Swoon - Long arm quilted!

Back from holidays. Feels like I've been away for a month! I thought I'd finally post an update on the finished Swoon quilt I hand delivered to my cousin for her wedding!

Just before I left for the States, we had our September meeting of the Irish Patchwork Society and I got to share the quilted Swoon with our branch. As it was for a special occasion, I asked Paula Rafferty to quilt it for me on her longarm. I am a bit of a control freak when it comes to making a quilt and like to see the whole thing through to the end, even the binding, though every now and again, I wish I had a team of little yellow minions who would do the basting for me!

This is only the second time I have not quilted myself.  Paula also quilted my Storybook quilt last year for me as it was my first time getting a pattern accepted for publication by Make Modern Magazine.  If you are looking for a long arm quilter in the Limerick region for that extra special touch, Paula is brilliant and I love the finished quilt that resulted!

It was fun flipping through all over patterns trying to pick something that would work well with the Swoon blocks and we settled on the musical Treble Clef with some notes. I thought the swirls would compliment the blocks and as the Groom is from Brazil and I always think of Samba music and sunshine when I think of Brazil, it seemed to fit quite well. I am delighted with how it turned out!

I had fun practicing it on paper too as I think this would be a great motif to free motion quilt sometime using the musical notes to travel around the quilt a bit.  I'm saving that one for a future project!

As an all over pattern too I think it gives really nice texture.

For the back I used some Zen chic fabric I had on hand from the Limerick Quilt Store's sale last January.  I really love this fabric and had to piece a navy strip on the bottom to make the back big enough to fit on the longarm.

Sorry I have no photos of the whole quilt on location.  It was raining in Chicago so instead of taking quilty photos we spent our time waiting for the sun to come out by visiting museums and climbing skyscrapers!

Not a bad way to spend a holiday!  Thanks M & A for the excuse to come and visit!