I had a few days off from the museum last week so spent some time organizing my brain around Adelaide's quilt.
She wants a navy polka dot background and I had collected a few yellow/orangey batiks for the sunflower petals.
I enlarged the style of flowers she chose, labelled each flower and each petal. Then cut out each petal, again labelling everything well. She isn't going to notice the placement of each petal but I do want to remember how they fit together in the picture.
After tracing them and cutting them out I thought I should get her opinion before proceeding. Remember, she knows exactly what she wants and I don't want any disappointments at the end of this.
This is an example of the arrangement she wants...not these flowers, not this pattern, not this background but this arrangement of flowers, a spray of three. I do realize this is a copyrighted pattern and I am not using it, copying it or stealing it. I'm just showing you an example of an arrangement of a spray of flowers she wants.
OK, that's done. I needle turn applique by hand. I don't used fusibles nor glue or machine applique ever. My conundrum is how to do this without holding yardage in my hand and lap. Right now I'm leaning toward cutting the background fabric into three large pieces that will accommodate the flowers individually and then putting them back together. But then there are the stems.
I keep staring at this and thinking "ok, do it." Or "ok, cut it so two flowers can be done and then a smaller piece." Or "cut them into three large squares, applique the flowers, put them back together and then do the stems" which will be more straight line-ish stitching than the twisting and turning of the flowers.
Usually I can fall asleep trying to solve a quilt problem and then a solution will come to me. But this one keeps giving me options on how to handle it. I am TERRIBLE with that adage "measure twice, cut once" because I can measure ten times, leave it for days, look at it, decide, cut and dang if it's wrong!
Opinions? Options I don't see? Thoughts? Ideas?
You are a beaver woman than me to undertake this monstrosity. If it weren't for all the petals, one big piece would be awkward, but do-able. But the pieces make me wonder about the alignment of the dots when reconnected. I think no matter what you do, it's going to be a hassle, but my thought is maybe cut the background into triangular-ish pieces for each flower? Leave the petals half-sewn where the stems need to go in and then do that little bit after the parts are all together.
ReplyDeleteIt always makes me nervous to make something with someone else's expectations so I can understand your reluctance to begin. I appliqued on a large finished quilt top once and was able to figure out how to stitch without holding the full quilt in my hand. It's easier (although awkward) than you think. You can do it!
ReplyDeleteCould you use dots of ‘baste it glue’ on the petals to the centre of flower. Stitch any areas that overlap, then stitch the unseen piece to the polka dot fabric. As half the flower is already stitched together it won’t take as long on the piece.
ReplyDeleteI think Jo is onto a good plan - make as much of the flowers as you can - then applique to the backing......it will be much nicer with no seams
ReplyDeleteI like Jo's idea too. The flowers look great.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the girls have come up with a potential solution for you without having joins in the background. I’m sure you will make a beautiful job of it.
ReplyDeleteperfect idea to make the flowers and then applique onto background.
ReplyDeleteI understand pondering on a design for days or even weeks, years. The planning is fun for me, and I want to choose well.
ReplyDelete