Plume crazy!

A simple setting of scrap pieces got a little dressing with a lot of plume shapes and turned in to Plume Crazy!  

A few weeks ago I shared the progress on this leader/ender project as it became a Let's Book It project.....here.     I knew this needed a border but was quite undecided as to what to do.  So I added a darker frame to anchor the center and ended with a very wide off white border.  It was almost boring at this point.


That is when I added a few plumes to the border and  asked "Is this working"  in this post.    

I received  many comments and ideas, which were greatly appreciated.  Just having another/many sets of eyes on the design pulled it together.

  For the quilting, I used a large meander thru the center....on Dana's  of Stormy Days  suggestion.    The plumes were outlined and some stacked teardrops added to the border before I got to some feathers.

Binding.....I followed the instructions and tutorial from Missouri Star to make a scrappy flange/faux piped binding.    It worked great....I only had a problem in one corner.  It just gave me fits for some reason, but I finally made it behave properly.  The flange is very narrow, but just enough to stitch down on the front of the quilt and give a piped look to the edge.

  The plume shapes.....each one was fused, and stitched down with a zig-zag stitch.  Over 100 of these things....I was plume crazy for sure.  But I love the whimsical effect that they made along the border.

  They may have made me crazy, but I have a feeling I will use this idea again!













 
And I am glad I got good input from Jasmine at Quilt Kisses and Janet  at Rogue Quilter about the layout.  Thanks!  The asymmetrical  layout was just what I wanted.  Placing plume vines in the opposite corners was much better than all the way around.  That would have been too much.

  Note the "new bench".....Sir Old Man worked his magic on a broken down and worn out park bench that was in pieces. New paint for the ends and supports brought it back to life.  He used cypress for the seat slats with an oil stain.  Each slat had to be "shaved and shaped" for its position.  A beautiful work of restoration, wouldn't you say?

  Plume Crazy just needs a quick wash and fluff before being given to a friend who is facing surgery.  She made sure we were fed when I broke my shoulder, and I want her wrapped in comfort  for the next few months.

   I felt the deadline to get this one finished, but I am almost sorry to see it end.  The creative design  process was motivating and gave me a boost.  Taking the basic pattern and adding elements I love was very satisfying.  It lifted me up even if I went a little crazy with those plumes.  Taking a chance made all the difference in this one for me.

Time for some slicing and dicing....cutting up fabric that is.  A new project or two taking shape because there are more people to cover.  Happy stitching.