Elephant Quilt Wall Hanging

I completed the pin cushions and that was quite a bit of work.  When I was not working on them, I have  been working on some other textile projects.  One of them is an Elephant Quilt.  More specifically, an elephant quilted wall hanging.  At least it will be one when it is finished.

This all started when one of my friends and I went to a quilt show.  A group of quilters had worked on several challenges over the course of the last year and decided to show them at a local art center.  One of the quilts caught my friend's eye.  It was a small block quilt that had an elephant on it.  I guess it inspired her because she has small grandchildren and thought that making an elephant quilt or wall hanging would be a fun addition to a child's room.  

My friend asked me if we wanted to make something with an elephant on it and we would do it as a challenge to each other.  We emailed back and forth a few times deciding on dimensions and a pattern and things of that nature.  Then we set a date for completion and said that we would get together and show off our elephant themed projects.

We set the date far in advance because neither of us have the time to work on another project, even if it is a small one.  I searched for fabrics at nearby stores but could not find anything that suited me as far as color or pattern.  I eventually made a trip across town to the quilt store before finding something that was in line with my ideas.

Time was passing quickly.  I usually sew by hand in the evenings when we sit down to watch television.  I decided that I would try fusing the pieces then using a blanket stitch around the edges of each piece to secure it to the background.  I hoped it would be quicker.  I had never used fusible on a quilt before, although I have seen that many people use that technique when making fabric collage quilts.     

Well now I have tried it and I can't really say that I am thrilled with the technique.  The fusible feels very stiff under the fabric.  It is not what I would want if I was making a cuddly quilt for a child.  However, it will be acceptable for a wall hanging.  I used Heat and Bond Light Weight.  I can sew through it, but it is more work than hand sewing through fabric.  All the pieces were fused together and then fused to the background.  If I had it to do over again, I would probably have used a washable fabric glue stick and sewn each piece together.  When the piece was finished it could be washed to remove the glue.  Well, live and learn.  Next time I will know better.

Right now, I am still working on the blanket stitching.  There will also be some beading and embroidery on the elephant.  Then I will add the batting and backing and quilt the piece.  I will also add a hanging sleeve so the piece can hang on the wall. 

I will be blogging on this piece from time to time as it progresses.  I will also be blogging on the star and leaf quilt from time to time.  Check back on Sunday for the next blog post.