#49 Star of Bethlehem

#49: Star of Bethlehem

Finished: 12/9/12

Techniques: Paper-piecing, free-motion quilting

Size: 32 1/2" x 22"

Description: This is a practical piece that I wanted to do as a backdrop to my snow village that I put up every year around the holidays. I have an entertainment center that my Dad built for me. Originally, I put a TV in the space, but I don't use it for that since moving to my new house. The space has a large cut-out section in back that I wanted to cover up. It's nice for cords and wires, but not very aesthetic otherwise. 

So I designed a mountain scene and put a bright shining star in the upper corner. The foreground mountain was pieced with various prints. It looks a little funky but it's ok. I designed the scene in columns for easier piecing, but I think in the future I won't do that because it doesn't look very natural to me.

It does make a nice backdrop I think, but after piecing and quilting, it needed squaring up. I originally figured the size I needed for the space, but after squaring, it came out a little narrow. (You can see the curtain rod sticking out of either end, which is unfortunate.

Quilting was done entirely free-motion, so I got some practice. Each element (snow, mountains, star, sky, rocks) was quilted with a different pattern.

The snow covered peaks are better seen in the lower picture; the camera washed out the white in the upper one.

I had fun doing this. I think I will design other backdrops for the space in the entertainment center for other holidays and seasons.