BLUEBERRY FEATHERS QUILT

This quilt is called Blueberry Feathers.  The pattern was designed by Kristy Lea of Quiet Play Designs in Australia. 

I followed Kristy online on Instagram as she designed this paper pieced feather step by step.  Quite some time later she came out with the pattern which I purchased and then made a quilt for myself.  It hangs on my wall in my sewing room.  

Once I made it for myself I decided I would make it again for my nephew and his wife.  My nephew is a musician who has traveled the world with his band.  He is married to an award winning chocolatier who opened up her own bakery. He also works in the field of library sciences bringing all sorts of media to life.  Because he and his wife are both so talented and creative I didn't want to make them a traditional quilt.  I wanted something with more of an artisan vibe to it. That's why I chose this quilt.  This quilt is made using the art of paper piecing.  It's an art you have to master but once you do it becomes easy to sew all the little pieces together. I also chose fabrics that aren't your normal everyday fabrics.  I purchased fabrics designed by textile artisan, Karen Lewis, from  Leeds, England. She designs and dyes her own fabrics and screen prints them by hand. Her fabrics are very modern and beautiful.

There are 28 paper pieced feathers in this quilt.  Each feather is made up of 28 small pieces of fabric which are sewn together in a very unique way onto the back of a paper pattern.  

When you are done the paper is ripped away and you're left with a beautiful little feather.  Here are some photos of each step that goes into making just one feather ...

Once on the longarm I did one inch straight stitching for the quilting using Glide thread in white in the top and bottom threads.  With paper piecing there is a lot of bulk in the seams so straight stitching works well.  

I used Quilter's Dream White Polyester Batting because of the white background fabric.  Using a regular batting would make the quilt appear dingy.  I didn't want to waste any leftover fabric so I used the scraps in the backing of the quilt. 

And here is my "Master Quilt Holder" holding up my quilt to photograph.  

Remember to pick up a needle and thread and stitch some love into your world❣️