I just returned home from Greenville, South Carolina, where I had the pleasure of spending time with the Greenville Modern Quilt Guild for a lecture and workshop. My good friend, Cheryl from Meadow Mist Designs, is part of the guild and I had the pleasure of staying with her while I was there. Because I was flying coast to coast, I planned to arrive on Thursday to be ready for a Friday night lecture, leaving my early Friday open. Cheryl suggested I consider participating in a challenge with a few other local friends: using a photograph, create a block, mini block, or mini quilt, and we would get together as a group on Friday to see the results. It sounded like fun, and I liked the the photograph for the challenge, a grouping of pansies.
Pansy Inspiration Photograph – Create a Block, Mini Block, or Mini Quilt
I took one look at the pansies and all I could see was my Diffraction Block. A quick sketch on some scratch paper and I was convinced that with a combination of piecing techniques (curves, improv and the diffraction block), that I could create a fun pieced pansy.
Pansy Challenge Mini Quilt
For the lower half of the pansy, I pieced a yellow circle inset into a white background. Then using Kona Royal, I created 2 Diffraction blocks. After the blocks were created, I added in the purple triangles where the blocks meet.
For the upper half of the pansy, I left out the center ray in each Diffraction block and improv pieced in large arcs using Kona Royal as a frame after the block was complete.
Pansy Challenge Mini Quilt
After the mini was pieced together, I also chose to round the lower two corners to make the pansy feel more “cropped in”. I matched Kona Royal binding at the top and used a bias binding in green to finish the mini. The mini quilt finished at 21″ tall and 21″ wide.
I used a combination of Aurifil thread:
- 28wt 2135 (Yellow – outlining the yellow wedges),
- 50wt 4225 (Eggplant – outlining the inserted lines and straight line quilting in the background),
- 50wt 2024 (White – quilting the background), and
- 50wt 2870 (Green – hand stitching down the binding).
Paige and Yvonne
I gifted the finished mini to Paige Alexander (Quilted Blooms), and Cindy (Hyacinth Quilt Designs) photographed us together with the mini quilt.
Linking up with Brag About Your Beauties.
That is sew cute and creative, Yvonne! Lucky Paige!!!
What a fun idea Cheryl had! Your quilt looks great, and I love Kona Royal. Glad you had a good trip.
Oh how awesome love the block you are so talented.
Hi Yvonne! Wow – this is spot on matching the pansies. If you hadn’t shared the picture I still would have known the inspiration. What a lovely photo of you and Paige, and how nice of you to gift the finished piece to her. It sounds like they have a very active and fun guild, and how nice that you could join in on the challenge. Happy Friday! ~smile~ Roseanne
Yvonne, I love this! Pansies are such happy faces.
I love it! I love that the bottom “corners” are rounded. It really seems like it’s popping out to say “hello!”
I love the modern look of the pansy block. What a creative mind you have. How wonderful to share your time with friends on the other side of the country and to enjoy sewing time as well as teaching time. Although you have shared the diffraction pattern, I don’t know if I am creative enough to turn it into this block.
Thank you for participating in our challenge! Your mini is spot on and so pretty. It was great meeting you in person and getting to know you better!
I just love this Yvonne: It’s another great variation on the block.
I love how you interpreted the pansy shape and colors to use your Diffraction blocks. The piecing and quilting echo the texture in the petals.
I just love your interpretation of the photo! The colours are right up my alley too – this is just gorgeous. Paige is one lucky lady! 🙂
Very fun quilt–a great interpretation of a bouquet of pansies. (I also love that you are both wearing blue shirts!)
Nice you saw your Diffraction block right off and could incorporate it here! Fun to be included in the challenge AND gift it to Paige! I happily got to meet & share lunch with Paige & Cheryl at QuiltCon.
That’s a gorgeous mini! What a great interpretation of the challenge.
Again, this is just fabulous! i love how we ‘see’ quilts sometimes with a photo inspiration, and your Diffraction block worked out perfectly with that little bit of tweaking. Lucky Paige! So cool to see you two together too I might add.
Love it. Great interpretation using so many of your special skills.
It’s an interesting juxtaposition of modern and realism in the quilt. Thanks for sharing your creative process.
What a fabulous mini, Yvonne, made all the better by gifting it to a good friend!
The diffraction block is perfect for the mini pansy. Fun to see you with Paige and know you were able to see Cheryl – sounds like a fun challenge for friends.
I love how you’ve changed your diffraction block up for this challenge, it’s perfect! Paige is one lucky girl!
As usual, I am speechless! Fabulous!!!
Lovely mini and I love the picture of you and paige together – you both look great!
Love the mini! And I really love the photo of you and Paige together – you both look great!