This quilt began as a hopeful email from the other side of the world to remake my Rising Tides wall hanging as a bed quilt for a little girl with a jellyfish room.  At first, I was reluctant, but my client convinced me she did indeed want me to make a new and exciting quilt, full of blended quilt texture for her daughter’s bed.  I was drawn to accepting the commission because of the freedom to use a dynamic custom hand dye and really show off the blended background texture….which is all straight from my Quilted Texture from A to Zen book.  The jellies themselves are made with up to 5 layers of specialty fabric.  Angelina fiber layered under colored tulle, chiffon, and sparkly lace dressmaker fabrics.  They are raw edge appliquéd onto a reef dye backing.  I hand dye smaller, similar backs for my wallhanging pattern, and I liked that I had a good excuse to show people what their finished quilt might look like on one of them.

One secret about this quilt is the thread.  I wish I had the expertise to photograph it properly.  The rays of light, the jellyfish, and two of the water layers are all quilted with Wonderfil’s Alhora thread…which GLOW IN THE DARK.  It was pretty awesome to sit in a dark room with this quilt hanging and see the ocean wink into iridescence.  The jellyfish tentacles themselves are also Wonderfil thread…their 12 weight metallic Glamor brand, which really makes them stand out.  The tentacles are all quilted feathers…again from a book.  This time, From Fast to Fancy: Freehand Feathers.  

By all reports, my client is thrilled, and her daughter is now dreaming under an ocean fantasy!