Monday, September 3, 2012

blue and white


Fuji blue morning glory is my favorite of all time due to the colors and it's long lasting blooms
Keith brought me this morning glory plant about 12 years ago from a farmer's market vendor and we have had it growing in our gardens ever since. I did watercolors of it and have not seen the same one anywhere else so I cultivated the seeds from dried pods on the first vine. It's sweet because is is compact and grows blooming from the bottom to the top, remaining open all day, unlike other types of morning glories.
I really like the clean look of a rich blue and white design in this flower. Seeing it this morning was a reminder how much I do like this plant but it hasn't done very well this year. I hope I have enough seed to start it again next year.

Yesterday Keith and I took a trip to Joann's Fabrics in Greenbelt, Maryland and he bought me a few more blue patterned fabrics to work into the blue and white project, by bed time I had completed 12 plate blocks. We had a deluge of 2.20 inches of rain fall on our garden last night! During which I tried out some new PVA material "Wash n Gone" that melts away in water to cut and turn over some circles for the center of each "plate" it works like a dream saving a lot of hard handy work turning and stitching by hand these parts. Still I have a dilemma to solve. I have centers to match the plates or center's to match the background fabric and I can't decide which is better. I was leaning towards the matched plate and center circle but this morning I am looking at the background match and thinking it is more like Great Grandmother Cassell's quilt my inspiration.
center circle matches background 

center circle smaller and matching the plate color

dark plate with dark center
When you see them all on the design wall you get a better sense of the feeling. It seems to integrate better when the center of the plate matches the background than when it matches the plate. I am curious what my readers think? Match the background or match the plate? Leave a comment and help me decide. Now it's time to get back to work on my plates, only 18 more to go...
Proof in the rain gauge we got a lot of rain this morning from that tropical depression that visited Mississippi valley last week! 
The New York asters are blue and our garden clogs are bright orange which is a nice complement.

2 comments:

Jessie said...

52 ortsrucHi Frederick,
I like the plates where the center matches the background the best! The shape has more definition that way. It makes it more obvious that it is pieced, not just a single flower shape cut out and appliqued. (IMHO)
I also like the blocks with the larger centers especially if you use the background print for the centers. Hope you bring these blocks with you tomorrow so we can see them in person! Looking forward to meeting you.

Frederick Nunley said...

Jessie, it was great to meet you. I did use the biggish center pieces and added some blanket stitching around that center. I agree with you that looked the best. I am sorry I didn't bring that project to show and tell at yesterday's meeting. (9-15-2012) I will bring some to the meeting next month along with the rose star project. Your paper piecing quilt design is stellar and I hope you get that ready to quilt soon.