So, without further ado, here's what I have been up to. When last we left Titania she was wingless and indecisive. Due to popular opinion, including my own, I went with the plain purple wings and here's where we stand today (click to embiggen, then go to all sizes):
I fused her wings to the block and then couched some lovely purple sparkly braid around the outer edges to help with the fraying. I also stitched some tiny metallic thread to emphasize the shape of the wing as well has help hold the fabric down (it didn't fuse very well because of the wrinkles). Then, I backstitched with teeny tiny stitches all the way around her dress and hair as well as the tree. Her hair is also backstitched throughout to try and give the impression of lots of curls (we are rather fond of curls in my family!). Getting this far has helped me get a good feel for how everything in the center portion will work but I won't do any more until she is brought together with all the other center blocks.
And, speaking of center blocks, here are the three bottom blocks of the center portion. I set them up so you can see how they will fit together:
I used Allie's curved piecing method to give some flow to the picture. Of course I haven't seen her do it in person but once I got going it fell into place pretty quickly. At least it did for the left and center blocks... I waited a couple of weeks before I did the right hand block and had to completely re-learn how to do it! I think once I have lots of foliage and flowers and sprinkles and fairies and all that lovely stuff added it will look pretty good. At least I sure hope so! The vines curling around the long seams are running stitch and I plan on adding some leaves and flowers to them. In my mind's eye I see those vines curling through the grasses and ferns on the edges of the glade, rather like bindweed. I just started working on the ferns this week and am really enjoying figuring out how to add depth and life to them. They are done with fern stitch and lazy daisy stitches. I'm so looking forward to exploring this forest glade!
I've also nearly completed the beading of all the seams of the outer blocks. I've been taking each section to work and beading during my lunch hour. Everybody oohs and aahs over it, then says I'm crazy! Yup, that would be me, crazy for crazy quilting... LOL!!
Yesterday I hit Bead World here in Phoenix to pick up some leaf and flower beads. That place really makes me drool! I barely managed to control myself but I still spent too much, as always! Ah, well, they will be lovely on the quilt!
OK, that's about it for tonight. Take care, lovely ladies, and hope to "see" you soon!!
