Encouragement

meant a lot to me this week as I sat down to finish the tree.

So...thank you for your encouragement and cheering last week!

Funny thing is...I didn't break any needles this time!

LOL

I did however, have to unpick all of the sky swirl stitching from before.

Ack!

I used a variagated Sulky thread and my bobbin tension was off.

Adjusted that and kept on quilting.

This quilt started as an inspirational print from Rett to a "grid" of scraps, to an appliqued tree trunk and branches, to the "starry" lights being placed and on to this:

with the quilting finally finished!

I originally had this blue Kona border because I wasn't sure where to take it after the quilting was done and wanted something to help keep the edges from fraying and shifting as I quilted.

I've since asked hubsy sweets and my LQS guru for opinions and advice.  Hubby wanted to frame it...LQS guru said it should be hung like a quilt.  I started this as a wall hanging quilt and want to finish it as one as well. 

This week will be about removing the blue, adding corners to hang it and using the same brown batik as the tree for a simple binding to "frame" the piece.

This is a close up of the quilting.

I tried to stay "true" to Rett's concentric circles for bark and am really happy with that and the feel of the branches.  I did a horizontal stitch in the tree background continuing the circles around the "lights" (which I've always thought of as fireflies).  The ground/grass is just a vertical stitch and I thought of swaying grass while sewing.  The sky is full of swirling air currents the fireflies are playing on.

I am ever so thankful to Rett for her letting me take her vision and recreate it in another medium.

Linking this up as a "finish" and a WIP at:

Quilt Story

Freshly Pieced

and

crazy mom quilts

Go visit these blogs and see all the incredible projects these bloggers are working one!

You never know what might inspire you!