IT HAS HAPPENED.......CHUCK HAS TAKEN CONTROL OF MY QUILT!!! and I am so glad!
All I look at now are Chuck Nohara's blocks and find I am inspired to whimsey. I am having so much fun with this and it has pushed future quilts out of my mind. You remember how I told you that I was rushing onwards on this quilt as I have several beautiful things waiting in the wings. No longer!! All my focus is on these blocks and where they are taking me. I am so excited!
Last week I showed Chuck's blocks beside the ones I adapted from them. This was a big hit so I thought I would do it again this week explaining what adaptations I made and why.
I followed the original on this one using my colors. I like that it is simple and bold.
How funny is this block? Chuck's success in the interest of her blocks is in part because of the unique fabric choices she makes. I do not have this knack to her degree-to see a fabric and know how it will enliven the story of the block. So, in this case, whimsey to the rescue. "Sleep, perchance to dream". And so it is with kitty who dreams of mice. I know kitties dream-mine always do. You can tell my their twitching paws and wiggling whiskers. I can only imagine mice inhabit their dream stories.
See how great the fabric choices are on the above block! I adapted this one a bit. You can see I followed the stems and leaves but substituted twigs for leaves as my block is on a small scale. I was searching my fabric some good circle material when I saw these flowers and decided to use them in broderie perse.
Quite a few changes here. You can see that Chuck relied on her fabric choices to make this block come alive. I had to improvise and hence more whimsey. My vines capture the trailing flowers in the original and birds have moved into my birdhouse. Please note the birds as I will have something more to say about them later.
I like all the blocks I made this week. They add so much to my quilt. Here is a photo of where we stand so far in what used to be the stonefields quilt-maybe now called "Chuck, Susan and Me". My husband groans at my lousy grammar.
Okay...we have 9 rows of 12 blocks = 108 blocks. I want 13 rows of 11 across = 143, so i have 35 to make though I may not stop but instead replace some of the existing blocks that I'm not to crazy about.
MACHINE QUILTING UPDATE:
Mctavishing, the funnest one so far.
You remember the birds mentioned earlier. These birds are actual birds called Painted Buntings. Our part of Missouri is the northern most breeding area. I used to see these exotic birds when we lived on our zen farm and now my husband sees them eating partridge peas while he is walking in the woods. This photo is of the male. He is unbelievable with indigo, red, and yellow.
Copied from cutest.com
and the female-just a pretty little chartreuse bird!
Copied for Audubon.com
They are the birds who have moved into my birdhouse!That's all for today. I have not forgotten that I promised to display my Caswell quilt blocks and I will soon. Hope all goes well with you and
HAPPY QUILTING!
Linking up with Slow Stitching Sunday, Whoop-Whoop, Esther's WOW, Patchwork Times, NTT-great links with great quilts!
What a lovely blocks you made! I love your fabric choices. I hope to buy the book from Chuck Noa also . Such a great blocks in that book. I searched on the internet, but the book is expensive because $45 + $25 shipping is a lot money!
ReplyDeleteYou quilt is lovely so far!
Have a nice weekend.
Evelyne
Your interpretation of Chuck's blocks are delightful, Pam. I love how you added the little mouse above the sleeping kitty.
ReplyDelete--Nancy. (ndmessier @ aol.com, joyforgrace.blogspot.com)
Hi Pam, your modifications are lovely. You also have a great sense of fabric - the dreaming kitty is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteLove the blocks you have made and the adoptations. It will bring a smile on anybody's face.
ReplyDeleteGreetings kleinevingerstussenstofjes.blogspot.nl
Love love love what you are doing with chucks blocks. I will have to go and check the book out and yes I agree with you regards Stonefiel vs chucks.
ReplyDeleteYour blocks are beautiful. I love your adaptations. Your quilt is going to be quite impressive. Those birds are just gorgeous....real and quilted. I would never figure that male and female to be the same species.
ReplyDeleteWell you have convinced 2 more quilters to purchase this book - There are some blocks in Susan's Stonefield that I changed, but this book will be great and full of ideas! Thank you for bringing this book to the quilters attention! Great work!
ReplyDeleteOnce again, a delightful, delightful post! Thank you! I cannot decide whether the cat or the birdhouse is my new favorite!
ReplyDeleteHi Pam wow such amazing blocks and i love those cute birds,hope you have a lovely day......
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful creative touches! So glad you are really enjoying this project!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Your quilt is very pretty. You have done a beautiful job.
ReplyDeleteWow- your blocks are so lovely all together. I really, really like the muted colour scheme and there is just so much to look at here.
ReplyDeleteI loved the block with the cat dreaming about the mouse! Seeing all your blocks together is amazing! Such beauty!
ReplyDeleteYou interpretation is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteKathleen Mary
The blocks are wonderful! Your personality shines in each one.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful blocks, lovely! The birds and birdhouse are my favorite blocks. Blessings, Gretchen
ReplyDeleteI think your fabric choices are a delight to begin with & then you add whimsy to the block - the little mouse is adorable! What a grand grouping of completed blocks - so glad I finally found consistent wifi and can catch up with everyone's doings.
ReplyDeleteYour interpretation of each of these blocks and choice of fabrics are incredible! The birdhouse is outstanding, and the cat dreaming about mice just makes me grin! Does this Chuck Nohara have a blog or a website?
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful to feel so excited about where a quilt is taking you? I love your "whimsy" blocks. I think you have a good knack for picking fabric, too, even though your style is different than Chuck's. I know what you mean, though. Some people's quilts I'm just mesmerized by how they use "ugly" fabric that I would never in a million years buy, and yet it is absolutely perfect when cut up and sewn into a quilt that I love.
ReplyDeleteYou do beautiful applique. I like the cat dreaming about a mouse, how sweet.
ReplyDeleteYour applique blocks are stunning! And of course I am sure Yoshi and Mrs Blossom Muggles were very helpful. Where in Missouri are you? I am in Lees Summit.
ReplyDelete