Check out that snow on the mountain. See those gray areas? That's what makes snow on a mountain so darn cool. If you had just a sea of white, it just wouldn't have the same effect. So if you are a person similar to me that struggles with machine quilting because you never know what to do, sometimes just following mother nature is the best route to take.
Take your snow top of the mountain and start playing. An easy and fun way to play with designs is to purchase double polished clear vinyl. You know the vinyl covering that is used to cover outdoor furniture or used to make a clear plastic pouch. Then pick up a a dry erase marker and a rag that you don't care to get all dirty. Now you can lay your vinyl on top of your quilt and draw out designs that you thought might look good. You can see perfectly how it is going to look and if you don't like it, just wipe it off with your rag. I auditioned my design prior to stitching it. Unfortunately, I was not born with the gene that allows me to quilt 'off the cuff.'
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| Snow Cap for Oregon's Souvenir - JoJo Hall |
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| Quilted snow cap for Oregon's Souvenir - JoJo Hall |
How do you prepare for quilting your tops?
Sometimes, I make a design on paper and then audition it with a transparency to see if I like it. Sometimes, I mark. Sometimes, I chalk lines at specific intervals so I can keep my "off the cuff" quilting more even. Sometimes, I just start! On another note, I've decided to take my "file" to a box store and print it so I don't have to tape pages together. Sigh. . .it will be a while before I start this project!--Terry
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