Treadling Tulips
The tulip is a unique and beautiful flower which arises in spring from bulbs. My daughter gave me tulips for Mothers Day, so I guess they have been on my mind……
It’s almost impossible to imagine today, that tulip bulbs were once as revered in price as a precious metal. And that they may in fact have been the subject of the first economic bubble back in the early 17th Century. More information in the link below.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania
The tulip is a beautiful flower and as I love flowers, I thought it would also be a good subject for free motion quilting. So that’s what I’m doing this morning. As the sun is coming up, I’m quilting tulips on my Singer 31K20 Industrial treadle. This is quite a powerful machine. It sews through the quilting layers with ease, so much so that I was able to quilt this pin head to the fabric. Amazingly the needle didn’t break. It’s interesting with treadle quilting I’m finding that although it’s a bit slower in some ways it’s easier because there is more control over the stitching.
More about the machine. Singer 31K20 Industrial Treadle 1937
Being able to create a continuous design is great for free motion quilting. A design which is able to be sewn into a continuous line, like a drawing, without stopping is ideal. I like to have more than one part of the design to help travel to the next part and be able to fit the design into the space required. I’m traveling to the next tulip with a curling leaf design to represent the long strappy leaves of the tulip bulb.
Before I begin to quilt, I will practice on paper the design I’ve decided to quilt. This is also good because it prepares ones mind with how the design will play out. Once I’m happy with how it is going to work, then I will always do a practice piece before beginning on the quilt proper.
How to Treadle Tulips
Here’s how the tulips are coming along.
And the bigger picture….
Oh, by the way, here is the link to the quilt I’m working on. Floral Fantasy Friendship Four Patch Quilt.