The blank space on the Hot Dish table runner was a good area to try a feather wreath. something a little different for me.I needed a circle.....you have to look really close to see the faint pencil marks. I used a bobbin ring for the shape. I was not sure if I could follow the circle with out having a lot of wiggles.
I began in the center of the ring and lined it with plumes. The start was good....making the end of the inner ring was not good. My plumes got too skinny at the end. It is going to take practice.
Then I moved to the outside and adding the feather plumes all around the outside. Much easier to do. I could extend them to fill in a lot of area.
- I had to stitch slowly to stay on the faint drawn line.
- I had a slight tension imbalance and the light gray bobbin thread shows in the spots where I paused. A quick wash will probably hide them.
- There was a lot of stopping to shift the runner around so I could see where I needed to be.....I would not do this on a large quilt!
- Getting plumes to match at the end needs work.....my angle got a bit to severe at the end. More practice required!
I am not sure how the rest of it will get quilted yet.....hoping for inspiration. I may stipple the rest of the light areas around the wreath. There are also some light areas on the edges which I will put in my usual style of feathers....like this one.
Don't expect first time feathers like this one.....it took me a year of practice to figure this one out. Even three wreaths of feathers is only dipping my toes in the water of formal style feathers......I am just not sure if they are my "style" but I tried just to see. And this small project was just the thing to experiment on. What a way to start the week.....happy stitching.
11 comments:
This is a wonderful post, your feathers are always so beautiful so seeing you struggle a bit with a different form is a good reminder of how much time and effort you put into learning them. I can do circle feathers, I have a stencil, LOL.
I applaud your venture into unknown territory. I, too, do my circle wreaths with a stencil, but I would love to be able to do them without so that I could fit them into any size or shape of space.
You did well, my few practice attempts have never yielded anything as nice as what you have done here.
Your feathers are always so beautiful. Like Dana and Janet my FMQ feather wreaths are done with a stencil . Not sure I would even attempt one without the stencil. But then lately it seems most of my FMQ has been quick and easy baby quilts and hand quilting on anything else. Not much production that way but I really love the hand quilting for the relaxation. Never feel very relaxed when doing FMQ, even after several years, lol!
We tried doing a wreath with pencil and paper during a recent workshop, and I agree, finishing the inner circle is the hardest part. You did a lovely job.
I love your feathers. I don't do feathers, but I have the stencils. It is a matter of just doing and practice.
I was thinking I needed a circle longarm ruler to make feathered wreaths, but I'm going to try with just marking and see how I do. Yours is lovely.
I think your feathered wreath turned out well!
The feathers look lovely in the photos. I think we are more critical of our own work and most people would think they are terrific.
Beautiful feathers, goodness knows how long I would take to work with feathers!
Hard but beautiful feathers, something I have to try in wreath.
"Master the feather" is still on the bucket list...
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