Using Rulers

This quilt looks like a painting, but quilting a painting could involve a lot of thread work and I'd rather not. It is not a wall hanging and dense quilting would make it too stiff.

For this quilt, ordinary fillers do not work, and I didn't want to simply meander. So I've been praying a lot, working slowly, and listening and looking for ideas.

This is what came up for another group of trees. It is Angela Walters' quilting tool called "Taj" which is about 3-4" and gives this the look of a short, wide tree, yet points up. Since the thread is a bit lighter, the stitches show, but not too much. Double click on the photo for a closer look.

For what I wanted, it works. Thanks, Angela! (Just one of her videos, click here) I'm using a panto, free motion, and a few other simple line designs. It is taking a while but nearly done.

Trees from 'tree' fabric

 Using fabric that looks like trees and rocks sometimes works. It has to be the right scale and the right value. Since this quilt is a gift and a surprise, I'm showing only the trees. The first one had lots of overlapping tree trunks and shadows and could have been upside down in places. However, I trimmed the top and sides in tree shapes and stitched it down and it looks like a stand of trees. 

The rocks were all over the fabric. I cut them as a 'pile' and turned down the top edge and sewed it very close to that edge. I did the same with the second photo, but used the backside of the fabric, first to give it more 'distance' but also to soften it. The trees were easier than the top photo.

As for the reflections, that was another fabric entirely. The top one was blurry like a reflection on wind-blown water. Some quilted 'ripples' should look okay on both reflections. This top is done, about 60" square. Deciding how to quilt it is my next challenge!