Thursday 10 March 2011

First time for everything (including Charley Harper)

I'm taking part in the Charley Harper Quiltalong.  I thought I'd give this a go because I've never:

a) Built a patchwork block inspired by a picture before
b) Joined in a Quiltalong before
c) Heard of Charley Harper (sorry folks!)

These felt like good reasons to join in, so I set about trying to find an image.  Hmmm more tricky than I thought as there are SO MANY great pictures. Hours later, propped up in bed with my laptop and with multiple google searches (most of which annoyingly also brought back Charlie Sheen!) I had a shortlist of images.  My aim, to make a wall hanging for Felix's room.

Here are some of the nearly picks!.

I had to discard fab book illustrations like this one because they're not really appropriate for a child's room.

And this Otter is uber cute, but not challenging enough, I thought.

Family Owlbum :) sooooo nearly made it....


But instead I opted for colour, and am using a little segment of a woodland scene.  See the bottom left hand corner?

That's what I'm going to base my wall hanging on!

Having decided, I faced my next challenge.  How the heck to set about it?!  I need a plan.....


and here it is!  A mixture of traditional patchwork piecing, applique and free motion stitching (all in my head at the moment!).  I really want to bind the hole that the mouse is looking out of, but have never bound a circle before...anyone done this?  I'd love to hear from you if you have, or if you've got any other ideas for my mouse!

x

9 comments:

  1. Super post - I love the 'how to' illustration (Flickr mail me and let me in on the secret of how you did this please)

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  2. Oh, my! Fickle me! I want to do the inappropriate roof top illustration!

    People, birds, cooking, architecture. How fun to do the outlining in embrodiery. I'd pick this one up, drop the vacay quilt, and do the web one. Would you mind my doing the roof top?

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  3. It's going to look fab, I can't wait. I seem to be more excited about everyone else's than my own.
    Emma x

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  4. Oooh the mouse is sooo cute!

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  5. Hi Kathryn, I know! I've just got to do him justice in fabric! You should try Charley Harper in glass.. (might be a little tricky!)

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  6. What a great choice, and awesome diagrams! Can't wait to see the results!

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  7. Ooooo....so looking forward to seeing this xx

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  8. I'm thinking reverse applique for the hole. Is that on your menu of techniques?

    Otherwise you could not cut OUT the hole, but make a circle to put on top. There are a number of ways to apply a perfect circle.

    My email is linked to my name here; if you have questions, just mail me.

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  9. As I subbed to your blog here and looked over the last few entries, I see you already know how to reverse applique, even if you don't know that term. *S*

    On March 4th I saw you had done it when you were practicing with the new foot for your machine. I still think that would be the best and easiest option for your little mouse.

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