I finished the embroidery on the bridal veil block medallion over the weekend and since it was only becoming a table topper, the top was ready for quilting in no time at all!
If you missed it before, Lily Clara is a character from a story told through letters by The Flower Letters... here is their description of the story.
When spirited dressmaker Lily Clara Moore answers a matrimonial ad, she heads west for an adventure that quickly turns out to be more than she bargained for.
The year is 1884, and a little town in the western United States has found itself the destination spot for cowboys, prospectors, and outlaws.
Welcome to Frisco, Utah, home to the newly discovered Horn Silver Mine, the most lucrative silver mine in the world. But there's a scandal afoot in Frisco, one that could bring down the entire Horn Silver Mine, and Lily Clara finds herself at the center of it. The only thing that can save her is her own tenacity and the letters she's been exchanging with a very handsome Pinkerton agent Matthew Hickman.
Set in the anything-goes, rip-roaring Old West, the Lily Clara series is big on adventure, intrigue, and of course, unforgettable romance. Throw in an outlaw chase, a vengeful vigilante, and a good old fashioned Spanish treasure hunt, and the Lily Clara Collection is a wild western like no other!
The rose print fabric has been hanging out in my stash since 1995! Back before I had become a serious quilter. It had originally been purchased to become window coverings for the master bathroom. I had just enough left to use in this table topper.
The deep rust fabric adds a nice contrast to the beige top... and the binding was a remnant piece from two other quilts with vintage like buttons all over.
The crosshatch quilting was done using a special stitch on my babylock machine to look similar to hand-quilting. I'm not sure it really does, but it does remind me of a vintage quilt with the medallion in the center surrounded by a tiny bit of stippling.
The border has free-motion leaves as my husband, Dave, suggested... "It needs something 'pretty' on the border to go with the pretty in the center". I confirmed his thoughts and shared my plans. Great minds think alike!
The finished topper is approximately 52" x 28" and will fit perfectly on my Mom's kitchen table.
Before quilting this table topper, I pulled out one of my go-to instructional quilting books... Harriet Hargrave's Heirloom Machine Quilting for the inspiration on this piece.
Where do you find inspiration for your quilting designs?
Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!
Keep Piecing,
Melva
Linking with:
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Free-Motion Mavericks at Quilting & Learning
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting
Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
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Hi Melva, what a lovely piece. The leaves in the border are the perfect touch :-) It's great to be inspired by a book or a story to create a quilt. I'm sure that your Mom will love it. Thanks so much for linking up to Free Motion Mavericks. Don't give up - it really is all about practicing!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty! What a lovely thing for your Mom to have.
ReplyDeleteI spend WAY too much time surfing the web for quilting designs. Google and pinterest and sometimes instagram. So many amazing ideas out there! (and so many talented people)
Hi Melva! What beautiful stitching. And the simple setting and quilt design really let the special center stitching shine. Really nice job. Happy Thursday! {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
ReplyDeleteGosh, your embroidered piece is beautiful. So delicate and happy.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful runner Melva! Is your Mom expecting it?
ReplyDeleteOh that is gorgeous!!!! I agree with the pretty in the border - brings it all together!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great finally finding the perfect use for a fabric you've had that long? Such a pretty project..
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