In my last post I showed you how I had started to free motion quilt an older quilt that I didn't have the skills to free motion quilt when it was completed in 2015. Having initially started with the middle appliqué panel, I couldn't leave it at just that and have now added more quilting to the other two appliqué panels and the border.
I didn't want to put pebbling in the other two appliqué panels as there is not really enough room for that motif, so I decided to go with straight lines backward and forward.
Even this proved difficult in some areas as it was very difficult to keep the stitching smooth and even where the gaps between the appliqué shapes and the sashing were small.
Initially I wasn't going to outline stitch around the appliqué shapes but as I added the quilting I started to notice little puffy pockets appearing at the edge of the shapes. As you can see in the photo above.
Also, I didn't like how it looked on the back where there were just ill-defined gaps between the straight-line quilting. So, after I had completed the first half of the first side panel, I went back and outlined the shapes.
So much more pleasing to the eye both front and back. The second half of the first panel and the remaining panel I outlined as I went along which made it much quicker.
Then I decided that I needed to add some FMQ texture to the border too, so I quilted an orange peel design in each of the squares.
I can't tell you how delighted I am with the outcome. It never fails to delight me how much texture and depth FMQ adds to a quilt. It makes all those hours of practice learning the technique worth it.
I don't think there will be any more sewing from me now before Christmas as my family has started to arrive and they will be keeping me busy!
So I leave you with this picture of my tree (which I decorated last night!) and wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS.
