Friday, November 10, 2023

Bramble Blossoms #2

 I have been watching everyone's progress and have been stumped.  

First of all I was thinking about the name. . . Bramble Blossoms.  I thought maybe I ought to be literal and do something with thorns.  What has more thorns on it that most other flowers?  Roses, you say?  Well, I was taking it a little farther. . . I was thinking wild roses.  Can you believe all those thorns?



Wild roses have lovely blossoms.


And come in different colors.


There is a really lovely pink but I didn't get a picture of that one.

And they have rose hips.  Aren't these great?


Well, I couldn't get excited about this idea so I tried to think of something else.  And then, a tulip I had seen in one of my magazines came to mind.  I see it every once in a while as I'm flipping through pages looking for something else.  I make a mental note that I would like to applique that tulip some time.  So, I went hunting.  It took me two days but I found the pattern.  It is in Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine. And yes, it is as delightful as I remembered.  And it would kind of be paying homage to Audrey and the lovely tulips she puts in some of her quilts.

Folk Art Tulip by Kerri Arthur of Calico Rabbit Patterns


And then I thought,  "This is supposed to be about me not someone else.  What flowers bring a smile to my face and aren't super difficult to applique (because I came up with lots of other ideas and they were way to complicated)."

I finally decided on Hollyhocks.  I'm always taking photos of them, in fact here I am posing amongst them in 2013. 

 (Not the most flattering picture but when you're my age flattering pictures are in the past.)


AND, I was excited about this idea.  

So, I had to finish the current Christmas project I was working on and that seemed to take a really long time but it's done and I'm prepared.

Found where this pattern is available.   https://marglowdesigns.bigcartel.com/category/pdf-patterns


Just today I got out pictures to look at to see the actual shapes of blossoms and leaves and tried to do a couple of sketches.


And then I got out my stack of fabrics to see what looked like hollyhocks.  

Well, generally speaking . . . 

And here is what I came up with.


I chose my greens and then the red at the top center is the only one that came out of my stack.  I had to go hunting for pink and rosy tones.  I may or may not use all these colors for blossoms, we'll see.

So,  I've started the journey and now I can relax and sew.  

(I'm just kidding about the relax part.)

Robin

14 comments:

audrey said...

I had to pin the tulip pic to my Pinterest board, it's really that good! And yes, I can see your plan for Hollyhocks coming into play nicely! I think Buggy Barn used to do some patterns with those flowers. They are such a timeless look.:) Glad that you're excited about them!

Cathy said...

Oh, Hollyhocks! What a great choice. I love the old fashioned kind. Lovely colors you are going to use too!

Katie said...

Hollyhocks will be great - you can make them taller or shorter to fit your space so easily. And the pinks you've chosen are so pretty.

Nancy said...

Look at you go! I love that you shared your thought process as you came to the decision about hollyhocks. Your drawings give you a great option for simple or more complicated flowers. And great greens, too. I'm looking forward to seeing your fabrics turn into flowers!

Quilting Babcia said...

Love the idea of the hollyhocks, such an old fashioned beauty that I rarely see anymore. That's also a great improv tulip too, maybe for a subsequent quilt? I'm thinking either tulips or daffodils now. Had a sunflower all drawn out on template mylar, then set it aside after considering just how many individual petals would need to be appliqued for each blossom.

Linda said...

I love hollyhocks - is this for a sew-along? I need to check back in your posts to find those Santa embroideries - so cute! I love the painting behind it too!

Julierose said...

Hollyhocks are a fabulous idea!! My project has necessarily stalled out with
my thumb issue--still too sore to sew and kind of afraid of using the machine that I won't be able to move it out of the way when moving fabric through. so I am in "WAIT" mode--not my favorite place to be either....
Looking forward to seeing your pieces come to life;))) hugs, Julierose

Michele McLaughlin said...

As much as I love that tulip pattern, I love hollyhocks more! I think you are going to have a blast making this and I love the fabrics you chose. By the way, that very thorny stem may indicate the rose has a disease. I had that happen to my roses and have lost all of them. Hope that's not in your garden!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Rebecca in AK said...

I think your Hollyhocks will be lovely! Your sketch looks like a good start and your fabrics are going to make beautiful hollyhocks.

Jeanne said...

Hollyhocks will be delightful! We always had a row of them growing along the picket fence when we lived in the mountains.

Mystic Quilter said...

Hollyhocks - a good idea! You had some beauties in your 2013 photo, lovely soft pink. I agree 100% the quilt is about you and so go with what you're comfortable with.I've had problems re thorns if I went with brambles and had to deviate a little too.

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

Wow those thorns are crazy. You are beautiful, and I have been told I am the youngest I will ever be in my life, so don't talk to yourself that way. The hollyhocks are a great idea, and you are off to a great start.

Paulette said...

Great idea to do hollyhocks! There is something wild rose-like about their blooms, too. Pretty fabric pull!

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

Yes, I too started out pondering about 'brambles' and thinking I could explore that more... but then I went all-out with my blooms LOL! I love your hollyhocks ideas, look forward to seeing more.

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