California Poppies - Building Blocks Tuesday

Thank you to everyone who chimed in on yesterday's advice request.  I agree, the pink should stay with the pink, and the blue with the blue.  Turns out, all I had to do was ask my daughters.  My eldest has gotten over her need for everything to be pink and has moved on to blue being her lasted favorite color.  She didn't want any pink in her quilt if it could be helped.  Figures.

In today's news....hooray!  I have finished a Star of Africa Bee block!  The houses of San Francisco is also almost finished, so that means I only have one more to go (of course it is the toughest)!  I can't tell you what a weight has been lifted.  I don't like to owe, and it is shameful that I got so behind on this bee.

Here is Veena's block.  She asked for flowers surrounded by a black/white border.  I made her a California Poppy.

That black & white border fabric is one of my favorites in my stash.  I've almost used it all up.

I also remembered to take some "in progress" shots along the way, just in case someone out there is interested in the process.

1. CA poppies in progress, 2. CA poppies in progress, 3. CA poppies in progress, 4. CA poppies in progress, 5. CA poppies in progress

I started with a drawing of a poppy.  Then I traced the mirror images of the shapes onto a double sided fusible applique paper by flipping my paper over and using my Crayola Light Up Tracing Pad (this thing comes in so handy!).  I applied my fusible to the backside of the fabrics I choose, and cut them out.  I used my light up tablet again with my original drawing, to help me place the stems in the right orientation, fused them with the iron, and then stitched them down with a small blanket stitch.  I then continued the process with the leaves and buds, fused and stitched them down, added the petals and inner buds, stitched them down with orange thread, added the black center, stitched it down with black thread, then finally added the outer petals with orange thread again.

I considered adding some yellow stamens to the flower, but I really liked how it looked when it was all done, so I left it.  Sometimes you have to know when to stop, right?

So, what blocks have you been working on?  I would love to see.  Link up your fabulous blocks.  You put a lot of hard work into them - show them off!  This free linky will stay open until the first Monday of next month, but I will repost it every Tuesday until a new month starts.

Rules:

1) Please link up only to the page in your blog showing your wonderful blocks, not just the blog homepage.  Flickr pictures are also OK.
2) Make sure to put your blog name as the description so people know where they are going or the name of your block!
3) Please grab my button and post it in your blog post or sidebar.
4) Visit other linky participants!

Thanks for reading!

Jen

Sashing Decisions - need your help

I wasn't ready to reveal these WIP's, but I can't decide on the sashing and I need your help.

I am making 2 versions of the quilt below, one in each colorway, for my daughters.  I can't decide which sashing to put with which colorway.  Please weigh in with your opinions.

Should I keep the pink with with pink, and the blue with the blue?



Or should I mix it up?



When I originally started this project, I envisioned it mixed up, but once I laid it out, I started having doubts.  I think the problem is that I like both colorways with the pink sashing, but I am NOT going to make more.

What do you think?

Thanks for the help!

Jen

Inspirational Sunday (20) - via the 2013 International Quilt Festival in Long Beach

As promised, here are some more spring inspired quilts for those of you still covered in snow.  Today's selections are mostly art quilts, but I have plenty more spring inspired quilts that are pieced and appliqued coming up next week.

This first one is called "Iris in My Garden" by Marianne Williamson of Miami, Florida.  She used raw-edge applique, free-motion quilted, and painted this quilt.

She says, "What is more spring-like than irises?  Inspiration came from the Japanese silks that I used for this stylized iris."

Just look at all those little circles of thread!

Here is another quilt by Marianne Williamson of Miami, Florida, called, "Evening Garden".  It is raw-edge appliqued, threadpainted and painted.

Her statement, "Tulips in a garden in May are the image that comes to mind when I think of spring.  I worked from images that I had taken when I was in Monet's garden near Paris."

I must admit when I saw that she created two springtime quilts with flowers that normally don't grow in Miami (way too hot), I was wondering where she got her inspiration.  I would gather that Monet's garden would be a spectacular place to be inspired!

The next quilt is called "Spring Stroll" by Sally Manke of Arcadia, Michigan.  She used confetti-cut fabrics layered under tulle, in the style of Noriko Endo.

Her statement, "A spring trip to New York City's Central Park provided the contrasting colors and textures for this work.  Recent rain coated the path with blossoms from the trees overhead and provided glistening reflections.  The vibrant magenta blooms contrasting with the textures of the tree bark and sidewalks were the inspiration for this piece.  We celebrate spring by enjoying the colors, smells and textures found in nature while within a huge city.  This art quilt depicts the beauty of springtime in bloom."

Which one of these quilts reminds you most of springtime in your area?

Thanks for reading,


Jen