One of the best things about my job as a longarm quilter is getting to see (touch, drool over) all the different quilts people bring to me. Some of the tops are simple patchwork piecing, some use more advanced techniques, and a few of them are made with so much skill and precision that impresses me to the max. Skill that I most likely will never achieve. So I love that I get to see these types of quilts and I’m honored that customers trust me to quilt for them.

This Moon Garden quilt was a real delight for me to quilt. It’s a wool applique top and the maker, Carol, did an outstanding job on all the wonderful stitching. There are so many different stitches and each block is different. Here are just a few of my favs:

Aren’t they scrumptious?

Here’s the full quilt.

I kept the quilting on the top simple. The borders have a piano key and filler design. It’s an easy design to stitch and it always looks so good. It’s one of my favorite designs to use. The sashing strips just got straight lines to play off the piano keys.

Carol asked for swirls in the basket blocks and she wanted me to use black thread. Boy, was that a challenge! I think black thread on black fabric is my most difficult combination to stitch with. I just can’t see the thread and it’s impossible to see where I’ve quilted and where I need to go. So I have a very special tool I use to help with that. 🙂

There it is – a simple flashlight! I turn off all the lights on the machine and in the room. Then I hold the flashlight in my left hand shining the light on the quilt at a low angle from the side. I can then drive the long arm with my right hand and can see where I’ve been and where I need to go. Shining the light from the side creates shadowing and makes seeing the stitching easier. It’s a bit cumbersome but it works for me.

So the blocks got their swirls. I just outlined all the applique pieces, and only stitched on the baskets when the empty areas were too large to leave unquilted. The thread sinks into the wool and the stitching really isn’t visible, which leaves the focus on the applique itself. And that is the goal – for the quilting to enhance the quilt and not drown the design. I met my goal with this quilt and I’m so happy Carol let me quilt it.

Now it’s your turn to share the project(s) you’re excited about. Main Crush Monday is back! I hope you’ll join the party and show us what has you excited to be in your sewing space. You can link up any blog or Instagram post – here’s how: