I am so excited to share this quilt with you. I almost said ‘share this finish’ but technically it’s not a finish yet. I still have to put on the binding. But the quilting is done and I’m extremely pleased with how it looks.
I was so excited for you to see this that I braved the 19 degree temps to take a few outside pics. I could only be outside a few minutes and then I was back in the house. It was COLD out there!
If you follow me on Instagram (I hope you do!) you might have already seen a few of these pictures but I have more to share here.
For the quilting I tried a new to me design. I first saw this on Instagram from Rebecca (@rubybluequilts), and I call it floppy feathers. I figured feathers and birds go together, right? It is a really fun and forgiving design to stitch. So fun that I’m using it on the current customer quilt I’m working on.
I didn’t do it perfectly, but trust me, no one but the quilting police will know. And since we don’t have quilting police where I live, it’s all okay! Later this week I’ll share how I stitched the floppy feathers.
I used the feather design on the pieced center of the quilt, and treated two of the borders individually. The third (skinny white) border I left unquilted, although I might revisit that decision and add some matchstick quilting there. The inner border has a loose Figure 8 design. It’s an easy go to design that works well in almost any shape and size.
The outside border shows off the piano key design – one of my favorite border treatments.
There were a few rays of sunshine that hit the quilt as it was laying on the snow and shows off the texture of the quilting. If you zoom in on the picture below you can see the feather design better.
And a back view….
This quilt is incredibly cuddly and soft, just what my friend wanted. I’m going to take my time putting on the binding, just so I can enjoy the quilt a while longer! Then I’m going to buy myself a bird panel and make one of my own.
Which reminds me, a few people have asked about the panel. I tried to respond to everyone who asked but just in case I missed someone…. The panel was designed exclusively for the quilt shops that participated in the WV shop hop last fall. My local quilt shop, Bolts & Quarters, has a few left and they are $11.99 each. The shop will be happy to mail them, so if you want one just give them a call.
That’s my crush for this week, now it’s time for you to share yours – here’s how:

Love how your loopy feather looks! Can’t wait to try it out!
I’ll tell you a secret, Beth. One of my very first quilts was on our bed for about 2 years without any binding! Love these birds by the way.
That’s a lovely quilt, and a wonderful gift for your friend. I am thinking you had better order that panel for yourself ASAP….. now that you’ve likely caused a run on the few that are left! Congrats on your finish.
Beth, this quilting is supper yummy!!! I LOVE the wishbones in the borders. I will have to remember that one. And I’ll be setting here glued to my computer…I want to know how you did the feathers.
Oh, it turned out so well, Beth! Love the floppy feather quilting. I can just how smooth and flowing and sort of zen it would be to stitch that design. And it gives fantastic texture! I’m looking forward to hearing more about it soon 🙂
I love your feathers. I look forward to your tute on how to quilt them. And the quilt…mwaaa! (Imagine man in white chef hat, red checked shirt, with his fingers of one hand on his pursed lips then pulls away his fingers and says, mwaa.)
I adore the floppy feathers quilting; it’s perfect for this quilt. It creates the illusion that the birds are flying around on the quilt. Did you quilt it freehand or from a pantograph?
That is a gorgeous quilt! Did the pattern come with the panel or did you or your customer design it? I really like the feather design you did on it too. Nice job!
I love those feathers! It makes the quilt.
Very fun quilt! Nice way to utilize the bird fabric. Stay warm Beth. 🙂
The floppy feathers are perfect! It really did turn out well. I always think its funny how people see quilts and then go in search of the fabrics. I rather like looking for my own version and going from there. Terrific quilt and I think she will be very pleased with your work.
Well, I love the feathers! Floppy feathers are my favorite I think!
What What a beautiful quilt. Is there a quilt pattern available for this quilt? Your quilting looks perfect!
Beth I love the triple border. It really sets the main quilt. Your quilting is perfect. The floppy feathers are just right.
Lovely! It is cold here too, might get more snow on Tuesday to Wednesday.
What a sweet quilt, Beth! And I love the back too! I am just about launch into machine quilting and am suddenly paying much closer attention to it! I love your floppy feathers and your border treatments are super! xo!
looks wonderful, I’m a step ahead of you on my quilt and almost done with the binding
The quilt top is so pretty, and your quilting really finishes it so well! I love the floppy feathers, and the idea of using it because it’s a bird quilt! I thought about trying to snap some outdoor quilt pics here too, but we’re enjoying 2 degree weather here, so I opted for indoor shots.
Wonderful feathers Beth. Those kind of feathers are so fun to stitch out aren’t they!
It’s a beautiful quilt Beth and it does look super cuddly too. I’ll be very interested to see how you stitched those floppy feathers.
It’s a beautiful quilt. I like the description of floppy feathers, it fits well. The quilting turned out perfectly. Congrats on an the almost finish. I’d have a hard time giving that one back too.
That certainly is beautiful quilting and shows that even the simple eights and piano border have their place alongside elegant feathers.
The quilt and quilting look beautiful, Beth! I hope you stay warm and cozy this week (that snow looks cold!) and I look forward to the floppy feather quilting tutorial. 🙂