Originally Posted by doowopddbop

Thanks for your comments! Boy do I love this board for all the comment love!

I drew out the shape I needed, cut it out of a cereal box, then used a piece of cheap white chalk to outline the two body shapes where I needed them to land. Those were quilted separately, adding the headdress feathers, arms and legs where they needed to be. The rest is just freehand filler doodling to fit around the kokopellis. I chalk an X if I need a particular motif to land in a particular spot, then just put the music on and go for it.

I don't use pantographs - I am not very good at that, and for another $15,000 I could add a computer to my existing machine... probably not gonna happen. To me, it's art - doodling with my giant machine, taking clues from the fabric/design/piecing (and client's preference) to decide how to quilt it. Quilts talk to me... :)

Originally Posted by doowopddbop

I love my job. I get to doodle with my giant (longarm) sewing machine! Quilted some fun dancing Kokopellis in a client's southwest quilt last week and wanted to share it. I love the texture of quilting that brings a quilt to life, enhances the design, but doesn't overpower the piecework. But OK, I'll confess: I also love when the back of the quilt shows off the quilting!! ;-)

Originally Posted by nickylsf

Very nice! What type and thickness of batting did you use?

Originally Posted by doowopddbop

The client supplied Hobbs Polydown Plus batting, don't know the weight, but I would guess 6 oz. A little more plush than I usually use, but certainly helped define the quilting!