Playing

I've played with art quilts a little, usually because of a challenge or something, and I'm always putting my own twist on a quilt when I use a pattern, but this week I decided to try something completely different.  I was inspired by a friend in a Facebook Art Quilt group when she made a small wallhanging with a woven background.   I wanted a raw edge look so I cut a piece of batting, tore some strips from neutrals, and started.

This is what my sewing room looks like after I've pulled neutrals and played a while.

So far so good......  

......but after sleeping on it I decided I really did not like that pinkish strip across the middle.  

Ahhhhh, that's much better!

It needed a little pop.

I couldn't think where to go next, but my grandson Gavin suggested that  I add my favorite flowers somewhere.  Poppies!  How could I go wrong with poppies?
Naturally, my first thought was to appliqué them, but I woke up during the night thinking of the fabric I had left from my "Poppies-A-Plenty" quilt which I shared in this post.

I've never done broderie perse before, but now is the time to try new things, right?  So I cut out some poppies.

This is what it looks like tonight.  A good start I'd say.  

I'm feeling pretty pleased so far.  The little green strip I added looks good.  I'm waiting for the next wave of inspiration to hit.  Who knows where it will go from here.....

My New Project for May --- and a Finish!!

The project I started in May for the 2013 NewFo Challenge is almost exactly like the one I started in February - appliqued stars on a neutral background.  Only this time the stars are pink!

I got all the stars finished and all the strips cut.


When I got the other quilt top put together I decided I didn't like it because there wasn't enough contrast.  Most of my neutrals were so similar that it looked like the stars were appliqued to a solid background.  Quilting it made all the difference, though.  I hand quilted it with aqua thread which made the individual strips stand out a little more. 

Of course, a quilt always looks better when the quilting is finished!  Now I love this baby quilt!

I am linking up with Barbara at Cat Patches.  Now to see what other quilters are up to!