September quilting challenge

When I was demonstrating at the quilt show I had several pieces ready to work on...

One of them was my September challenge for QuiltShopGal's freemotion quilting challenge that I am working on each month....

This month featured Kaleidoscope Kreations software but an alternative design to trace was provided for use in Option 1, which is what I chose to use.

As in other challenges I have used a 'recycled' piece... this is a plain white napkin this time.. with a small detail at one corner....

I had already traced out the feathers and first up was placing the traced napkin on top of wadding and stitching carefully around the edge using a water soluble thread...

After that I trimmed the wadding back to behind the napkin hem and then that was then placed on a background fabric which had more wadding and backing on it - this was to give a bit of extra puff to the piece... 

I first sewed it carefull around the hem to stabilise the napkin onto the background fabric

... then the real fun started on the quilting of the feathers...... which I did using a pale blue embroidery thread 

I don't feel I am very good at keeping on the lines but when you iron/wash out what you have traced with it looks fine.... mistakes get hidden

... added more feathers on the outside of the feathered star....

.. and then stippled quite tightly on the background to make the feathered parts stand out more...

I have included a safety pin so you can get an idea of size.. they were pretty small feathers

I then did larger feathers in a circle around the square napkin...

... I always like the effect on the back... sometimes more than the front!

the challenge is for a finished cushion, which I am just not going to get done this month due to moving house, however I thought it was worth linking up anyway to show I have made use of this great tutorial and idea (saving up for the software as there are so many fun ideas!!)

Thanks Darlene for another great challenge, and thanks to Terri Lucas who was this months guest tutor.... I will be looking out for October's challenge.

Anybody else wanting to learn and practice your FMQ .. this is a great way of doing it ... you can join in anytime and of course read back to the challenges earlier in the year.... they are great reference material...

Righto, Gotto Go.... I am packing away my lovely sewing room things today... so only hand sewing from now on to keep me sane....