APPLIQUE PAINTBOX-I LOVE APPLIQUE

So.....my first blog!
Why am I starting this blog?
I follow lots of blogs and enjoy seeing progress made by other quilters.
I like to see their designs and ideas progress and think I would like to share my progress, its fits and starts, its successes and failures, and what I have learned in the process.

I have several projects in the works in varying stages of completion. Here they are:

DI FORD'S MOUNTMELLICK

This is my version of the quilt which was Quiltmania's mystery quilt for 2014.  I followed Di's design until the last border when indulged my craving for applique and continued the use of broderie perse.  I made  little pots of flowers out of the beautiful Petra Prins dutch chintz.  The complex final border seemed to call for a simple outer edging so I choose a simple cream pattern .  All that remains now is to quilt and bind so this work in progress is nearing completion.  

CASWELL QUILT

The pattern for this quilt is from those wonderful designers at Threadbear in Australia.  My version varies quite a bit from the original.  I wanted to break down the rows and columns of blocks so I made blocks of varying sizes.  In some cases I rearranged the elements of the original blocks to fit the new sized blocks.  Some blocks I designed myself and some blocks I adapted from the original Caswell rug completed about 1824 which resides in the Metropolitan Museum.  This wall hanging is almost ready to quilt.  I have a couple minor touch-ups. Here is a photo of the original pattern:

 I added lots of insects and birds to mine as well as the other changes.  This is a block I designed for the wall hanging and it is one of my favorites.  You might recognize the cat as my cat Yoshi.

STONEFIELDS QUILT

This will be a summer bed quilt.  The patterns for this type of quilt which is composed of individual 6" blocks are pretty common these days.  I am calling it Stonefields because that was the first pattern I looked at when beginning and i am using a lot of her ideas for the squares-her being Susan Smith of Australia, a designer of beautiful quilts.  I am also culling lots of ideas from Chuck Nohara's book 2001 Nouveaux Blocs de Patchwork which, if you go by publication date of 1998, is the originator of the concept. Other versions are The Farmer's Wife and Dear Jane.

I am using primarily these fabrics for the quilt:  French General--Pom Pom de Paris, 3 Sisters--Printemps and Paris Flea Market, and Mimi by Chez Moi.  I have made 64 blocks which makes me about half way through.  

SWEET SURRENDER

OMG...another Australian designer-Sue Cody of Dragonfly Studio.  All 4 of the above quilts have their basis in Australian designers.  Australia produces some of the very best designer and quilters.

I will be using Kate Spain fabric for this quilt-Curzon and Daydreams.

This quilt is still waiting in the wings.  Much as I wish it were otherwise, I find I cannot switch between projects.  Each one has its own mood, ambiance, coloring, patterning with which I get deeply involved.  If I switch to another project then I will be working on that for continuously for 5 hours a day for weeks and leave all others alone.  For example, here is my Village wall hanging that has been languishing for two years.  It is based on another of Quiltmania's Mystery Quilts-2013.

This pattern was designed by Yoko Saito.  From this pattern I am creating my own village quilt but while I have made a start, I have lost my way.

I plan on resuming work on this after I complete the Kate Spain quilt.  I think about what I want to do with this.  I have bought some white Kona cotton and some Setacolor paints.  I plan on painting the background in  very light color washes blue for sky and water, green for the hills, grey for the cobblestones and tans for the rock walls and bridge.   

So you can see I have my work laid out for me.  Quilt Mountmellick then resume making block for Stonefields while I think about how I am going to quilt Caswell. And so on.....

That's enough for now.  Please tell me what you think and tell me what you are working on.  To know what you are working on is one of the reasons I am blogging.  I live in the back of beyond and don't have much interaction with others in likre pursuits and want to hear from YOU!