Horse galloping through the Gateway Canyons Resort. He’s on a mission.

Do you know that phrase “It’ll never be seen from a galloping horse”? Well here’s that horse.

Parts is parts.

And here’s what you see if you get close to the horse- a lot of parts that make up the whole bronco. We use that galloping horse phrase in quilt making when the overall design is terrific but the actual construction details of the quilt are so-so. I know, because I’ve made my share of galloping horse quilts.

Every galloping horse needs a rear view mirror.

In hindsight, I should have worked on those construction details. It’s important to take your time and make it look pretty. That’s why I’m getting off the horse and stepping away from working on my commission quilt for a while. I need to take my time and just say “Whoa” to the quilt.

The structure for the top of the bell tower is floating in space like a pointy UFO. Time to fasten it to the earth with some skinny legs.

The 1/2″ bias cut strips are place down the edges of the bell tower and across the bells. See that release paper slipped under the legs partway down? The release paper keeps that section of the legs from fusing to the back ground fabric. Why, you ask?

It’s so I can slip 3 strips of fabric under the legs to connect the legs together. The 3 braces keep the bell tower steady during a stiff wind. Now that everything is in place, the entire bell tower is steam set to the background.

Whew! I need another much deserved break. Later I’ll show how I complete the quilt.

Using the alignment pattern and a good set of glasses, I clip the 1/4″ strip to size and place sections onto the pointy bell tower top. It takes a little planning to determine what strip slips under a strip or over a strip.

A year later, all the 1/4″ strips are fuse-tacked into place. Even those strips that hold the 3 bells are fused down. Doesn’t it look like a helmet from a Medieval knight floating in space? Tomorrow we add the bells to that helmet. Ring a ding ding!