March Block Completed - indigo

Bella the helper - or the hungry hippo!

Whew, this month snuck by so fast it's almost over before I know it!

This month's block should have been easy as pie - instead I was very stuck.  I was inspired by fabrics sent with music and Paris themes; and the anniversary of a choir tour to Europe taken 20 years ago this month. Somehow the memories and nostalgia stopped me cold.  How could I put all I feel about that trip; the friends, the places, the music, in one 12 inch block?

Ultimately of course I cannot put everything in one block, but I was still in a dither.  Do I applique one of the Eiffel towers?  Should I thread sketch one?  How can I include some of the other amazing places visited?  Can I include Alaska themes from our hometown?

The dam breaker was a box of scrap fabric sent by a friend in Alaska.  She sent me a very packed box of batik scraps from her own quilting.  In it were lush greens, bright blues, moody purples and so forth.  Playing with those made me think - what if I could intersperse those Alaska colors with the monochrome music notes and Eiffel tower?

Finally I decided on 1 inch strips of 2 blocks which will turn into 1/2 inch finished strips.  1 block of pieced batiks in blues and purples - like Paris in the spring and Alaska in winter - and a set of the eiffel tower and the music notes.  I set the eiffel tower strips off center and surrounded it with the music.  Again like Paris in spring.  Then, cut and sew, and sew some more.

I wound up blocking the block as piecing that much took the block off kilter.  I am discovering the joy of blocking - mist or soak the block and then pin it out square.  The water will let the fabric stretch a bit without distorting your threads - as long as you don't go crazy.  Let it dry (and maybe help it a bit with a hot iron) and then work with your blocked piece.

Then I backed it with the Eiffel tower fabric and had to decide on quilting.  I wanted something with some curve to contrast with the straight lines of the fabrics.  What to do?  I went and explored Leah Day's site for inspiration and found sea weed flower.  A little funky, and I like how it radiates out.  I also elected to use a contrast thread in burgundy to add to the sunset colors.

I love how it turned out.  Nothing like I originally thought, and absolutely what was needed for this bit of nostalgia.  I actually would love to go back to Paris and explore those streets 20 years later!

Time to start pulling together a package for M for April.  I definitely see some batik scraps going in there, but what else...

Happy sewing!