Sunflowers are one of my favorites. They are so big, sunny and cheerful. And in the midst of the beastly cold snap we’re experiencing in the NC Piedmont, they are a welcoming sight. I’d wanted to do this wall hanging for some time and started it about 4 or 5 years ago. Thought I’d never finish it! The background is various sunflower fabrics sewn together in uneven strips. It was then quilted and bound. I wanted the sunflowers to make a BIG statement so I decided to do a dimensional applique.
All the petals and leaves were sewn right sides together then turned. The stems were cut on the bias, machine sewn down on one side then hand stitched on the other. The petals were put in place and machine quilted.
The centers of the flowers were fun to construct. Three quarter inch strips were sewn together, cross cut, then sewn together again to make a checkerboard. This project was definitely consuming me at this point! There was no way the centers could be sewn down by machine – too thick. I chose brown pearl cotton and a hefty needle, but still could not easily sew. Pliers to the rescue! This turned into work and made my hand ache, so I attacked it little by little each evening.
The centers still needed something so I added some beads. Then hubby suggested that the quilt needed a bee. I just stared at him for a moment and then declared, “you are so right!” A few sketches later and a trip to the store for yellow and black beads, the bee was taking shape in my head. It took a whole evening to stitch that li’l critter and I love him! Thanks hubby! After I added the bee’s “flight pattern” it was definitely time to celebrate – “Reach For The Sun” was complete!
The date on the label should be February 2017 – when I made the label and quilted it in, I was SO sure the quilt would be done last November!!
Linking up with Em’s Scrapbag, Let’s Bee Social, WIPS on Wednesdays, Super Mom No Cape and My Quilt Infatuation.
This was not looking like your typical baby quilt with bright primary colors or batiks, but I really liked the idea of keeping the mountain theme in the quilt. The body was all half-square triangles with the center being framed. The bear and pine tree are appliqued.
