Down the Rabbit Hole Quilt

Do you remember this quilt? 

It has indeed been a while and I have neglected to show its final state. It has embroidery, applique and machine quilting. I really had no plan to begin with other than the inspiration given by this Gee's Bend quilt for the quilty front:

and it just went from there. I chose to do embroidery because I had 2 camping trips planned, and now that I don't have little ones to chase, I quite wanted something quilty to busy myself with, so I ironed on the applique details before our trip commenced, and embroidered away.

At home again, I returned to my mighty Janome 1600 dp for an adventure in whimsical free-motion quilting. (I say 'mighty' Janome, cuz it sewed through my finger not too long ago earning my respect!) It's really a rather simple sewing machine. It only sews forwards and backwards - with power. No zig-zag or fancy stitches. It is what is called a long arm, giving just a little more room to squish a huge quilt into during the sewing process. This machine is really a bare bones model. I even have to remove the feed dogs with a screw driver when doing free motion quilting, which makes it helpful to have a second machine for regular sewing.

Free-motion has become something I really enjoy. I feel like I finally have a non-messy paint brush I can deal with. And you should see me with a paint brush. Not a pretty picture, for sure. Paint everywhere but where it should be. Quilting by swirling and whirling in and around, little abstract, a little orderly, a lot of improv design, seems to flow for me.

For those of you unfamiliar with free motion quilting, here is a video showing the process.

It works well with being a home school mom, too. I'm always one that likes bringing beauty into the home as much as I can. Working at the kitchen table, in the middle of all the home school hustle and bustle and questions and answer also keeps me connected to the kiddos and where they are at in their studies, which is important to me. I can stop and start anytime to help them, walk to the beach, or create dinnertime eats. It takes just minutes to set up or put away. Or I just leave the school & quilt stuff untouched, and we eat around the coffee table.

I used the thicker pearl cotton instead of the traditional dmc floss for the embroidery work.

The larger spiraling circles throughout the quilt complement the 3 round flower appliques.

 

Now, where to put it. Presently, it is hanging over an old door I have leaned up against the corner of my living room. I can't decide which side I prefer, so it changes from time to time. Or it gets yanked down to cover up snuggly snugglers.

Down the Rabbit Hole Quilt

Here is my happy little Down the Rabbit Hole Quilt

taped down to my floor and pinned into a 'quilt sandwich':

 Embroidery and applique

accompanied by curves, circles, knots and scribbles,

now form three whimsical flowers with leaves on the quilt back. 

They were really quite fun to create

during our summer's end camping trips.

To refresh your memory, 

for even I have nearly forgotten,

here is the quilt front.

This week, I took my happy little quilt sandwich into Hart's Fabrics, 

showing it to my friend Tina who manages the store. 

Well, she loved my quilt. 

I think she squeeled in delight. 

I like friends that like my stuff!

She also encouraged me to continue the detail by hand-quilting rather than free-motion.

I agree.

 

 And now that I've gotten over the fact

that this quilt most likely won't be completed lickety split,

I'm ready for some cozy hand-quilting time!

Down the Rabbit Hole Quilt - Back

Here is the back so far. A row of scraps border a solid Kona cotton. See the beginnings of flowers and leaves? I plan on embroidering around things, and adding stems and whatever else I fancy as I go along. Whew. Now that I have a project prepared for some hand work, I am ready for our trip to the Reno Air Show next weekend where I plan on enjoying my dear quilting friend, drinking spiked hot coco, and watching our kiddos delight in one another's company. Oh. And watch a few airplanes.

Here is a picture of the last time we got together.

It was over a year ago at My Girl and her Love's wedding.

picture by Julie Cahill Photography

Down the Rabbit Hole Quilt

Now for the back....

Down the Rabbit Hole Quilt

 

Down the Rabbit Hole is a quilt of embroidery, applique and machine quilting that this girl really had no plan to begin with other than the inspiration given by this Gee's Bend quilt for the quilty front:

and it just went from there. I chose to do embroidery because I had 2 camping trips planned, and now that I don't have little ones to chase, I quite wanted something quilty to busy myself with, so I ironed on the applique details before our trip commenced, and embroidered away until our return to all things homey. I used the thicker pearl cotton instead of the traditional dmc floss for the embroidery work.

When deciding every last stitch of embroidery goodness was complete, this girl joined it all together into a quilt sandwich:

 Now for an adventure in whimsical free-motion quilting using my Janome. (I say 'mighty' Janome, cuz it sewed through my finger not too long ago earning my respect!) It's really a rather simple sewing machine. It only sews forward and backward - with power. No zig-zag or fancy stitches. It is what is called a long arm, giving just a little more room to squish a huge quilt into during the sewing process. This machine is really a bare bones model. I even have to remove the feed dogs with a screw driver when doing free motion quilting, which makes it helpful to have a second machine for regular sewing.

Free-motion has become something I really enjoy. I feel like I finally have a non-messy paint brush I can deal with. And you should see me with a paint brush. Not a pretty picture, for sure. Paint everywhere but where it should be. Quilting by swirling and whirling in and around, little abstract, a little orderly, a lot of improv design, seems to flow for this girl.

For those of you unfamiliar with free motion quilting, here is a video showing the process.

It works well with being a home school mom, too. I'm always one that likes bringing beauty into the home as much as I can. Working at the kitchen table, in the middle of all the home school hustle and bustle and questions and answer also keeps me connected to the kiddos and where they are at in their studies, which is important to me. I can stop and start anytime to help them, walk to the beach, or create dinnertime eats. It takes just minutes to set up or put away. Or I just leave the school & quilt stuff untouched, and we eat around the coffee table.

The larger spiraling circles throughout the quilt complement the 3 round flower appliques:

 

This was a fun quilt, and like the Rabbit in Alice and Wonderland, this girl had no idea where she was going when this quilt she began, but in the end, she is quite happy with it, although she cannot really tell which is side is the front.