Quilting the Lone Star--Filler Stitches (Post 10)

Adding a quilted circle to the geese

At the end of my last post regarding the Lone Star project, I contemplated adding a circle to the center of the flying geese in the top and bottom borders. Using the same thread that I used previously, I quilted a circle. I liked the effect.

Prepping the area to add the strip

Next, I decided that the string border needed to come out to the edge of the quilt. I did have to "reclaim" some of the excess backing fabric to make this work. I did chalk the line and add a few tiny drops of glue in the area. Next, I added the strip with the the quarter inch seam allowance pressed.

The result before quilting

After I had finished tacking the strip in place, I liked the result. 

The extended strips in place

I quilted the extended strips and moved on to finishing quilting the straight lines.

Completed background quilting of the lines

Then, I began adding the filler stitches to the sections I had outlined in red. I quilted larger pebbles in the first section. I used the same thread color as I had the straight lines.

Pebbles in the first section

In the fourth section, I quilted a smaller swirl motif, also in the same thread color. I quilted that section because I was still considering options for sections two and three!

Smaller swirl design

Once I had finished the smaller swirls, I decided that a leaf design would be a good filler for the second section. I like stitching leaves. It was difficult for me to see where I had and hadn't quilted. When I finished that section, I decided I would change my thread color for the remaining two sections.

Leaves

When I left the spaces around some of the shapes, I had thought that I would add organic circles to those areas. I was curious as to how that would look. I quilted a few sections in one leg. Then, I took a moment to step back and "see" how the quilting looked and felt to me. I liked the addition of the red organic circles!

Viewing my work.

In the third area, I quilted a sort of paisley design. The slightly darker thread color works and I like how it fits in with the lighter thread color I had used.

Paisley filler stitch

In the sixth section, I stitched a large swirl design. I had envisioned combining several motifs; but that approach didn't feel right to me so I went with the swirls.

Fifth and sixth section/Pebbles and swirls

In the fifth section, I added pebbles to the center of the design. I used the previous blue thread to stitch these. I threaded the machine with red thread and began filling in all the lines with the organic circles. I'm closing in on the quilting finish although those organic pebbles in red take some time!!! I have three legs left to add those circles.

I thought that I'd finish this, add the binding, label and sleeve before Thanksgiving .I've spent time playing with the granddaughters and daughters which has been so fun. I will finish it next month for sure!!!

Linking to Cynthia at Oh Scrap/Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework.