The first first

It was our first first anniversary yesterday.  One year since the Surpreme Court made it legal for us to marry.  We've been together since 2000, and we adopted an anniversary that we still celebrate as well.  But, this was a real anniversary and it felt good.  It's the wood anniversary.  And, I found a card made of wood.  There really is a card for everything.  

We spent the weekend the way we do.  I quilted on our wedding quilt.  And, Rob showed me gay themed movies.  We spent some time in the yard early.  We took care of a few chores and ate good simple food that I didn't cook.  And, we had a nice visit with a good friend.  It was a good anniversary.  And, we have another one next week!

One of the things I needed to do on Saturday was figure out the direction for the DWR quilting.  I'd been studying pictures in books and on the internet since last week and had narrowed it down to a few pics that I showed Rob.  I'm not going to show pics of other people's quilts or books, but I saw lots of lovely ones.  And, I started sketching out plans on paper.  I traced my outline using the plastic template I used to cut the original green diamonds, then started to fill.  When I sketch, I make short strokes, and lots of them.  Eventually, the shape that pleases me will develop; just the right curve, or placement, whatever it takes to make a design right.  Then, I draw over that shape with ink and erase the pencil marks.  These next three didn't make it to the inking stage.   

 

 

 

But, this one really stood out for me.  I developed it from a picture I saw in a book.  It was in a square block, so I had to elongate the corners.  But, I'd seen something similar in a picture of a quilt on the internet, so I knew it could be done. 

Simple.  Sketching it showed me it was quick.  It has an easy pattern that can be sewn without breaking the thread and with little traveling over previous quilting lines.  So, I started making copies.  I took my sketch and stacked it on top of several pieces of Golden Threads paper.  I sewed through the lines, needle punching through all the layers.  I pinned one piece of the gold paper to my quilt.  It's light tissue, like the paper that commercial patterns is printed on, so you can see through it to line it up.  I used the perforations as my lines and I quilted the shape through all the layers.  Then, I picked out the paper.  Ugh!  But so worth it. 

I've done ten.

Of 42. 

I'm gonna be at this a while.  And, then I have those smaller melon shapes to fill. 

Everybody have a great Monday! 

Lane