First, by fussy cutting and arranging the theme fabric (bird / flowers / Japanese-style motifs), it is almost a realistic landscape scene. My work is usually much more geometric.
Second, it is done using a combination of piecing styles: It is a 9-patch, but also includes both big and small solid patches of the theme fabric. Usually, a quilt is made using just one type of piecing technique.
Third, in order to smoothly incorporate the 9-patch squares into the theme fabric, I used the watercolor approach. That is, adjoining squares and patches blend together to appear as a smooth transition.
Finally, it is quilted using several different design elements (what was I thinking!). The orange setting points were shadow quilted. The large and small bird squares were free-form quilted with arcs to represent the shape of the birds' wings, the clouds, and also to reflect the curved motifs. The 9-patches and adjoing squares were ditch quilted, but only in parallel lines from bottom right to upper left to help reinforce the flight path of the birds.
One other note (which you quilters will certainly appreciate): When I took the pattern (from 9-Patch Pizzazz by Judy Sisneros) into the quilt store to buy fabric, we pulled an interesting bolt off the shelf and started building around it. After a few minutes we realized that it was the same fabric that was used in the pattern! Believe me, this never happens in real life!!!!
For sale: 38" x 47" wall hanging $150
