4.06.2011

Charming Cuckoo

Thanks for all your kind words about my Caravan fabric. I'm not completely giving up hope on it, just putting it away for a couple of weeks. I've got a couple of projects to start and finish in the next two weeks, so I had to get my sneak peak from last post done.

So without further ado:



Charming Cuckoo


When I saw the contest announcement for the March Moda Bake Shop Challenge, I knew it was kismet. I had just fallen head-over-heels in love with Hideaway. I quickly found a pattern on the Bake Shop called Charming Stars that seemed perfect.




The original pattern called for yardage to make the stars. I wanted to play up the gingham in the Hideaway line and I already had two charm packs. I was trying not to buy too much yardage, so I bought another charm pack. That meant getting really creative on how I sewed the stars to minimize waste, but it all worked out.




I knew I wanted to include embroidery in the quilt and was thinking I would have to design a cuckoo clock pattern. About a day later Aimee Ray released her cuckoo clock pattern. Kismet! I really drug out the stitching, which is why I ultimately missed the deadline for the contest (and somehow the linen I stitched on --originally the same white as the sashing-- became discolored), but I wouldn't love this as much without the embroidery so I am A-OK with it.




I happened to have a yard of the cute village print from the day I was introduced to the fabric, but I thought it needed a little something extra. These mini stars were just the ticket.




And I couldn't just meander around the embroidery, so I did a bit of stippling in each star and then quilted a series of chained circles in the sashing. I was thinking clocks but they look more like eggs. I'm A-OK with that, too.




Particularly because I think the quilted back is pretty cool. I talked myself into doing a solid piece of Kona for the backing -- this is meant to be a wall quilt, so the back won't be seen; Kona is cheaper than a good quality print, and little piecing means a fast backing! Now I'm really glad I did, and I'm thinking maybe someday I'll tackle a whole cloth quilt.




So Charming Cuckoo has me thinking April won't be se bad. I even got to take photos outside!


-- Post From My iPad

6 comments:

Lynz said...

Bloody hell that's cute!!! You should definitely give a wholecloth quilt a go - that back is beautiful!!

April (Polkadot Sparrow) said...

Wow. What a cool piece. And you're an embroidery champ! That must have taken for EVER! Love the cuckoo clock idea.

AnneMarie said...

Love that embroidery! Gotta get me some Hideaway. Your quilt looks great! Psst..bring it to the next meeting!

Mama Bear said...

This is great! The embroidery, the quilting, the bright colors and that clock! This quilt says to me that it's time for nice weather and such.

Thimbleanna said...

I LOVE it Beth!!! That fabric is adorable and HOLY COW how cute is that embroidery in the middle??? FANTASTIC job!!!

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