Wood Ducks - Pieced 03/24, Quilted 05/03, Bound 05/29/2014

I decided to order the center panel here to see if it was something that was nice enough & 
something I could work into a quilt. Eventually purchased additional panels for the side images as we transitioned from a large bed quilt with just the one panel to a sofa quilt (left image) back to a king size bed quilt (right images).

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Five months later, the binding is finished and the quilt ready for delivery.

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The Whole Story

Dec 23: I have been talking/thinking about a quilt for Charles for several years. I finally got him to sit down long enough for us to talk about. Wood ducks are his #1 big thing & horses are a close second. We found a panel online he likes so I ordered to see what it really looks like. He would prefer lots of images on his quilt of wildlife that he loves.
Dec 24: I had never heard of wood ducks before so I returned to RedBubble to see what photographs I might find. I picked 16 and had them printed on post cards.
Dec 30: Post cards expected today.
Jan 19: Started suggesting quilt top layouts. Narrowed down to simple browns and blues.
Jan 20: Ordered several fabrics as indicated in captions below.
Feb 02: Wife Myra says Charles likes "very simple". I am liking the piano keys more and more. These will only be on the drop & help reduce the picture fame look. Favorite color blue will predominate the top. Myra will be by soon to make a final decision. Posted more  ideas, some inspired by suggestions from Joan.
Feb 21: Got in 3 coordinating panels. With Myra's help tonight, we have a working plan. After cutting the panels, we will work out the sashing and/or borders. Also, Myra needs to measure the sofa. Didn't happen so I stopped by and measured it myself.

Fabrics

Piecing the Quilt Top

Feb 25: Cut out the panels. Laid out the quilt map using Excel. Using real panels changes things.Mar 01: Cut panels and started piecing. The panels are warped so it is a bit of a challenge to cut and fit them together nicely. I find I am trimming and trimming and trimming yet again.
Mar 02: Finished piecing the center and then took it over to show Charles. Charles was not going to settle for a sofa quilt. He wants something that will one day fit a King with as much drop as possible. My max width is 90 and 100 makes a good length. When I suggested some nice pinwheels above and below the center, Charles suggested more wood ducks--8 more--framed in wood bark & black. Use other panels on the sides framed in just black. Well, panels are easier to piece than pinwheels. Ordered 8 more panels & am very grateful to Thread Bear Fabrics in Georgia for not gouging the price on these like some vendors are.
Mar 05: My panels are here.
Mar 17: Cut the panels apart.
Mar 18: Trimmed the 19 panels I need to their proper size for piecing.
Mar 19: Completed the expanded layout details. Cut the pieces to go around the small panels.
Mar 21: Framing the panels.
Mar 22: Panels are framed & connected into borders
Mar 23: Putting it all together. Oops. Got the wood ducks borders reversed. Attached right side border. It needs a tad of tweaking. Still have the left side & top & bottom final blue borders. To tired & too hungry to continue. Ahhh, was able to go on after a short break. Finished the sides. Pinned the top & bottom. Will sew them in the morning & be done.
Mar 24: Pieced.

Quilting

Mar 27: Quilting some pillow covers to test thread choice (silver) and patterns. I am going to try a combination of two of Anne Bright's pantographs. Very nice, I think. Doing the design small on the pillows. Will do it larger on the king size quilt ... maybe.
Mar 28: Finished 2 sets of pillow covers and ordered inserts. Love it! (I can love my own work, no?)
Mar 30: Want to try to find enough fabrics to piece quilt. I need just over 6 yards and only have 3 of the brown I wanted to use. Guess this will be my first hodgepodge backing. Hmmm. Some brown. some blue, some black & may even include one of those extra panels or two. I have been putting this challenge off but alas, can't load and quilt until it is done.
Mar 31: Decided to order enough of the Dark Bark fabric to do the backing rather than trying to piece something together. I have just over half of what I need already. It would be ridiculous to fudge the backing after working so hard on the top. My first order got canceled--they didn't really have it.
Apr 07: The rest of the backing fabric is here.
Apr 08: Piecing the backing. Will need some strips on the top & bottom to ensure enough backing to load properly. Got everything ready to sew.
Apr 09: Backing is now pieced. Ready to quilt.
May 01: Loading
May 03: Quilting. Quilted.
May 05: Squared.
May 08: Let the binding begin.
May 29: Bound & finished.