Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Spring Wildlife Wall Hanging

Several years ago I bought six black and white blocks depicting wildlife and trees we see up here in the North Woods. I stored them away in one of my boxes of quilting fabric waiting for inspiration to strike as to the best way to use them in a quilted piece. Well, now I only have three of them still left waiting for inspiration because I finally used three in this wall hanging.





I wanted to create something to use in the early spring months. A time that is still without much color up here so the black and white blocks fill the bill for that. The surrounding colors I chose, worked in a modified Log Cabin block, add color to the piece along with reminding me of the pastels of early blooms and greenings mixed with the darker colors of branches and twigs.



I machine pieced and hand quilted it.






I did some quilting in each wildlife block to give it texture. (Unfortunately, I lack the photographic skill to make the hand quilting show up in the above photo. Or perhaps lack a good enough camera. Or perhaps a combination of both!)



Now, anybody got a good idea for a quilted piece using a block of bald eagles soaring, a clump of birch trees, and evergreens on a hillside?



7 comments:

MaineCelt said...

What a nice choice for early Spring. The deep gingham strips are like the concentrated colours of new-growth twigs and buds before the paler blossoms appear.

This hanging reminds me a bit of a shawl my mother sent me. It is made of very soft Scottish wool and the tartan pattern was specially designed to reflect the colours of the moors when the heather blooms. There are muted browns interwoven with subtle hints of purple, green, and dark red. When I wear it, it's like wrapping myself up in one of my most beloved landscapes!

MaineCelt said...

Silly me. Of course I meant plaid, not gingham.

Mama Pea said...

MaineCelt #1 - I'd love (and I'm sure others would also) to see a picture of your shawl on your blog. Any chance of that? Pretty, please? Huh? Huh?

MaineCelt #2 - A mere detour on the path from the brain to the tongue . . . or in this case, finger tip. It happens to me so often people now understand me. Sigh.

RuthieJ said...

I love the wall hanging! Good job Mama Pea!

Mama Pea said...

Thanks, Ruthie! I'm still surprised every time I look at it to see the black and white blocks in a quilted piece rather than in the box of fabrics where they lived for so long!

Melissa said...

Did you get those blocks at the quilt shop in Beaver Bay? I love that place and drool whenever we stop there. I got two moose blocks like these there and gave them to my crafty sister in law. Beautiful work by the way!

Mama Pea said...

Hey, Melissa - Good to hear from you. Yup, that's where I got the blocks. Thanks for the kind words.