Forest Quilt {Finished}

You might be sick of seeing this one, considering it's had quite a few blog post over the last week - but this is the last one. It's done! 

My Forest Quilt (sorry, that's the best I can do for the name!) finished up at about 36" x 50" - I ended up trimming a lot off to square it up once it was quilted. I think part of that was the fact that the edges warped a bit during the quilting because of all the long bias edges (it doesn't sit particularly flat - it might be my first quilt I block I think?) - and also I'm not sure how square it was to start with ;o) 

The idea for the layout for this quilt was to make it look like three pages of a sketchbook sitting on a table. 

 This was SO much fun to quilt - I had a lot of fun using different FMQ motifs in the different blocks. Pebbles in the background of the Aspen Grove.

Feathers around the feathers.

 Swirls (air currents?) around the Woodpecker - and tiny woodgrain in the woodpecker's tree (a bit hard to see here - I used a 40wt Aurifil that matched the woodgrain print almost exactly.) This is my favorite block in the quilt I think.

The brown background was a no-brainer quilting wise - I did a woodgrain motif, using a variegated Signature pinkish/brownish thread. I'm pretty sure no wood ever has had that many knots in it - but I got a bit sick of doing wavy lines, and it adds a bit more interest to the background. The woodgrain is very organic (in other words not evenly spaced. At all.) - which was a conscious decision, believe it or not. I did try to keep my curves smooth, but varied the spacing quite a bit in an attempt to mimic actual woodgrain. I actually found this really hard - I've spent so long trying to keep spacing etc consistent, it was against all my instincts to quilt it like this. But, I'm really happy with how it turned out :o)

 Linking up with the Forest QAL linky part at Shapemoth.

Also linking up with Kristy's Paper Piecing Party, and Free Motion Quilting Friday.

I'm off to finish off my July bee blocks - and then make a few bits and pieces for the impending third birthday next week!

xx Jess