Fun with Ginkgoes

It's time to put aside my problems with the Tragedy on Esplanade quilt. It will be finished in 2011. I'd like to tell you about my most recently completed quilt Ginkgoes Galore. It is a quilt with joyous color, ginkgo leaves and a purple vase. Actually its working title was Ginkgo Tea Party.

This is the background for Ginkgoes Galore. It went through many evolutions, this is the final one!

I already had fabricated; cut and fused several large blue to purple ginkgo leaves.  I tried scattering them around the background much like another quilt, Yellow Ginkgoes on Blue and Green. My leaves were huge like the Yellow Ginkgo piece, but that didn't seem to be very successful this time.

Then came that shopping trip to TJ Maxx, where I found a wonderful vase for $4.99. 

Here it is, the wonderful $4.99 purple vase. I love the color, the unsymmetrical shape, somewhat reminiscent of a urinal!

This is just what my quilt needed. Instead of ginkgo leaves floating around, I'd place them in this purple vase.  Now what will is sit on?

A tablecloth would work. I considered a laundry basket full of fabrics before deciding on which would work the best. Quilters that do little actual designing don't realize that there are many options to consider before making the final decision.  I auditioned red fabrics, black and white, white, solid black and purple.  When I do this I wind up with a huge pile of rejected fabrics on the floor of my studio. This process could take as long as a day.  But I decided rather quickly on a black and white print, set it on the diagonal and put the vase on it. There would be plenty of room for a teapot or cups, you'll remember the tea party theme.

Here is the vase sitting on the paper pattern for the tablecloth. The leaves have been fused and assembled on bakers parchment.

Two cups were added and placed on the tablecloth. The piece was quilted and edges finished. Currently it is hanging in my living room. It makes me feel good when I walk past it. I can enjoy a cup of tea while looking at it.

Here is the completed quilt Ginkgoes Galore

You may read more about it on my website and will find a larger image and 3 detail shots of the stitching and leaves.  Enjoy.

Ann Fahl