FOQ 2007 "When Heide Met Sally"

This quilt resolutely refuses to photograph well. Heide Stoll Weber's fabric positively glows. It's hard to believe it's cotton and not silk. Do click on it to see the stitch.
I bought these fabrics at the FOQ last year. I pondered them for several months before deciding how to use them. I considered incorporating Ricky Tims handyes and calling the quilt when Heide met Ricky but the unhappy experiences with the colours running on Ricky's fabrics and not feeling able to cut into Heide's left me in a quandry.
So I knew it had to be a wholecloth, but how to make it mine? So the idea of continuous feathers evolved. I drew the spines using all sorts of round things like embroidery hoops in different sizes taking each curve gently into the next. Then all I had to do was to draw the feathers. I did this directly onto the fabric. Occsionally inelegant feathers appeared and I over worked them which made for confusion when it became time to stitch. And then sometimes whilst stitching, the needle overroad what I'd drawn and 'told' me where to go.......
I'm very pleased with this piece and plan more the same style.