Final Step on the Boutis Challenge-Karen Azevedo's Finished Quilt!

If you've been following my blog posts you know that my friend Karen Azevedo and I have been working on a challenge piece.  Karen loves to do traditional Provencal boutis (Broderie de Marseille).  I, on the other hand, fell in love with the wholecloth designs and prefer to machine quilt them on regular fabric or vintage linens.

We decided that we would each do a piece using the same pattern but we had the option of adding to it or changing it up a bit if we chose.  

Karen sent me photos of her final process.  AMAZING!!!

Once the stuffing is complete I wash and block the piece.  

Once dry, the careful cutting away of each piece of batiste on the edge can begin.  Cut as close as possible to the buttonhole stitch, one layer at a time.  Any little pieces of cut threads will sink into the buttonhole stitch and disappear, leaving a finished edge.  After the excess fabric is cut away the piece is finished.  I have attached photos of each step.

These two photos may appear to be the same but one is the front and the other is the back.

 

This final photo shows the transparency.  One of the unique aspects of a traditional Provencal boutis versus a 3 layer quilt with batting is that Provencal boutis or corded whitework, when held up to the light, is transparent as well as opaque.  Plus the reverse side of the quilt is exactly like the front side.  

Enjoy the photos!  I hope there are at least a few of you who will try this technique.

Happy stitching, Karen Azevedo


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