Say Hello to My Little Friend

Hello everyone.  How’s life?  I’ve been pretty busy quilting lots of quilts for customers so a couple weeks ago I stole a little me time. I’ve been thinking about doing a whole cloth quilt and finally decided to just do it.  A huge thank you to Melissa from SewBitter Sweet Designs for all the encouragement.  I’m not sure I would’ve had the idea without her.

As usual I had to do it my way.  Change things up a bit and try something new.  After digging deep into my brain I finally had an idea and this is what happened….

Say hello to my little friend, Owlene.

Owlene was stitched out on white fabric using white So Fine #50 thread from Superior threads.  She has two layers of batting, a layer of 100% cotton and a layer of 80/20 blend.  Her backing is a wonderful pinkish purple batik.  She is 100% freehand quilted using Roscoe {my Gammill}.  I did use a pen to mark a rough outline and then removed those marks once the quilting was finished.

 

 

The backing fabric is beautiful but it should have been pre-washed. Lesson learned.  Big fat valuable lesson learned.  Are you wondering how I learned that lesson?  If you’re guessing the fabric bled you would be right. I was using water to erase the water soluble blue pen markings and my bright white fabric turned pink. I almost died because she was finished at that point.

I frantically threw her in the washer with 5 Shout Color Catchers {I probably would’ve used more but I didn’t want to seem completely insane}. A miracle happened.  The color catchers worked, every single one was pink!  Whew!  She had no binding when I washed her but it was a chance I was willing to take.  I knew I didn’t want the pink dye to dry.  It made squaring her up a bit of a challenge but I managed to do it with the help of my super OCD perfectionist husband.

I love her.  My daughter loves her too.  When she saw Owlene she screamed “CLAIMED!”  If you’re a Walking Dead fan you get it.  If not, you should be.  I had to remind her she’s not Darryl Dixon and we are not the Walking Dead.  Crazy girl.

I feel an Owlbert coming on…

22 thoughts on “Say Hello to My Little Friend”

  1. Wow, that’s amazing work Vicki, no wonder your daughter tried to claim it! Brings a whole new meaning to whole cloth quilt!(Colour catchers are one of my favourite things!)

  2. Totally mind blowing! That is the best thing I’ve seen online for a few weeks, if not longer. It’s amazing what you can do if you try. Unfortunately, I’m not that far yet with my quilting. I’m working on it though. Some day I’ll grow up to be just like you(except I’ll make a fox maybe).

  3. You have created an amazing quilt! I was cringing while reading about the color bleed. WOW! Nice save! Congratulations on creating such a wonderful piece! Thanks for sharing it with everyone.

  4. Once again you did it! It is great! If she didn’t claim it I would have! Thanks for sharing! I hope that I can get there in a few months!

  5. I love this and when you said handquilted I thought you ment with your hands not a machine, then I would have thought INSANCE.. Gotta love those color catchers. Its very beautiful.

  6. Love love love love colour Catchers! They have NEVER failed me!
    AMAZING quilting!
    Boo to such short seasons for walking dead! Lol my husband an I LOVE it and now… we just have to wait!

  7. Marilynn Dondero-Rich

    Wow, not enough suppearlitive (sp) words can justify your amazing artistic talents. New to your site from seeing the pattern you shared of swirling Dresden (which I love). Thank you for sharing your talents

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