As usual, my thoughts and ideas for this theme challenge were all over the place, but I finally settled on using this image as inspiration.
This is a favorite coffee shop in my city. I enjoy it for the fun latte art (the coffee itself isn't my favorite) and the lovely little floral bouquets at each table. The floral bouquet is the inspiration for my quilt, but the coffee comes into play just a bit, too.
I decided to challenge myself to see if I could make a little floral bouquet using all circles and squares. It was quite fun, although I had to think a bit on how to incorporate squares! Here's my finished bouquet.
The blue fabric used for the table is actually an old chambray shirt my husband used to wear. My initial idea for this challenge was to use a larger piece of that shirt and add circles and squares to it. I started by adding coffee rings and was going to stitch around them, but then the rest of that idea just wouldn't settle in. However, I thought having a table with coffee rings was a fun idea (the actual tables at the coffee shop are pristine, in case you were wondering).
Hopefully you can see those coffee rings in that photo. From there, I built the bouquet, using only circles and squares. The vase is two squares on point, set on top of a half-circle. The bouquet itself is a mix of circles and squares - I just let my imagination run.
The pieces are all cut freehand. They were stitched to the quilt top using raw edge nachine applique, which got a bit wonky in plaees, but worked out okay enough for me. Rather than using batting for this piece, I used fusible fleece, which I fused to the background before I added the bouquet. Once the bouquet quilting was done, I added the backing to the quilt top and finished with some free motion quilting. It didn't occur to me to do circles and squares in the free motion quilting, so I just practiced a bit of my free hand, which still needs a lot of practice!
The backing is a scrap piece of blue from my stash, and I had to add a striped binding to add a finishing little pop to the quilt.
This was a fun challenge for me because I had never tried that free motion quilting around circles. It was a little bit of a challenge at first, but I may have to mess with it a bit more. I always learn some new technique with each challenge.
Wendy
That is very cute and clever, Wendy. Love it. Barbara
ReplyDeleteThank you, Barbara. It took me awhile to come up with an idea, but I'm happy with the outcome!
DeleteI am amazed and impressed that you were able to represent your favourite cafe flowers using only circles and squares Wendy! The coffee rings are an inspired addition to your so charming quilt :)
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to see if I could create a bouquet with just circles and squares. There were quite a few renditions before I settled on this one. Thanks!
DeleteThis is great. I'm very impressed with the way you managed to take that bouquet with no circles or squares and use it as inspiration for this fun and quirky image :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! Those little bouquets at the coffee shop are so lovely. It's amazing what just a little touch like that can do for a table. I had fun with the challenge!
DeleteI love how you used squares on point to make the vase and adding the coffee cup rings as marks is a lovely touch. - Ruth
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ruth. I initially had a square vase and a much larger bouquet, but then I realized I could go a bit smaller and make a more creative vase. Funny how the piece changes before it's finished!
DeleteI like how you participate in these challenges. Seems like it makes you think (and sew) "out of the box", as they say. A very lovely bouquet! I checked out your hummingbird, too. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIt definitely does, and I enjoy learning something new with each challenge. Thanks!
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