"The Juggler": the Process, Part II

"The Juggler" quilt top before quilting.

This is Part II of the back story for my 2015 Guild Challenge entry, "The Juggler." Part I can be found at this post.

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After settling on the layout of the blocks and triangles, the paper pieced "juggling balls" were reverse appliquéd to the background.

Layering, pin basting and quilting began at this point…

Quilting, rulerwork: Radiating lines were chalked onto the quilt top. I decided to get more experience with free-motion ruler work and this was a good opportunity. Once these lines were quilted (100 wt. InvisaFil soft poly), the spikes were outlined in the ditch (100 wt. InvisaFil) and the background fills commenced...

Rulerwork radiating lines surrounded by
free-motion pebble pattern.

In addition to a charcoal grey cotton thread (50 wt. 2 ply Aurifil), the colors of the quilting threads (40 wt. polyester, Isacord) echoed the colors of the fabrics of the appliquéd balls: turquoise, lime green, burnt orange, cream and a red violet. It was fun to quilt with the colored poly thread as it was much easier to see on the background. (Grey on black… what was I thinking???)

Radiating lines (ruler work) with a pebble filler.

More pebbles surround the outlined paper pieced spikes.

Here is a detail of how pieces from the panel (mummies and pumpkins) were collaged to form one of the juggler's balls. 75% of the panel had to be used on the quilt top.

Collaged circle with pebble filler.

Two more paper pieced star-balls using fussy cut areas from the panel.

Scavenging bits of similar colors from the fabric panel
for the paper pieced stars.

Another paper-pieced star. You can see bits of the Halloween images from the panel.

Free-motion quilting around the strip of triangles.

Hand appliqué and decorative hand stitching: Upon completion of the machine quilting, the binding was also attached by machine. The felted wool circles were then positioned, basted and hand appliquéd with my new favorite thread for hand stitching—a No. 8 perle cotton Eleganza by WonderFil Threads—using a buttonhole stitch. I enjoyed matching up solid and variegated threads to coordinate with the multi-colored wool circles.

Hand appliquéd wool circles were attached after machine quilting.

Perle cotton threads and embroidery floss for hand stitching.

Quilt Stats:

26.5 hours machine quilting; 7.5 bobbins

3 hours hand stitching and appliqué 14 wool circles.

Top threads: 40 wt. Isacord poly, 100 wt. InvisaFil soft poly (ruler work, outlines and background fillers), 50 wt. 2 ply cotton Aurifil (background fillers), No. 8 2-ply perle cotton and embroidery floss (hand stitching)

Bobbin: Bottom Line 60 wt. polyester.

Finished quilt size: 39.5" x 48.5"

"The Juggler" by Veronica Hofman-Ortega
39.5" x 48.5"

"The Juggler" was voted First Place, Viewers' Choice, at the 2015 Choo Choo Challenge.