Autumn Splendor Confetti Quilting

 Autumn Splendor

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” 

― L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables.

Here it is at a distance (figuratively speaking), which helps it all come together in the mind's eye.  I've been looking at it up close and personal for too long, so I appreciate the perspective.

This one has been many years in the hopper.  I started it at the October Quilt Camp back in 2011, with scraps from the Red Curry Quilt Top (also yet to be finished).

The view out the window that year was very similar to this.  I don't think I took a photo myself.   Did I?  However, I used an inspiration photo from Sue Bleweiss (Used by permission).  It was a young-ish tree in full color, and much shorter than the larger trees around it.  Or maybe it was just a splendid branch?

Chaos!

The basic technique is to drop bits and scraps on a background fabric, layer it over with tulle, pin it all together, then sew the heck out of it.  I used a layer of batting underneath as stabilizer.

Here it is from the back.  Lots of free motion stitching / embroidery to add texture, color, 

and stability.

I kept going back to add more stitching on the under story so that it would recede more.  Kind of neat how it all just blends together, like pointillism.  Remember the old tv sets that were millions of tiny dots of color?

Then the tree trunks seemed to get lost, so I added some trunk-y yarns to add texture and contrast to help them stand out more.

Today, I decided enough was enough.  Time to add some borders and call it almost done.  I still need to add the backing and binding. But much closer than before!

Sometimes, you just need to get some distance (time and space) from a project to start liking it again.  Sometimes, that's what it takes for a project to come together as a whole--after you've been caught in the details for so long.

Stained Glass Quilt Top is Done

 Stained Glass Quilt Top

Finished up this "stained glass" quilt top last weekend.  It was made from a jelly roll of 2-1/2 inch strips, along with the black sashing.  It came together quickly and easily -- when I finally gave it the time it deserved.   I think I've been calling it "Tossed Coins" in previous posts.

It always reminded me of the big stained glass windows in those old stone churches in France.
I guess it also looks like some of the more modern stained glass I've seen here in the us -- more like mosaics with thick dark borders, allowing the color and light through.  

The Pattern: Fuzzy Logic from this booklet.

It is definite Color Therapy to sit next to it, and letting the colors and light seep into me. 
We all have our ways of coping ...

I'll probably sandwich with backing and batting at Quilt Camp in October of this year, because I'll have the flat space on the tables to spread out and work on it. 

I like this pattern so much, I think I might go ahead and start sewing strips for another one in a different color way.  Perhaps those Copper Canyon strips I bought a while back, and can't remember what pattern I had in mind for them ...