Patriotic Snowball coming off the frame...w/Updates

Look what just came off my frame - isn't he a beauty?

QFC SewFest Quilt #4 - Patriotic Snowball

I knew when I first saw this quilt that the white 'snowballs' should probably be feathered out however, I did originally entertain the idea of embroidering each block w/patriotic themes.  After the first failed attempt due to all the center seams of each snowball, I quickly gave that idea up and went back to the tried and true, and I'm sooo glad I did, aren't you?

My feathers still aren't as perfect as I'd like for them to be, but they are much improved.  These are traditional 'bump back' feathers.  As you probably noticed, I also chose to add curved cross-hatching in each center wreath and I think it adds quite a bit to each snowball.

Snowball feathered out w/curved cross-hatching

I tried several curved rulers to achieve the perfect curved dross-hatching result I was going for, but it wasn't until I decided to use one of the Steady Edge rulers by Quilts on the Corner, that I finally got it...Thanks, Renae!

Feathering was also added to each navy border:

Bump-back feathers w/Rainbows Patriotic

Feathering in navy blue border w/Rainbows Patriotic

And continuous straight line quilting in the white borders 1/4" apart, along w/McTavishing in the patriotic borders:

 

White border also straight line quilted 1/4" apart w/Rainbows Patriotic

Each continuous line of quilting was achieved on the side borders after ALL the SID work was completed by rolling the quilt back and forth for each continuous line.  It took awhile to complete, but the final result is well worth it!

Patriotic border McTavish quilted w/Rainbows Patriotic

I always LOVE looking at the back of every quilt, especially the McTavish quilted ones:

Quilting back of Patriotic Snowball

Patriotic Snowball Stats:

• 32.75 Quilting hours
• 21 bobbins
• SID - clear mono-poly and Rainbows Patriotic
• White snowballs - white Maxi-lock in needle and bobbin 
• Red & navy blue interior snowball sashing - McTavish quilted w/clear mono-poly
• Navy/white/patriotic borders - Rainbows Patriotic

This stunning Patriotic Snowball is officially quilted/bound/labeled/gently laundered, packed and ready for shipping!

UPDATE:  shipped and on it's way to final destination along w/2 other Veteran Quilts to be showcased in upcoming blog posts.

Again, it's always such an honor with pure pleasure for me to quilt these glorious Veteran's quilts...

And now I'm off for some shut-eye,
~Deb