Rays From the Heart

Since the piecing is complicated and the background is busy I decided to keep the quilting REALLY simple and not a focal point, but it turns out, as it often does, that the quilting is the step that brings everything all together. 

Knowing I wanted to keep it simple, I decided to go with rays from the center out, but I chose to not quilt the blue area.  I really want the focal point of the quilt to be the lovers.

I based all the rays as though they were shooting out from the lovers hearts like sunbeams.  These lovers are experiencing the highest form of love and sending it out to the universe.  Sunbeams seemed like the perfect way to show the energy they emit. 

In order to get straight lines I cut pieces of freezer paper 1/2" wide and ironed them to the front of the quilt.  (At first I tried to eyeball it, but I was using invisible thread on top and I was having a hard time spacing my lines - because I couldn't see them!  Go figure)

I started in the corners first, then to the center trying to keep them somewhat even, but not exact.  I wanted it to be free form, but straight lines.  

Each time I added a strip I always added to the center of each section.  Once I got a decent sized section ironed down, I then quilted along the lines.

The cool things about the freezer paper is that it comes right up and can be used over and over again until you are all done!  (I've also used it for quilting circles as well as spirals - very handy and very cheap and doesn't require marking on the quilt.)

Here's a section of it finished.  I love that you have to look hard to find the stitches, but the texture they added to an already super busy piece fit perfectly.  

And lastly, the picture quality isn't so great.  It was late and I was tired, but I persevered to get it done!

The last three steps are sleeves for hanging, binding and the label then we call this one finished.

It's a little bittersweet as always, but those thoughts are for another post.

See you tomorrow!