Valentine Heart Table Runner!

Valentine Heart Table Runner!

Yes, you read right!  I was asked to quilt this 21" x 52" table runner just prior to Valentine's Day but could not fit it in.  So it came up on my list this week.  

This is a gorgeous table runner and it provided me an opportunity to put some thoughts I've had over the past couple of months into practice.  My quandry:  How can I provide some sort of custom quilting to customers without it becoming a significant expense for small quilts like table runners and wall hangings so I don't have to resort to the common all over quilting.  

This education experience began by taking a photo of the quilt top and printing it on 8 1/2" x 11" paper.

Then I took some tracing paper, covered the photo and began doodling.  To me it felt this table runner screamed for  romantic feathers to accompany the sweetheart feeling for which the runner was created.  Not to mention, I LOVE feathers.  They come naturally.  So now I had this:

I could see how things were coming together and really liked it so I started quilting.  However, when I finished the background, it had already been two hours and I wasn't comfortable doing the hearts the original plan.  You can see what I had planned in the top two left upside down hearts.  Part of the fabric was dark and part was light so I wasn't sure one thread would work in both.  Now what?

The solution?  I think it's what I've been looking for.  Go to town on the custom quilting that looks stunning but back off when quilting is not needed.  What does that mean?  Well, I ended up stitching in the ditch around the perimeter of each heart and on the two opposing sides of the nine patch.  

The stitch in the ditch took about an hour for all ten hearts.  I had thought about doing a little something in the darker side of the top of the heart and proceeding with my plan to do the seed stitch in the nine patch, but it didn't need it.  Sometimes I think we quilt just to quilt and get everything filled.  I decided that the hearts needed to stand out and the stitch in the ditch accomplished just that.  The largest area that was not quilted was the nine patch, which was 4 1/2", totally within standards for most batting.  

I think it's beautiful.  Here are some more photos:

Doesn't the heart look lovely as a stand alone with no quilting?   I think the runner now accomplishes the purpose for which it was created, to celebrate the season of Love rather than someone's quilting.  

So what do you think about quilting?  More or less?

As an added FYI, my post was late today because I have been busy loading this:

for a weekend trial run, which replaced this:

which was stolen late one Monday night in January. 

It's been so cold we haven't been able to get out but today and this weekend it's supposed to be in the 70s!  AND, I'll be down in Boulder, Colorado tomorrow (Saturday) teaching a basic Free Motion Quilting Class at the new Blakeman Vacuum & Sewing there in Boulder.  If you are from the area, stop in and say hi!

As always, join me at Finish Up Friday here: http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com and at any of the link ups on my side bar.  And have an awesome weekend!