I tend to save the last ‘Closer Look’ for the quilt that I created for the challenge.

'Quilter's Garden'
by Kim Lapacek, Poynette, WI

Another fun Project QUILTING Challenge this week. I didn't have a lot of time so I had to make a small piece.

The four 'tools' I used for my inspiration were...

1. Rotary Cutter (flowers)
2. Needle (stems of the flowers)
3. Scissors (leaves)
4. Stick Pins (rays coming from flowers).

Using the shapes of these tools I created a sweet little 'Quilter's Garden' Wall Quilt. I used tumbler blocks for the background which reminds me of thread spools (I couldn’t decide if spools of thread would actually qualify as tools so that’s how the stick pins evolved).   I raw edge appliquéd the black borders to the quilt. 

I have to admit – I felt like I was sort of ‘coping out’ on this challenge since I’ve done the flower garden thing before… but I did know that I was taking it to a different and new level so I went with it. 

I kept the quilting simple - Straight line quilting in the bottom third (imitating grass and again, the stick pins), swirly quilting in the rotary cutter flowers, straight rays out of the flowers, and blanket stitching around the needle stems and scissor leaves.

The turning point for me in this quilt was the stick pin rays coming out of the flowers.  That was the ‘thing’ that made the difference in this piece – the impact.  I love how it turned out. 

Approximate Size: 21" x 18.5"

Missed earlier Closer Looks for the Tool Time Challenge?  No Worries!

• Tool Time - A Closer Look, Part 1
• Tool Time – A Closer Look, Part 2
• Tool Time – A Closer Look, Part 3
• Tool Time – A Closer Look, Part 4

PS – My ‘Owl Be Your’s Quilt’ That I created during Season 2 of Project QUILTING is in this weekend’s Quilt Gallery Contest – Please take a minute and vote for it:  http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/02/17/be-my-valentine-quilts-and-more/  Thanks for your support in advance!