Dynamic Spring Motion 6D foot & Linked Echo Feathers Border

I'm participating in 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge hosted by Sew Cal Gal.   February's design is feathers by Diane Gaudynski.  In free motion quilting,  feathers have been my nemesis for a long time.   I have been practicing feathers and posted my journey on my blog.
I have a Pfaff Creative 2 sewing machine and recently purchased a new quilting foot.

The foot isn't available with an open toe.

The front of the toe is slanted upward, making visibility when free motion quilting difficult.

I cut the front of the loop off sanded the edges and finished it with several layers of nail polish.  Behold my modified open-toe foot.

I used Gutermann 100% cotton variegated thread to sew the linked feathers.  This thread colour was not a good choice because all my mistakes show.   Ooops!

 I used a straight stitch needle plate.

 Dropped the feed dogs.   Stitch length set to zero and needle down position on.

The quilt border was not marked, the feathers are about 14 inches long.  First I stitched the stem and echoed back.  Then sewed the feathers on one side and echoed back to the base and stitched the on the other side.

 Quilting the border around the corners was challenging.

 I love my new quilting foot, no tension adjustments and the stitches beautiful front and back.

 

 

 

 

After four bobbins of thread the outside linked feather border was complete.  I decided to fill in the entire border with echos around the feather border using 100% polyester yellow thread.

 In hindsight, I wish I would have used the yellow thread for the feathers as well.

 

 

 I'm loving this quilting foot.

 

 

 

This is a slow process, I have used 7 bobbins of thread.  There are still three sides to finish the outside echos on.  I'm pleased to be getting lots of practice echoing around the feathers.

 

 A feather branched off the main stem on this corner.

 

 

This baby quilt is laid out on a queen size bed.

 It is large enough for a toddler's bed.

 

 Close ups of the stitches.

This is the backside.

 

 Happy quilting all.
Tammy