Gaillardia

First post complete.  Now, what have I been doing for the last 2 years?  I am always busy.  I am a flea on a hot stove.  I am not averse to creating complicated quilts, but they take a long time to make, so I am not terribly productive when compared to some quilters I read about.

I was out walking after a rainstorm several years ago.  We have gaillardia growing all over the place.  I don't know whether they strayed from planted seeds or whether they are part of our normal flora here.  I took photos of a bunch of flowers that day, and got to the place where I was taking pictures just to take pictures.  I saw a very bedraggled gaillardia at the end of its beauty and somewhat the worse for wear after the storm, but the light was great.  I snapped the shot and when I saw it later I loved it.  That flower was colorful, dramatic and artistic.   I thought many times that I would like to do a quilt of it, but was always into some other project.  Now I had finished my latest and I did not have any UFO's.  I do not ever have UFO's.  I finish or toss.

Bedraggled gaillardia.

I even converted it to black and white.

Off to the computer where I had already developed my idea, but needed to create a pattern.  My method was fused appliqué, which I love doing.  I can create so many details that can't be pieced.  I don't think I even had to buy any fabric as I have a pretty substantial stash.  So... it was done!

I

Gaillardia quilt.

I did not succeed in showing the pokey things that come out of the center.  Maybe next time.

  Just for laughs here are some other photos I have taken of this bright and moody flower.

Sew some happy seams this week.  Have fun with your needles, threads and fabrics.

 I am wondering if I have any readers left.  I quit blogging when Blogger went over the top with so many changes and many of them did not work properly.  I hope that has changed so I will give it a try.  I think it has been about two years and I have been busy.  I may have stopped blogging, but I never stop sewing, dreaming sewing, creating sewing, and...well you get the drift.

I believe I left off when I was working on the Mayan Mask.  I finally added a new section to my mosaic quilt to solve a problem.  I put the mask on the new top part along with some colorful bird graphics.  Then I bound the quilt with the fancy prairie points.  This was binding with a facing and I love that method.  I do dislike doing traditional binding and I found this much easier.

King's Mosaic

Prairie Point Binding

This is the best I can do with photos on Blogger.  Still frustrated by that.  These show the various interesting points on the quilt and some of the quilting.

Enjoy a great week, summer weather, and summertime activities.

Mardi