New Project Direction - Art Quilt

I really enjoyed the links to quilters that other quilt bloggers have on their sites! I must add this to my site too. Through visiting several links this way I found my way to Ruth McDowell's site and have since ordered every book that the libraries have in 2 counties! I have not been able to put them down! Ruth is an artist and has a technique and style for pieced art quilts. I was especially captivated by the flowers and the people! She offers weeklong workshops in Mass. Oh my.... do I want to GO! But wait, they are not until NEXT year 2009 (July/Aug & Oct) and I could NOT wait that long (assuming I could afford to go anyway :)

After reading her books instructions and diagrams in Piecing and Design Workshops particularly and studying her technique and samples on the web, I was ready to try to make one of her sample quilts to see how I like (and if I can be successful with) the technique. Although it is not my prefernce to make a quilt the same as someone else's, I am allowing myself to do this as a study of the technique...and I can see this will take some patient study!

The pattern is the "Water Lily" which was inspired by my friend's backyard Koi pond with water lilies growing in it! In that pond there were white ones (like in the design) and a purple one...humm I might try that. Well here is the beginning step....creating (in this case tracing) the pattern and adding markings. Next (the BEST Part) will be making fabric selections. I already know I want to use more of a bright Carribean ocean blue color fabrics (and have some variety from scraps of a Jan Mullen "Butterfliez" quilt made a few years ago). Here is the photo of that quilt.

Here's the photo of the pattern....Then I won't be able to post any more photos since my daughter is taking the camera to Japan with her!