. For example, not publishing photos of graduation t-shirt quilts before the grad receives it, or especially around Christmas time when I’m quilting customer quilts that will be Christmas gifts.

This time it was because the quilt was to be introduced to the public by the designer – in other words, it wasn’t my story to tell until after its debut and publication.

Why the Secret Quilting

Spring Market was this weekend May 19-21. For those unfamiliar with the quilting world – twice a year Quilts Inc hosts an industry tradeshow where wholesale buyers, distributors, designers and industry leaders gather for the reveal of new fabrics, new patterns, new notions and new trends in the quilting world. The Spring Market this year was in St. Louis. The Fall Market is always in Houston the weekend before the public International Quilt Show. I’ve never been to Spring Market but have attended Fall Market since 2004. Trust me, it’s better than Christmas!

unquieted Morning Glory quilt pattern by Deb Tucker
For custom quilt jobs I like to hang the quilt in my studio for several days to be inspired concerning the quilting elements

I received this beautiful quilt from Deb Tucker, Studio 180 Design right before my Arizona trip the first of the month, asking that it be quilted and returned in time for her to put on the binding so it could be displayed in the booth at Spring Market. (For the record she had made a reservation earlier so I knew to expect it). I took this photo “before” it was quilted so I could study it on the plane and come up with quilting designs. I fell in love with the design, it goes without saying how much I love LeMoyne Stars. Upon inquiring about the name of the pattern I found it very fittingly named Morning Glory.

My Observations

Before I go any further sharing the quilting designs I wanted to share what I’ve learned by osmosis.

I’ve been watching social media for all the big reveals at Spring Market – if you do a search #springmarket you will be able to get sneak peaks of upcoming goodies to our local quilt shops later this year. I was especially pleased to see photos of Studio 180 Design booth with Morning Glory hanging among such other beautiful quilts! I love all her rulers and have most of her patterns, having taught several in the past in my studio or local quilt shops. Needless to say, Morning Glory is at the top of my wish list!

Colorful tradeshow booth full of beautiful quilts made by Deb Tucker
Studio 180 Design Spring Market 2017 Booth (photo from Facebook)
Facebook page of Deb Tucker showing her beautiful quilts at Spring market 2017
Deb Tucker’s Facebook Page Banner

As you know, I’m an Island Batik Ambassador having the privilege of working with these wonderful fabrics and looking forward each year to their new fabrics and designs, eagerly awaiting their catalog….sooo….I’m looking through their  Spring Market catalog and low and behold I see a different version of Morning Glory by Deb Tucker! I’m guessing that the pattern has different size options and she made one for Island Batik’s booth and the one I quilted was for her booth. Oh, I wish I could have seen both in person at Spring Market. I snagged these photos off social media to share.

Colorful booth full of beautiful island batik fabrics taken at Spring Market 2017
Island Batik Booth photo was taken by Laura Reschke Piland, Slice of Pi, from Facebook
catalog page of island batik fabric spring 2017 offering of Morning Glory quilt pattern in their beautiful batik fabrics
Clip from Island Batik Spring Market 2016 catalog. Be sure and ask your local quilt shop to carry these fabrics as well as this pattern!

On To The Quilting

I determined that I wanted to stitch in the ditch  (SID) all the borders and the star outline, but not the individual diamonds. This would give the quilt stability and frame in all the important components. It also allowed me later to roll the quilt up and down as needed to be able to quilt all of one thread color before changing threads vs advancing the quilt and changing threads as I worked my way down the quilt.  The SID took the better part of one day but experience told me it would be well worth it.

photo shows quilting process
Stitch in the Ditch included the “spine” for the future feather quilting

Next, I would be quilting all the borders and the blazing star units within the borders. This would assure that the borders would be straight and not drawn in by the density of the interior designs had I quilted it first.  I quilted the top and bottom borders then “turned” the quilt, which means it was unpinned off the take-up leader bars of the longarm and turned 90 degrees and repinned to be able to quilt the side borders in one long pass vs advancing and breaking thread causing a lot of stops and starts. Extra time to turn, but once again, worth it!

The quilt remained in this side to side position instead of top to bottom for the remainder of the quilting.

Auditioning Design Ideas

Close up of quilting design
Making a practice run with a dry erase marker is a good way to audition design elements before actually quilting

Sometimes I will take a plexiglass and use a dry erase marker to audition design elements prior to quilting. Through the years I have found this to be useful and many times what I initially thought I would be quilting had a “design change” after drawing it out.

drawing design elements before quilting
More auditions before quilting
hand-guided longarm quilting by Karen Overton
From practice to reality
Longarm quilting designs by Karen Overton
Close up of the hand guided quilting of the border designs

Special Butterfly

close up of hand guided signature butterfly of Karen Overton, The Quilt Rambler
Signature Butterfly logo of Karen Overton, The Quilt Rambler

I had completed the quilt, having unpinned it from the take-up leader bars and was texting Sue Tucker to verify the shipping address when I mentioned that I was sad I couldn’t attend Spring Market but at least I could “be a butterfly on a morning glory” to which Sue responded that she had hoped I was including one of my special butterflies…Oops!  Didn’t know that!

As a side note I typically put the butterfly on personal quilts or as special requests as it is sorta my trademark signature….I was flattered by the suggestion and quickly decided this quilt just needed a butterfly!

Do you remember that old song “have it your way”….well, if you don’t, here it is to refresh your memory of singing commercials of yesteryear (or if you are too young to remember, to expose you to some of the finer things in life). I was humming this tune as I reloaded the quilt and found a place for the butterfly!

Karen Overton's signature butterfly quilted on the bottom border of Morning Glory a quilt by Deb Tucker
Hand guided longarm signature butterfly adds the finishing touch

Hot Off The Frame

And now I will slow down the ramble and let the pictures speak for themselves.

Hand guided longarm quilting by Karen Overton
Morning Glory, sideways as it came off the longarm frame
close up of longarm quilting by Karen Overton, quilt pattern Morning Glory by Deb Tucker
Another view of Morning Glory by Deb Tucker quilted by Karen Overton
Hand guided longarm quilting by Karen Overton, quilt pattern by Deb Tucker
Center medallion has lots of movement between the beautiful fabric, piecing  design, and the hand guided longarm quilting
close up of quilting around small 8 pointed stars
I fell in love with these beautiful little stars – made perfect with Deb Tucker’s Rapid Fire LeMoyne Star Ruler

 

Detailed view of quilting stitches can be seen best from the back of a quilt
And of course, a longarm quilter wants to see the back! That’s where the texture shows up, making all the hours worth it!

Where Can You Find This Pattern

full view of the beautiful Morning Glory quilt pattern by Deb Tucker, quilted by The Quilt Rambler
Morning Glory hanging in The Quilt Rambler studio prior to shipping off to be bound and hung at Spring Market 2017 in the Studio 180 Design booth

I know you are going to want to make this as much as I am! Check with your local quilt shop and request that they carry Studio 180 Design Patterns and Rulers. While you are there, also request that they carry Island Batik fabrics if that isn’t already in their line up. I have been a huge fan of both companies for years, having had the blessing of meeting both owners and co-workers of each. You will never find better folks than the Tuckers and the team at Island Batik. I can recommend their products to you and your local quilt shop without reservation.

Stay tuned to The Quilt Rambler as my upcoming blog will include another recent workshop using Deb Tucker’s rulers (this time the Rapid Fire Hunter’s Star Ruler) as well as the progress of my May Island Batik Ambassador #ModernBatikChallenge using their beautiful fabrics.

Why not make it easy on yourself  – go ahead and subscribe to my blog so you won’t miss out on a thing!

This is Karen Overton, The Quilt Rambler, thanking Deb Tucker for the privilege to once again quilt one of her beautiful quilts!

 

Are you still humming the song in your head? ….. You’re welcome! Please leave a comment and share your thoughts on  how you’ve had your own secret quilting projects, or your favorite singing commercial (grin)..

 

 

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