Good Morning, Quilters!
Today we have a turtle quilt in progress and I need some advice!
The turtle was pieced and gifted to me by my friend, Kelly Ashton of KellyQuilter.com
Kelly Ashton-Quilter Extraordinaire
Kelly is a fabulous instructor! Her in-person classes are THE BEST!
Until guilds re-open…she offers several Bluprint classes. I highly recommend her latest class, The Machine Quilter’s Toolbox
(Use my affiliate link to get 50%off and all the best prices: Unlock EVERY class! Get 50% off Classes)
Kelly covers all the essentials in this class: Batting, Basting, Marking, Threads, Machine Tips and Quilting Accessories. I particularly like her explanation of batting types.
The Turtle Quilt
Kelly and I collaborated on several quilts a few years ago. She pieced. I quilted. I told her one of the quilts reminded me of a turtle…
So she changed the colorway and made this turtle for me!
Decisions, Decisions!
Like most quilters, I struggle with choosing the right motif for my quilts.
I think the best thing is to just start-and with each project decide what worked and what didn’t work.
I really like the shell and the arms and the legs. (I used a stencil to mark the circles in the light green.)
However, I’m not sure I like the blue background quilting. And I wish I’d added a quilted tail.
Help!?
I haven’t decided how to quilt the “face”. Eyes can be tricky so I’m not sure I will add them. Perhaps just texture for the head?!
And should I tear out some of the quilting–something I almost NEVER do—-to add a quilted tail?
What do YOU think?
Turtle Lovers
If you love turtles–and who doesn’t? You might also like Tommy the Turtle
And one of my kid’s favorite books: Franklin
What about YOU?
Do YOU ever struggle with which motif to choose?
Do YOU ever tear out machine quilting?
Are turtles your symbol right now (slow and steady)?
We’d LOVE to hear!
Slowing down in Minnesota Quarantine,
Yours,
Lori
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy Quilts and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to LKQ. For all other purposes, please contact me at Lori@LoriKennedyQuilts.com. Thanks!
45 comments
Marta
Suggestion…. doodle a tail or several on paper… cut them out and place on the quilt. Take photos of various
tail positions…Remove and look at him/her without tail. That shape of blue fabric seems to appear empty compared with rest of the composition. I think our viewing eyes want that block to be included in the overall composition.
Ask yourself, does the composition as a whole have panache? HA ! I just got re-familiar with that word in a movie on TV late night.
Marta
Love the blue tropical water…….
Mary Conner
Oh my! Kelly has given you such a beautiful pallette upon which you can exhibit your delightful and exquisite skills…I think I hear Ms.Turtle singing, “Don’t worry. Be happy!”
Brenda Johnson
Sorry, but first thing I thought was, “This needs a tail!” Cute!
GrrannyH
I’d make a little pointed tail coming down from each side of the back to form a point that sits on the seam, quilted densely right on top of the previous quilting, in either black or dark green thread, and I’d add eyes, quilted in the same color, and maybe a nose. You could also always just paint the tail and the eyes in, either before or after quilting. OR, I’d just forget all the extra elements and leave him more abstract…but I’d go for all or nothing! As for a quilting motif, I like your fingernail-shaped scales that you used at the back and between the legs on the shell. Very nice!
Sharon Rexroad
For the eyes, I’d do semi-circles that cut off at the seam between the head & the water. Make them about the same size as one of the circles on the center back so as to replicate that motif but only as half of the circle. I might do those semi-circles in the same blue that you’ve used on the water, just to give it a bit of dimension within the turtle itself. Also, google “turtle eyes drawing from above” for some ideas.
For a tail, I’d see if I could insert a little of the darker green fabric (like the legs) at the apex of both the pentagons that meet at the turtles butt. I’d have the base of the small strip be parallel to the opposing base of the pentagon. If you need me to do an illustration of what I’m thinking, let me know!
PS I just adore Kelly!
Marta
Good ideas because they match what I would like…LOL..
Janette
I struggle all the time on what motifs to quilt on my quilts. Sometimes l have a quilt all ready and l stare at it for days , before l finally decide.
Love turtles, and your turtle quilt. Guess l would want to know how this turtle quilt will be used. Wall hanging , table toper, cuddle quilt. That would help me decide how to finish. What you have done, so far is beautiful.
Suzanne
This is a very darling quilt!
I agree with June Neigum, the suggestion of an eye at the sides of the head would be perfect and I’d use a half-moon-like shape (flat on the side next to the head) done with a satin stitch. I’d make a tail with a satin stitch too, in a shape similar to a comma, except that the head of the comma would be triangular, not round. I’d draw the eyes and tail first and stitch them by hand so they wouldn’t show on the back and look like an afterthought. And I’d quilt circles on the head to mimic those on the shell, only smaller. Just my 2-cents.
Lynne F Williams
If you had a quilt with many or several of these turtles, I would put the back part of a C looking out to the side. The lady turtles could have 3 or 4 eyelashes, kind of flirty. Maybe just the semi circle for the guys. The tail wouldn’t be missed if no one ever saw one but I would be inclined to put a little different tail on each one. It will look great as it already does.
Marta
Agree Agree!
Maureen Dobranski
I love your creativity and designs. thanks for sharing but you unsubscribe is not working so please remove me from your email/blog stuff. I find daily a bit too much.
Laura Jacobs
Don’t unsew. I like the idea of an Applique tail if you must have one. Looks fine w/o. For eyes I would add some fun buttons.
VickiW
Yes to the tail and the eyes. You won’t be happy until you add some features. Eyes may only be eye lid tops as from this angle you can’ really see the eyes. I have a virtual class with Kelly A. on Saturday!!! Enjoy your turtle.
Barbara
Why do you have to make “her” perfect? I agree there could be a semblance of eyes but growing up in the country with a creekside with turtles I do not recall tails. (An aside), While living in Bermuda Turtle Steak sandwiches, salads, & soups were common. Arriving in Provence, our shaded market places & eateries featured the same, only lots of EVOO & Mediterranean seasonings. Different areas of the world but I digress: our creekside turtles had no tails & neither do those on the Reptilian part of the Smithsonian Zoo series. Whatever you decide Lori, your creation will be ready for The Louvre! Carry on creating!
Heidi cullen
Don’t rip out the background quilting! It’s beautiful and looks “watery”.
Barb Powell
I love the quilting you’ve done in the blue area. It looks like the turtle is swimming in the deep. Thanks for your generosity in sharing so many quilting motifs with us!
Meg Harmon
Love this turtle! No tail- leave quilting you have done alone. It is very nice. Definitely eyes. I kind of liked the half eye thing but would do it as full eye with lid over and then rest if eye with full eye features. Come on Lori; you are so talented. These eyes … no big deal! Love your work!
Sandra Robertson
I didn’t miss the tail til you mentioned it! I’d leave it! You could quilt two circles for eyes and a few “scales” around them. I love love Tommy. Is he in one of your books?
Lori Hope
Love, love LOVE the idea of adding an applique for the tale! I also love the quilting in the blue: looks like water and bubbles or pebbles.
I do think you should add eyes (maybe just some simple little circles?) and some reptilian skin. 🙂
Donna Lee Lurker
I think the quilting on the pale blue background is perfect. It looks like the water and pebbles in a stream.
June Neigum
I agree with Donna, the background looks like the sea especially with the few pebbles stuck in there. Eyes? since this is a top view and the eyes are usually on the side, I don’t think eyes are essential. But just a hint on the side of the head maybe. Not on top.
Brenda Perry
I love your quilting motifs, classes, books & posts…..I thought I should let you know that I am still intermittently getting two identical email notifications of your posts. I know you were working on this problem previously. Will it help you figure it out if I let you know each time it happens? Will unsubscribing and re-subscribing fix the problem?
Thanks
Debbie
same problem here!
Terri
I have the same problem. I’d love to hear the answer.
Julia
Me too
Kristin
Me, too!
Brenda @ Songbird Designs
I too have struggles with choosing quilting motifs! I can go either way on the tail. I try not to tear out any quilting once it’s done, especially if it looks as good as yours!! So, I would not tear out the quilting, but you could add a little tail I guess. I think your turtle looks awesome!
Kat Campau
I think a 3d stuffed tail, size of a finger, would be perfect, only attached at the edge of the shell.
Mary Ann Harrigan
I picture eyes half hidden by the shell, just a semicircle at the edge of the shell. No tail, you would need to remove too much quilting, you’d never be happy.
D Kirk
He definitely needs eyes to see where he’s going but doesn’t necessarily need a tail. ggg I’d just applique a tail after pre-quilting so it wouldn’t make the quilt too thick to stitch?
Helen Reimers
A tail would be nice.. Have you thought about a little water. Love the 🐢.
Machelle Athon
He would be so precious with eyes No tail neede
janegavlick
Yes, I would also add a tail to the turtle. Applique would work!
Cynthia Adams
As to the tail – he definitely needs a tail. A couple of thoughts. You could quilt a tail over what you have with a very dense almost satin-stitch style in the shape of a tail. Or, you could “applique” a tail and quilt it in place. This would take careful finagling of your applique fabric to finish the edges so that it looks like it is seamed into the fabric rather than added after the fact or you could leave it raw edge (which would reduce bulk) but quilt the edge tightly so that it doesn’t look like a raw edge or an applique. Just some thoughts.
Evie S
I love all your quilting designs. I have used Tommy several times and always get compliments.
Instead of tearing out your beautiful quilting, applique a tail on the turtle. Add buttons for the eyes!
Please post a picture if you make any changes to the quilt.
Thanks again for all your motifs. I have a longarm and these designs are easy to do on a longarm. Sometimes I have to use the purple pin but it’s worth it.
Cheri
Of course I am assuming it’s a “he”
How did my words cut off??? Gremlins I guess!
Cheri
If it were me, I’d leave it and not tear out anything! I love it the way it is, there are turtles without tails, did you know that?
Also I would put in eyes for your tutle for more personality!
He’s so cute! Of. Purse, I a, assuming it’s a “he”😂
Kathleen
You could applique a tail on your turtle!
Tena D.
Applique a tail. It will be great. Something small for the head, overall, like pebbles or reptile skin. Again, maybe applique eyes. I think he needs eyes. Have fun! NO Ripping out!
Kimberly Anne Brandt
That is the same idea I had….you could even make the tail 3D for fun.
Carol W
Quilting is beaitiful. Buttons for eyes and graduated buttons for tail or leather-ish tail applique or even kept loose.
Nancie
Exactly what I was thinking. Appliqué, narrow folded prairie point, or even a row of graduated buttons. Don’t rip, but the poor guy needs a tail!
Linda Ahn
Those were exactly what I was going to suggest.
maria blecha
Love lovew the turtles!!!!! No tail needed, but I think some eyes quilted forms. will be beautiful!
Comments are closed.