Handi Quilter Educator Challenge Quilt -- First Things First

I just finished quilting the panel that Handi Quilter sent to their educators as a challenge.

Since I was going to quilt it on my Handi Quilter Stationary Longarm, affectionally named Daniel Craig, I basted the layers using 505 spray, Quilter's Dream cotton batting, and Quilter's Dream wool batting.

I threaded my machine with white DecoBob 80-weight polyester thread in the needle and the bobbin and stitched it all in the ditch.  The Handi Quilter Mini Scallop Ruler is my favorite tool for stitch in the ditch.  Any time I use a ruler on a stationary longarm or home machine, I make sure to have a lot of Handi Grip on the ruler!

I used one of my Top Ten Favorite Threads, beige 50-weight cotton Konfetti in the needle and soft tan 80-weight polyester DecoBob in the bobbin to stitch ribbon candy in the strips of colors.  That one color matched all of the printed colors well.  My Handi Quilter Sweet Spots were on the job helping me to grip my quilt while quilting.

I chose to stitch asterisks/stars in the diamonds because continuous curve was the obvious choice and this was a challenge quilt.

I rethreaded my machine with the white DecoBob to stitch feathers.  Due to time constraints, I didn't measure out the spines but just "winged it."  I'm happy with my feathers, but if I were to stitch this again, I'd have more precise spines.  I'm very proud of my online class teaching Free-Motion Feathers and suggest that you enroll to learn how to make many types of feathers, including these Flexible Feathers.

The finished quilt is on its way to Handi Quilter Academy where it will be displayed with all of the other challenge quilts.  I wish I were there to see it, but I have no regrets for taking no work in June so I'd be available for my daughter and her new sweet baby.