Before and After Quilting

This series of twelve collages

shares the almost magical transformation 

that can take place when a free pieced quilt top is quilted.

Seam lines that were terribly obvious before 

soften into the quilted textures. 

Quilting adds dimension and interest to formerly flat surfaces. 

Window panes appear where there were none before.

Scrappy skies suddenly make more sense.

Window and door frames are more clearly defined.

Notice the branches that appear in the tree.

Quilted textures further define upper and lower stories of the barns.

Notice the textural changes in 

the appliquéd balloons and the barn's siding.

Notice the swags tucked along the barn's upper/lower story seam line.

Consistent free motion swirls in the skies

helps unify the entire quilt top.

A single design featuring curved arcs

unifies the scrappy barnyards across each row

and throughout the entire quilt.

For more photos of "before" and "after" quilting,

please visit the Gallery Pages for the Charter Members

of the Secret Society of Barn Builders.

* * *

Quilting shown here was stitched by Chris Ballard.

CLICK HERE for her SSOBB Gallery Page.