Inspire ~ One Step Further

I recently asked a question on Instagram:  If you had to describe your favorite quilter using one word, what would it be?  The response was really interesting.  Bold, honest, passionate to inventive, fearless and creative.  What was the one word repeated over and over? Inspire.  I couldn't agree more!  So, I took that word and ran with it!  

'INSPIRE'
34 1/2" x 18 3/4"

INSPIRE:  Fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.

When I first tried this 'Faux Trapunto' on my Crosscut Quilt, I knew then and there I would be trying it again!  I had an idea and I was itching to test it out.  Again, I've never done real Trapunto.  I've adapted a method that works for me, or so it seems.  



Once I settled on this color combination, the design was pretty much set in stone.  I couldn't pass up the chance to do one of my favorite things...curves!  The jelly roll strips are Kona Cotton and they make curves a breeze!  Precut, perfect size and ready to go!



Even with this panel finished, I was far from confident that my idea for the Faux Trapunto was going to work.  Either it would or it wouldn't.  A risk I felt was worth taking.



The center panel was going to be the main event, but a border of some kind was needed.  I played around with ideas until something finally clicked.  Work it out as I go, my usual method.  I ended up making Confetti blocks and Improv blocks, and then connecting them with a third block featuring an imperfect strip down the middle.  No border for the sides, I have a plan for that!



Now was the time to see if my idea would come together.  This time I took my batting scraps and cut them to 1 1/2" wide.  I thought I would try rolling the strips instead of folding them like the first time.  I like that they were skinny, but it was a fail withe rolling!  Since I stitch the strips down the middle to keep them secure, they basically ended up flat anyway.  Ever changing and adapting!  

I was hoping the skinny strips of batting would make the cursive writing easy, and for the most part it did.  I used lots of pins while molding each letter!  I ran in to a few issues with the loops of the letters.  I didn't want to go over letters and have double layers of batting.  A few snips here and there helped.  There are a couple letters I'm not thrilled with like the 'P' and the 'N'.  Next time, right?!



Now comes the fun part, or the part that mattered the most!  Using my Hera marker, I traced around the letters to make quilting a little easier.  There was a lot of 'feeling' where the extra batting was while I stitched too. It was slow going!  Trying to get as close as possible takes time.



With a sigh of relief that the letters were done, it was time for the best part of quilting.  Waves, curves...organic lines.  Or I thought it would be the best part.  Turns out it ended up being a pain in the butt big time!  

The first go around including changing thread colors for each color.  I quilted above the letters, below the letters and each end of the letters.  I soon discovered that wasn't enough, it looked ridiculous with out the quilting in between the curves and loops of the word.  This is where it was frustrating and difficult, but so worth it.  It created more definition making the text standout even more.  Of course, there were a lot of threads to bury in the end!



The plan for the sides was a matched pieced binding.  Carry the design to the edge.

 

I love how it turned out and so happy I didn't define it with a solid binding.  Taking the extra time was and is always worth it.




Pretty cool right?!  I find myself touching the back a little too often!  The quilting and the different thread colors stand out more on the back.  I also decided to add a hanging sleeve this time.  

   

I've always wanted to do a Word Quilt and I suppose this will qualify!  I didn't have this technique in mind when I wanted to do a work quilt, but for now this will do!  



I tried to keep the pictures and process to the bare minimum for this post, believe me, I had what seems like a hundred.  I couldn't stop taking pictures!  I thought about doing a two part series.  In the end I decided to share it all at once, I just couldn't help myself!



With the current discussion on derivative work on The Modern Quilt Guild blog, there seems to be a lot of confusion.  Me included.  I'd be crazy to say all my quilts are originals of mine, when in truth inspiration from everywhere influences me and my decisions.  Ain't no shame in that!

Inspire, be inspired, use inspiration.  

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