APPLIQUE PAINTBOX-I LOVE APPLIQUE

MY QUILT IS MORPHING!

The stonefields quilt is becoming a Chuck Nohara quilt!  I wish I had begun using Chuck's blocks from the very beginning and no Stonefields as Chuck's blocks really speak to me.  I find them imaginative and lively. When it is finished my quilt will have about 1/3 Stonefields, 1/2 Chuck and the rest will be from my inner reaches.

Some one asked me what I meant when I said I adapted blocks.  I will demonstrate.  The basket block above is pretty much verbatim-a close replica.  The pattern is 2 inches x 2 inches so needs to be enlarged to 6X6 inches which, if you are interested, is 265 on the copier. I just choose the fabrics and went for it.

 

This block is also pretty close to the original.  The only change I made was to make the tendrils more delicate with embroidery thread instead of bias stems and to add an extra tendril.  When I quilt this I will add definition to the leaves. So this is a block with only a small adaptation.

 
You can see the adaptions here.  I made two changes.  I did not make the saw-toothed edges on the flowers as I was working on too small a scale to make it work.  Ditto the leaves.  I tried to capture what Chuck was doing here-blossoms on the outside and leaves all clustered in the center of the block.  Very effective.  I had to make it simpler with less leaves but still try to capture the concept.  Its up to you to decide if I succeeded.

Okay, I love this block!  I have a real fondness for squirrels.  We have as many as 14 in our backyard at one time.  They are so fun to watch and they have the world's greatest tails.  We have red squirrels so their tails are copper colored.  The squirrels use them as umbrellas in the rain and to signal when the cats come near.  I changed this block more than the others.  I thought I could improve on the squirrels body and make the acorns more definite.  This was a tricky block because of the neutral coloring.  The squirrel is all yellow-gold and I felt the block wanted more color variation.  So I added the oak leaves and made the acorns green and newly hatched.  Also I like to put eyes on my various critters so I did that.  So this one is close to the original but with lots of adaptions.  I like the fabric I choose for the tail.

Here is Chuck's book for those of you who are not familiar with it. It is published and sold by Quiltmania.  Matter of fact, Quiltmania has a 2 block of the month going on now using Chuck's blocks.  It is called 

"Les fleurs du mardi" or Tuesdays Flowers.

You can see it on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-6FaRRykLg



I have been working on the free motion machine quilting sampler and have finished lesson 4-feathers.

This turned out well I think.  While I have never quilted feathers on a quilt, I have practiced them a lot in all their various forms so was a step ahead on this block.  Here is the sampler so far:

If you want to join in with this sampler group, go to the facebook group Sit Down Free Motion Quilters and sign up.

We have lots of Blue Jays around the birdfeeder and squirrel feeders.  They are so funny on the birdfeeders because they do not fit at all and use all kinds of tricks and gyrations to get the sunflower seeds.

If Blue Jays weren't so common, people would be excited to see them.  They are so pretty.  The photo below is copied from the Audobon site.  Look at this bird-turquoise, powder blue, slate, grey.  Really it looks like an exotic from the steamy jungles of South America.


I will have my new camera soon so will be able to take photos of birds such as the one above instead of the lame fuzzy ones I always show you.  I hope also that this new camera will be more sensitive to color of fabrics.  My current camera has a devil of a time trying to get colors right.

Okay, I'm  off now to begin a new week of work.  Maybe I will do some simpler blocks this week.  However, as you know if you follow Cathy's Slow Stitching Sunday, the adventure is in getting there not the destination so enjoy the process!

HAPPY QUILTING!

Linking up with Slow Stitching Sunday, Monday Making, MCM, Oh Scrap, BOM, Esther's WOW, NTN and Whoop, Whoop!  Thanks for hosting and giving us all a chance to share and see what others are working on!