Snail's Trail QOV

Snail's Trail QOV

63 x 76

Another UFO bites the dust! I started this quilt a few years ago. It's one of 3 Snail's Trail quilts I made to figure out the largest block that I could make from a fat quarter. I eventually created a baby quilt version that produced 2 smaller blocks from each fat quarter. The top has been languishing for a while just waiting for a border. I had planned a hideously complex border but apparently that wasn't going to happen.

When I decided to dedicate an hour a day to quilting I went through all of my tops a considered what to do with them. This one is so manly that I thought it would be good for a QOV quilt and now it's finally going to a good home and will no longer languish unloved in my sewing room.

Now this quilt is nothing to write home about (except for the fact that it's DONE and we all know how rare that is) but I do want to talk about the quilting a bit. This is for any of you who are new to longarm quilting or to using rulers in your quilting.

I wanted to do something quilk on this quilt like I did on the veteran's quilt but I also wanted to play off the dots in the fabrics of this quilt. So I did some contour quilting with circles. I will admit that after the first hour I looked at what I did and I almost ripped it out. Thank goodness for laziness. But the next day I was able to convince myself that it was OK and would look fine after the quilt was washed.

After it was done I realized that this would be a great technique for beginner quilters to practice ruler work. I quilted it in free motion lines and periodically added a circle like in this diagram.

Like this. I know, it's a hideous mess from a design perspective bit it looks OK done. I used 4 different sizes of circles (because that's what I had). THe best part about this for a newbie is that you don't have to fix your mistakes. Just keep going and try to do control your template better on the next one.

Anyway, for what it's worth, it's an idea.

Comments

[Stephanie]

LOVE the snail's trail. No clue if this comment will work.

[Cheryl K.]

I like this design on the Snail's Trails! The circles just go with the swirling patchwork.

[Gari]

What a great idea for the quilting. I could even see it being done freemotion.