Machine Quilting A Special Motif

Why is it a good idea to carefully press the quilt top and pick off any excess threads?
Because those threads will come back to haunt you...especially on a white piece!

Tools of the trade: a pin and the teeniest crochet hook possible

Yes, it is better to deal with them before you have spray basted the quilt layers!
I thought it was nasty to fish them out back in the days of pin-basting...but I am here to tell you, there is no place to go once those layers are glued together!!!
Sometimes I just pretend they are not there, but on this quilt I had a place to do a special quilt motif...so of course, it had to be were there was a big dark thread. But now it is gone!
You gently wiggle the hook between some threads in the fabric, and then attempt to snag the intruder. Once it has been removed, rub the hole, 
and the threads should close up again. This is one reason for using 100% cotton fabrics, as silk or polyester will not close up again!

I wanted to put some Korean Wedding Ducks on this quilt, because they are on the wedding invitation.
A pair of decorative ducks are often given to a couple when they marry. The ducks are on display in the home, and when the couple is happily getting along, the ducks are facing each other. If things are not going well, the ducks are looking the other way! What a great visual clue. I think everyone should have ducks to tip off their guests, in-laws and maybe even their spouse!

The invitation and the quilt motif

I found a nice duck image and then copied it and reversed one so I'd have the pair facing. They have patchwork wings, too! So I drew it all onto TearAway stabilizer and pinned it on the quilt in the spot I had planned.

Happy ducks!

Next I free-motion stitched around the shapes, and then pulled off the stabilizer.

Duck on the left still has stabilizer

After that I echo quilted in some more water ripples and added the cloud-like motif from the other sections as sky.

It worked!

I am rather pleased with this little touch. The fact that the Sharpie I used for tracing seems to have transferred a bit onto the fabric actually helps. We'll see what happens after I wash the quilt!

Join me tomorrow for Quilting Fudge Factors, or This Has Happened So Often I Just Go On Ahead Because I Know What To Do!