Fall Machine Trapunto Quilt

Do you ever say "when it's done, it's done"?  I like the look of trapunto and doing it by machine is a neat process.  However, it is doing free motion twice.  By the time I got the outlining completed, I was so tired of it I didn't do any fill quilting in the light areas.  On went the binding, amen.

Since the bougenvilla is still blooming, I had to get a picture with it even though the colors don't compliment.

If you've not done machine trapunto, here is the short story.  This quilt is comprised of many panel parts and additional fabric.  What parts are panel in this quilt?  The four middle blocks, the half square triangle strips, and the border--including the four cornerstones. After piecing the quilt, the top only is sandwiched with 16 oz. high loft batting and quilted using wash away thread in the top and regular thread in the bobbin. Washaway thread is white, but you will never see it when the quilt is completed.  Got it?  Another thing, don't get it wet or it dissolves like right now.

Then with scissors, you cut away all the batting you don't want puffing up your design.  You have to get real close to the stitching without cutting the threads.

Finally sandwich the top with regular batting and the backing.  Now you free motion again on top of what you've already stitched.  I chose to use red, green and brown threads where appropriate.  At this point you can fill around the areas that are not puffed up--or not.  I was ready to bind.  

The final step is to launder to wash away the first threads.  It's like magic.  I know I'll regret not stippling the white area. But, then, it will only come out for fall.

Here's a small quilt from my blog in February.  It's small panel and perhaps you can see the "fill" stitching.