Kristin’s Grad Quilt

Kristin LOVES her quilt!!!!  She is just thrilled!!!  I gave it to her after graduation at her celebration at a downtown Kalamazoo restaurant.  I blogged a little about it here, if anyone has forgotten.  Kristin was showing everyone her quilt!!!  Practically showing the other guests in the restaurant!! 🙂  I received a lot of email asking the specifics on the quilt, so hopefully I can cover them all. 🙂  Here it is!!

 Lots of feathers, just like the PA ordered. 🙂  Yummy feathers!!!

Since Scooter will be living with this quilt full time in a few weeks, I let him check it out first. 🙂

 I love how it turned out too!!!  I cannot wait to quilt these allover feathers again!!  The back is just as gorgeous!

Now some specifics.  The batting is Hobbs Wool.  It makes the quilting just look awesome!  Thread is So Fine top and bobbin.  A pale yellow.  Normally when I do an allover feather type design, I do NOT stitch out the spine.  Usually they are spineless.  LOL.  I just draw out the spine with white school chalk or a Collins purple air erasable marker.  I buy them at my LQS.  I feel like I have more freedom to change direction or the shape if the spine isn’t stitched out already.  Sometimes I will curve one way more and if I am just following a temporary line, no biggie.  If it’s stitched out, I will have to pick stitches out or follow my original path.  Anyways, with these particular feathers, I found they looked so much better with the spine stitched out.  The shape and flow was superior than when I was following a drawn line. 

I drew out my line and then stitched over it.  I stitch the stem as I advance the quilt.  I do not stitch the stem all the way down the quilt and go back and fill in. I always feel like the first pass is the hardest.  I make sure my path is curvy and filling the space.  It is all freehand.  I do not draw out the feathers first.  I just fill in as I go.  No, they are not all perfect or the same.  I did not pick out any funny looking feathers.  I was tempted and wanted to, but suppressed my urge to do it because when it is all done…it looks wonderful.  I no longer see the “funny” looking feathers. 🙂

 Here is a before quilting pic.

I used one Layer Cake of Charlevoix by Minick and Simpson and yardage.  The inner border is 2″ finished and the outer is 6″ finished.  The quilt finishes at 59″x84″.  I used the tumbler template that I blogged about here.

This is a very simple quilt to make.  And fast!!!  I knew once it was quilted it would go from simple to beautiful!  Doesn’t this look like a happy recipient?? 🙂  Kristin is incredibly grateful.  She also has been sooooo patient waiting for a quilt, since her undergrad graduation 2 yrs ago.  It is the best feeling when someone appreciates the gift of a quilt.  Wouldn’t you all agree?

  Here are some more grad celebratory pics.

Graduation was awesome!!!  It was only Kristin’s class, so it went pretty quickly.  It was great to see all the students rewarded in the White Coat Ceremony.  There was a small reception after with cake at the university.

 The girls made a sign.  We brought plastic clappers!  Kristin said they only thing that was missing was a foam finger.  LOL!!!  She loved having the loudest cheering section!

Scott was there for the graduation too.  He missed the after party because he was on his way to a Bass fishing tourney.

  Aunt Kristin is a great role model.

 Looks like someone wants to be a PA-Physician Assistant when they grow up.
We had a lot of fun with Instagram!!  Why have I been so slow to get on that bandwagon??

Sisters.

Sisters.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!