A few days ago, I posted about delphiniums being the inspiration for the quilt that I've just completed....below was the simple drawing that started the idea...
The above drawing started back in April-2012 and over the next few months the idea just grew.....below is a larger sketch....I was playing with the idea of a hummingbird but it didn't make it onto the final quilt.....I'll save the hummingbird idea for a different drawing.....
The above drawing wasn't exactly what I envisioned for a cottage garden....so I kept working on the drawing....by the way, I'm drawing from pictures of delphiniums that I've planted in prior years.......the cottage garden I'm creating exists only in my head....
After working on my drawing a little longer, I got it to a point where I could enlarge it......off to the copy center to have it enlarged. I just can't bring myself to make smaller wall hangings. I like my quilts to make an impact and the larger ones seem to turn out better for me........especially if I'm going to hang it on wall space that can handle a big piece....
At this point, I haven't completed my final drawing. I have to see it in fabric before I continue with any more drawing.
So next is fabric selection, & below are the fabrics I've used to build the background base....that white piece of paper is there to work out an idea with pencil because I didn't like the dark green fabric as the only background.....
Below I'm trying out a blue & yellow green hand dyed fabric that looks a little better to me.....not quite happy but I'm going to go with it for now.....
I use fusible web to build my delphinium flowers on an applique pressing sheet first...then I take this assembled piece and place it on the background to make sure the colors are working with the fabrics I've selected...
If I'm happy with the way the color & values are turning out then, I will continue to build up the flower.....so I remove this piece from the background & take back to my applique pressing sheet......I continue building the rest of the delphinium stem of flowers.....there are a lot of petals to delphiniums....
I can hear some of you say, "Those stems are painstaking". Yes, they were slow to work on but, if you want the effect to be right, you just have to go through the process.......think of when we wear high heels.......if you want to look pretty.....we go through the pain of wearing heels to look pretty.......don't we?
After working up to this point, I stopped & took a break for a day or two or longer. Then back to drawing again......my drawing was not completed when I started to work on the delphinium petals......what you see below are random drawings on tracing paper.....these flowers below are nasturtiums & other flower shapes & leaves....
Then I test the nasturtiums in fabric to see how they will look on the background.....
Okay.....I think I'm happy.....I place the quilt top back up on the design wall while I take a step back & look at the whole design.....
I take another break for a few days, come back & I'm not happy with that dark green fabric....
So I add another fabric to soften the dark green fabric....I think this is going to work....
Added some pink flowers on that yellow green field....
Whew!! It is now January-2013 & I'm tired of working on this piece. I've put it away at this point & I need to clean up my very messy sewing studio....
Fast forward to June-2013, I've unfolded this quilt & I'm motivated to finish it....I've selected wool batting because the folded creases will flatten out after a finished quilt is unfolded.....
I've pinned the top, batting & backing fabric & I'm ready to begin free motion quilting......but first, I pull out all the rayon threads I'll need....
Pinned all three layers so fabrics do not shift while under my sewing machine....
So many petals to quilt.....what was I thinking? I say this every time......
One petal completely done.....a lot of hours to go....I try not to think about finishing but, just working on a section at a time.......the best thing to do is to put on some music & just do it.....
Nasturtiums before quilting......
after the quilting.....by the way.....the tiny holes you see do close up....
Lots of jump stitches to trim off....
Thread waste from thread tails & jump stitches that have been trimmed off the back....
Fast forward to July-2013.....my quilt has been blocked, the binding is done, it's hanging, & I'm so happy because I can start another piece.....below is thread work from the backside....
To see the front side of my delphinium garden, scroll to the very top & click on the Gallery-Floral tab to see the quilt...
Thanks for taking time to visit.......hope you enjoyed seeing some of the process of making this cottage garden come to life....
Have a wonderful day!
