Custom Quilting in Contrast

Julie, the brilliant mind behind this quilt, is undoubtedly the queen of contrast. Her quilts always present me with a unique challenge when it comes to custom quilting. The question arises: should I amplify the contrast or find a way to bring it together?

Initially, I envisioned a design heavily influenced by ruler work, aiming for a geometric and structured feel. 

However, knowing Julie's fondness for feathers and wanting to finish the quilt within a reasonable time, I eventually settled on a feather motif. This not only satisfied Julie's preferences but also saved me from extensive pre-loading marking, making the quilting process smoother.

I opted to enhance the black-and-white contrast of the quilt and use light thread on the black fabric and black thread on the light fabric—a risky move. High-contrast threads tend to expose every misstep. I knew that using dark thread on light fabric could result in a somewhat 'scribbly' appearance but I decided to give it a go and see if I could be smooth enough....

I was not, hahaha, so, I pivoted and opted for the light thread on both the dark and light fabrics.

The chosen motif struck a balance between feathery elegance and a modern, ruler-centric aesthetic. The quilt, in my opinion, falls under the contemporary category—a fusion of traditional elements with a modern twist. I think instead of amplifying the contrast of the piecework I brought the quilt together by using the light thread in both the light and dark areas. 

In the end, I saved valuable quilting hours by:
a. Opting for free-motion over ruler work (while still stitching everything in the ditch).
b. Choosing a design that required minimal to no marking, using the piecework as a guide.
c. Committing to a single colour of thread, streamlining the quilting process.

Julie and I were both pleased with the outcome of this collaboration. 🧵✨