1/11/19

Inspiration Strikes

Season 10 of Project Quilting is under way. If you're unfamiliar with Project Quilting, it's a series of themed challenges that challenge the quilter to make a quilt in one week. Themes are announced on Sunday. Quilts must be finished by the following Saturday. After that, there is a week-long break before a new theme is announced the following Sunday.

This first challenge for Season 10 is based on the theme "Hope Springs Eternal." It's kind of fun to participate. We were traveling all of last year, and so I missed all of Season 9. Because of that, I was kind of excited for Season 10 to get under way. When I heard the theme, I had some ideas, but no thoughts about how to put it into action. As I drove into town to run some errands yesterday, inspiration came. It was all I could do not to turn the car around and drive back home to get started that very instant. When I got home, it was one of those times when I used both arms to shove everything on my work table off onto the floor to make way for this new little quilt.

So here's my idea, and what suddenly hit me...it's my favorite quote from William Shakespeare: True hope is swift and flies with swallows wings. I found this image online at a site called Paint the World Super Coloring where I could print an image of a flying swallow.



When I had it uploaded, I used my photo editing software to enlarge it and then add the quotation above the bird. Then I used this product to print it. This is a product similar to Sulky Sticky-Fabri-Solvi. I've used the Sulky brand for embroidery once or twice. I can't remember when I switched to this brand. It works just the same.


It prints the image onto a medium that can be peeled away and stuck to the fabric you're using.


I stuck it to a small piece of Kona white and then went to work. The swallow is thread painted, and the quotation is hand embroidery. I probably tried to use a too-fancy font for the embroidery, but there's not a minute to waste, and so it will have to do.


After that, I did a quick rinse to remove the sticky background and then sewed some borders around it. I had just a couple of pieces of the swallow fabric left over from another project.


Today I'll add the back and do some simple quilting, and my little quilt will be finished. 

This morning I'm walking with Sue. We're expecting dry weather and maybe some sunshine too. Hope Springs Eternal.

11 comments:

Debbie said...

Love it! Love when inspiration is so strong and sure footed, You did a perfect job putting this together.

Julierose said...

Oh great idea;)) this will be so nice--
A quilt in a week is not my cup of tea--but I love to see what people can finish in a week.
hugs, Julierose

Quilting Babcia said...

Amazing things happen when inspiration strikes! How perfect that you had enough of the swallow fabric to go with your block.

gpc said...

I love everything about it. And Lord knows, we all could use a little more hope.

Edith said...

Very pretty quilt. I’ve never heard of that project. On a side note, Flying Swallows quilt block is a favorite of mine. I’d like to put it on my garage. Maybe I could borrow ‘your’ quote?!

Terri in BC said...

Love it! I have to finish many UFOs before I join any quilt challenges, but now that I have a possible retirement date (4 years....), I should be able to get those pesky UFOs out of the way (last count 50)

Ann said...

I love your swallow quilt. So clever. Nice work.

piecefulwendy said...

Around here, we call that a squirrel. What a great little quilt, and boy howdy, you whipped that one up in no time! So fun! The cat is keeping my squirrels at bay, but they be knocking at my quilt room door. Cannot let them in. Must get caught up. We'll see if I can hold out.

Kate said...

How fun! (And quick). You were definitely inpsired. Do you ever wonder where those thoughts come from? I've been asked to help a couple of people learn to develop new and novel projects, so it's as subject that has been on my mind a lot recently.

heartsease54 said...

This turned out amazing Barbara! The swallow fabric couldn't have been any better for this.

Brown Family said...

That is a cute little quilt. Another challenge to check out