WIP Wednesday 11/13/2013

My current quilt is for retiring co-worker Cecilia K. Co-worker Veronica did some spying and learned that Cecilia's favorite color is green. Soon after, another co-worker Margarita discovered she had a tissue box with just the right colors. Margarita sacrificed a piece of her tissue box, and I have used it as inspiration.

The shapes on the bottom look like petals from a flower. I decided to multiply them to form a flower. Also, I decided to use one of the circle shapes.

Electric Quilt sketch

The petals of the flower, as well as the circles, will be similar to ones on the tissue box.

Fabrics

Background is a white-on-white print.

Border fabric

I decided to make the flower pretty large. If I made the petals the size of a regular piece of paper (8.5" x 11"), I would end up with a flower about 22" in diameter. Plus I'd be able to print a pattern easily. I played with the photo, cropping it to 8.5" x 11".

I repeated for the circle.

I printed to regular size paper, in black and white. These are the actual patterns. The circle is the third version. The first was too small and the second was too big.

I printed 9 wallet sized petals, just to see how they would look together.

One petal

Eight petals

Four petals laid out

Filled in to make eight petals. Seems a bit crowded.

Seven petals (my favorite and the one I chose)

Six petals

Five petals (a little too Hawaiian for me)

Printout laid over green rectangles

Cut out the petal

Traced the petal

Stacks are three and four layers thick. Cut with scissors for accuracy.

Ta-dah!

Background fabric

Using the wrong side of the fabric (see bottom half of photo) in the petals because I think it's more subtle. For the actual quilt background, I'll use the right side.

Original pattern

Cut away the first layer to form the new pattern. Will repeat with each new layer. I'm saving on paper and ink by using just one printout.

First two layers (not sewn yet)

My plan is to use invisible thread and zigzag around the edge of the white to join it to the green. Once sewn, I plan to cut out most of the green under the white layer, to reduce bulk. Will repeat with each layer.

My other quilt project is for retiring co-worker Edna. For the past little while I have been making signature blocks, about a dozen at a time, then passing them around my office for co-workers to sign. In a short time I have collected 37 signatures. I still have a few dozen to go. The quilt isn't due until late January, but I'm glad I started early. I'll be concentrating on Cecilia's quilt for a while, but I'll get back to Edna's quilt soon.

Debbie

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