Quilt Design: Poured Out 2

 
 Refining the lines on my newest quilt project and hubby says it looks like some sort of weather map.

 Most of the design process was drawn freehand but then I need to get the lines nice and even, the curves need to be smooth. Sometimes I don't have the right curve on hand and a compass is too small. I've tried to use one of those bendable rulers but wasn't satisfied with it. I'd like to order a set of Renae's Amazing Rays, which is like a giant compass for creating circles when designing quilts, maybe I should ask for it for Christmas. So I start raiding the kitchen for just the right bowl, plate, or glass.


That looks like just the thing for some beautiful medallion quilts! I like designing my quilts, but actually putting them together is a challenge. I really am all about the free motion quilting.

Then piece numbers need to be assigned and registration marks put in. And before I completely lose my mind trying to get each and every line just right, I remind myself over and over again that there's no point in drawing the lines straighter than I can cut them. After drawing, erasing, and redrawing seemingly a million times, I have to cut it all apart. That's a scary step!

Amazingly, I had no cutting foul-ups! I cut this pattern (2 layers of freezer paper) out using an Exacto knife as all the curves would have driven me batty to cut with scissors. Plus it is hard to get a real smooth cut line with scissors. I could have used a rotary blade, but I feel like I have more control with the knife.

 Now it is time to pull fabrics and figure out which piece needs to be in which fabric. I have a general idea of what color when I come up with the design, but a final selection waits until this point in the process. I can see in this photo above that one fabric reads lighter than I thought when I took the picture. This is the water portion of a new version of my Poured Out quilt.

I was able to cut out and align several pieces last night (Instead of baking rolls for out Thanksgiving dinner. Oops! Sometimes I get started on a project and I just don't want to stop.) I am putting this together with my own variation of machine applique also known by some as appli-piecing. I could never piece these curves!

I think it's starting to take shape! Now to get busy with our Thanksgiving meal....Bet I'll be working on this every spare minute I get for a while.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, we have so much to be thankful for!