Challenges.
They bring you to think outside the box, to try new things, find an original solution.
And often they are hidden where you would not expect.
In a baby quilt, for example.
So one day a friend contacts you and asks you for a baby quilt. But he wants something special, original.
As always I try to figure the situation: "Do you want it classic, with square blocks, or an all-over design?". He responds "an all-over".
Well well things get interesting.
Second question "Have you already thought to a subject?"
And here he drops the bomb "Yes, I would like it with -drumroll- BATS"
Grin on my face.
Bats are adorable little animals, too often mistreated and viewed as disgusting beings, if not dangerous.
The reality is that they are fascinating creatures, wonderful, cuddly and perfectly adapted to their role of flying mammals.
They suffer the fame of the vampire, but the reality is that most bats eat insects, others eat fruit and there are also bats who seeks for the pollen of flowers.
Sure sleeping upside down is not the smartest thing in the world, in our opinion, but even that makes sense for them. Think at how little effort must be done to start flying :)
(Click on images to enlarge)
For this quilt I have chosen to depict bats in search of pollen. Did you know that bats can lick the pollen as they fly hovering? A bit like a big furry hummingbird.
Considering the deep blue background, and the realistic brown bat, I inserted the white and pink bell-shaped flowers to brighten the scene. The action is enclosed, but not limited, by a yellow frame that provides light.
These are all things that I define at the design stage, when I make the first design and test colours.
Technically speaking the background is pieced while bats, leaves, flowers and branches are machine applique.
The quilting motif follows the marbling in the center panel. On the edges the quilt is in leaves motif. It isn't very dense because this is a quilt that must to be used, not an artistic panel, and should remain as soft as possible. It will wrap the baby in a cuddly hug, now that it's in the bed as well as later when he will grow up and will look the cartoons cuddling on the couch .
This is one of my favourite baby quilts and I say thanks to who challenged me to make it :)
