Saturday, March 4, 2017

Dapper and Cool

 I spent a long time deciding what fabric would work best for the background. (see previous post for the process up to this point) Since the Applique is all in batiks, I kept trying to find a batik that worked ... none worked from my stash, so off I went to the LQS. I tried many batiks and they all were just not right for the look I was going for.

batik was too ... 60s

So, we pulled some other fabrics and came across this one that looks like a menswear jacket. 
PERFECT!

So, to the cutting mat I went. I wanted to add some borders and chose this batik (that had been in the running for a background). I decided to break the frame with my first border and build from there. 
 
 sewing borders
 breaking the frame (border) adds depth

Once I got the borders sewn on, it was time to find a backing fabric.I had a remnant that was perfect :) I pressed the fabric with starch alternative. When using my domestic machine, I like a starched back as it glides over the machine bed much easier.
iron the backing

Then it is time to mark the quilt for quilting. I chose to do diamonds in the outer border and the very inside background. They remind me of argyle, a traditional print (we have a lot of jokes in my family about argyle socks being "old man socks").
 marking the quilt

The first step in the quilting process was stitching in the ditch. I am LOVING my walking foot with the stitch in the ditch plate! Then I could move on to the quilting of the background and borders.
stitch in the ditch to stabilize

I chose to fill the center border with a coffee bean free style quilting motif. This is a quilt inspired by my husband, after all, and he is a coffee drinker.
coffee bean filler
All of the applique pieces have a straight stitch all around. Nothing exciting.

I faced the quilt to finish it quickly for the challenge
 completed quilt

Dapper and Cool
in Michigan

For more entries in the challenge check out Persimon Dreams: Project Quilting Well-Dressed Man Challenge
 
EDIT to add - I won the Project Quilting Well-Dressed Man Challenge! Thanks for voting for my quilt :)

Now to a true confession. I basted the facing so that I can take it apart as I have more I want to do with this quilt. I want to quilt it a bit heavier in places ... and give it a dynamic binding treatment. I'm hoping to enter this one in shows ...

7 comments:

Tomomi McElwee said...

I just love this one. Great applique work :)

Unknown said...

:-)

Janie Bettis said...

This is awesome!

PersimonDreams said...

There are no words! This is amazing!!!!

Vicki @ DottyJane said...

I love this quilt! I agree that you should enter it in shows.

Unknown said...

Love your Dapper and Cool, I've never heard of the stitch in the ditch do it could you elaborate on it ?

Shout4Joy said...

Stitching in the ditch is just stitching in the seam between to pieces of fabric :) The quilting line is then lost in the ditch of the seam.