here we have "full circle," so named because though it was partially pieced in 2015, it contains bits of patchwork i made in and around 2009 and 2010, some of which became one of my first quilts. and it's fully covered in hand-quilted circles...duh! *grin*
the fabric in both that early quilt and the similar bits in this quilt are solid colored silks, cottons/blends, linens, cords from my scrap bins. i've been sewing for a dog's age...mostly clothing. almost 30 years, if my math is correct. and i've been hoarding bits of old fabric for nearly as long. so once upon a time, my fabric collection skewed more toward garment fabrics. it seemed like a natural thing to me to use those kinds of fabrics in a quilt, especially when i was just starting out.
to be honest, i still think it makes sense! you use what you have and what you know, and mostly it will work. i like the different textures and sheens that other kinds of fabrics can bring to a quilt or work of fiber art. sometimes you have to stabilize certain fabrics to get them to play nice and you may have to handle or care for the quilt in different ways. and i am down with that, with the experience that i've accrued, it's not so difficult to manage.. but having been around in the quilting world for a while now (at least peripherally), i gather that quilting-weight cottons are the alleged "gold standard" amongst most quilters these days. quilting cottons are what everyone wants to use and thinks they should use. that's cool. i just like being a little experimental, i guess. trying stuff and seeing what works and what doesn't. i'm not really comfortable working in a box or limiting my choices. rules-shmules, maaaaan! the "quilt police" (modern or otherwise) can step off!
anyway...back to the quilt in question, no? the circles were hand quilted with a heaver weight black perle cotton, at the intersection of blocks. there are two layers of batting: a thin layer of warm and white cotton, and a thinnish layer of mountain mist poly batting, to give the hand quilting some loft and puffiness. the resultant quilt is a bit thicker than a cotton batting only quilt, but it's slightly puffier which is a nice change. the combo gives it more of both a literal and visual weight. it was a combination i read about in my friend sherri lynn wood's recent book. this quilt happens to be the first quilt i've completely hand quilted. i am really proud of that...i want to use the batting combo in other quilts and also hand quilt more of my quilts as time allows.
this quilt is also faced, rather than bound in a more traditional manner. i bound it using this tutorial from the silly boodilly. i've faced a lot of quilts lately. i'm liking the option not to have that line of color or pattern framing a quilt. sometimes you want it to be about the face of the quilt and not have that line box the work in. other times a binding can really work. depends on the quilt, and the quilter.