Pebbles. . .COMPLETE!!!!

Pebbled background. . .COMPLETE!

Approximately 60 hours later, I did it! I've quilted the background of this chicken wallhanging with pebbles. Yes, it felt like a forever project! I'm glad I listened to the quilt telling me that it wanted all those pebbles because those pebbles do put the emphasis on the chickens!

Fifth chicken quilted

I also have completed quilting all the chicken bodies! In the chicken above, I used a metallic thread in the darker part of the print on her leg and thigh. I like how I was able to mimic the line from her neck to her tail.

Sixth and final chicken quilted

I used a light blue thread on the above chickens wing and generally used the print of the fabric to guide my quilting. I especially liked how the quilting on the brown fabric worked. Time to quilt all these chicken bodies and the center rooster--Approximately 18!

I was asked in the last chicken post if I had any tips of working with metallic thread. I'm going to share what works for me here:
--The brand seems to matter. Superior metallic, Floriani metallic and Sulky Gold metallic on a stacked spool cause me fewer challenges than Fil-Tec Glisten metallic, Sulky sliver or other Sulky metallic threads. (I'll explain about a stacked spool in a couple lines!) The more rough or wiry the thread feels to the touch, the more temperamental it is for me.
--I use a 90 top stitch needle. If the thread wants to shred, I will try an 80 or 90 metallic needle. I also start with a new needle.
--I pay attention to how the thread is feeding. If it is a cross wound spool, I use the horizontal thread holder; if it is a stacked spool, I use the vertical thread holder. Click the link to learn more about cross wound and stacked threads. The less the thread twists, the happier you will be! I've even used a thread stand which allows the metallic thread to relax.
--I stitch slowly and watch to see if the thread is trying to shred. If it is, I stitch shorter passes.
--I may lower the top tension and I stitch a bit on my practice sample to ensure I am going to have success.
If you use metallic threads, what tip would you share?

French knots to give texture to the grapes

What is left with this project? Plenty!  

--stitching veins in a few leaves

--stitching the brown vine where the leaves attach

--the flowers need quilting

--a few buds and irregular leaves need quilting

--grapes need texture

--the border needs quilting

I tried my hand at stitching French knots on the grapes. I like the texture the hand stitching provides. I like using a perle cotton thread that was gifted to me years ago. I just about have figured out how to hide my knot and to travel so my stitching shows little on the back of the project.

Then it will be on to applying the facing and the sleeve.

More to come; but, progress feels TERRIFIC!!!