Elle and Dave....Finished!

The best part about doing crazy quilt "portraits" is getting to spend that quality time with the subject. It's been great smiling down at Elle and Dave while I've been working on this.

The wreath around the center section just evolved as I went along. This is as much collage work as crazy quilting...and the intersection of those two approaches is becoming more and more of interest to me.
So the goal is not "how much can I enrich this with fancy stitching and embellishments?" but, "what do I need to add to make this composition right?" These are two equally valid, but different, questions.

Some detail shots.....

I made the big white flower, but purchased the pink/yellow one on the right at the Dollar Store. All is fair game in C.Q., this we know. The little orange ribbon flower and the crocheted yellow bloom in the bottom right were both purchased and tacked on, too.

These velvet leaves were from the infinitely dangerous 3rd Floor of Britex Fabrics in San Francisco. (If you click on the link, you'll see what I mean.) But I think they are pretty easy to come by. Machine applique made them go on fast.

They also illustrate the collage process. They went on over other appliqued leaves, seam treatments already sewn...I was just building the composition as I went along.

I loved using vintage quilt blocks for the background of the photo, and know I'll be trying that again. The plaid, camo, and paisley jacquard ribbon from Ally's Bazaar helped keep the quilt fresh against that antique background.

Don't those two look so joyfully expectant though? I can't wait to meet those twin girl babies....