Friday, March 8, 2013

"Twenty Years in the Garden"

Val and I have sent in our manuscript!  There is much work left to do before it is published in May 2014...but almost all of it is C & T's job at this point.  ;-) Which means that after 15 months, I can turn my attention to something else. And blog about it!

So it has been so much fun to begin my quilt for this year's annual fundraiser/contest for the Quilt Alliance (formerly named The Alliance for American Quilts, but now it has gone international--hence the name change.)  The theme is "Twenty", to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Quilt Alliance.

The guidelines for entering are here.  I hope you will do it!

I've been itching to do an embroidered landscape, so I chose to depict "Twenty Years in the Garden".  We've actually lived here for 22 years now, but it's close enough...

I thought I would just post a series of photos showing the process...













I'm "planting" favorites that have recurred through the years: the sunflowers under the alder tree, hygrangeas that I love but Robert doesn't, always a border of zinnias....of course, the beds in the foreground are for our favorite vegetables....

Nice to be back here with you!





12 comments :

Gretchen said...

Incredible!!!!!! I'm new to your blog and happened upon it a few days back. This is amazing. I have only been quilting for a little over two years. I have been exploring pictorial quilting. Do you turn the edges under or raw edge sew? It's absolutely stunning with all the flower details.

JennyPennyPoppy said...

Wow - this is a wonderful quilt. Love all the different fabrics you used for everything and all the details you're putting into it. Simply fabulous.

Raspberry said...

I think this might be one of my favorites you've done (that I've seen!). I love to see your process.

Suzanne Kistler said...

Welcome back!

Elizabeth said...

I t is great to have you back allie!! So do you fuse before you stitch everything down? Is that a can of spray fusing stuff I saw in one photo??? Also I do hope that you don't always paint with a jar of paint sitting on your quilt top!! that shot gave me pause..... So were you shading the green with the dyna flo??? It is coming along gloriously!! Would you share the source for those tiny sequin flowers??? Cannot wait till you new book comes out- I have sold many of your current book and one of my latest students has my copy right now... Hmmm must chase that one down!! Happy Stitching!!

Anonymous said...

Very nice to have you back!!

Marjolein said...

Lovely "gardenscape"!
Did you first fuse the fabric pieces and them stitch them down without seams?

Margaret said...

It's been far too long since I've checked in with you -- only to find you continue to produce the most stunning and beautiful recreations of flora and fauna. I will look for your next book! Delightful!

Conni said...

This is gorgeous! I love the sense of depth and the wonderful details!

Татьяна Скиба said...

Very beautiful!

FredaB said...

Hi Allie

Good to have you back. This is going to be another knockout. I too love hydrangeas especially since our trip to New Zealand. I have never seen so many and so many varieties just growing everyway. I have put a bunch in my garden the last couple of years.

Hugs

FredaB

Anonymous said...

Allison this journey with your garden quilt is fascinating it really is. You are a true artist! Robert was correct when he had you do a little "fixing" to the corn patch--it is overall WONDERFUL--thank you for sharing and I am new to this blog-glad you pointed me this way--thanks again, Mary Bonnell