Bloggers' Spring 2012 Quilt Festival

I'm sharing my Chubby Chicks quilt for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival - Spring 2012 event.

I purchased this adorable pattern long ago, but decided to dust it off and use it as a tool to learn my new BERNINA CutWork Tool and Software. With a little help from my friends, I learned to scan and digitize the cutting as well as stitching, and used the CutWork tool to cut out all the bodies and beaks. I then let the machine do the work of stitching down the body and beak, as well as embroider the eye, legs and wing.

I feel SO much more comfortable with CutWork now, and am always on the lookout for patterns, shapes, lettering and other fun images to digitize and cut out.

I was thrilled to have this quilt featured on the cover of Through the Needle ONLINE magazine, Issue 8. This issue also includes the 4-page article containing step by step instructions on how to digitize the applique chicks yourself! Download this issue FREE at http://www.throughtheneedle.com.

The completed project. It makes me happy to look at!

Digitizing the chick in the BERNINA CutWork software.

Setting up the cutting - maximize the number of shapes for a given hoop size. I was able to cut 10 layers of fabric backed by OESD Applique Fuse & Fix, sandwiched between a bottom and top layer of Hydrostick stabilizer (note the Hydrostick was not water activated - it was used "dry" as it is very stiff and provides a good cutting surface).

Here are the chick bodies being cut out.

Body parts. :-)

Now it's time to create the chick blocks. The embroidery machine stitched the legs first, then placement line for the chick body.

Finished chick block. SO cute!

Make 60 of these (in a fraction of the time it takes to do traditional applique), piece the quilt according to the pattern, and "quilt as desired." Don't you love that phrase?

Many people do not quilt through applique - I do it all the time and like the texture. The fabrics in this quilt are from various American Jane collections by Moda.

This was a terrific way to learn a new process, software and tool. I look forward to bringing out Chubby Chicks each spring to brighten my home.