Struggles

Some may call it a waste of time, but when time is all you have, you fill it with the most mundane of inessential goofing off.  Over the years I have admired the works in "Galloping Pony Studio" (check it out on Pinterest) and the way Virginia Cole adds bits of quilt pieces, buttons, quotes, sayings, etc to her collages. I especially like the little Dresden plate pieces and wanted to replicate them in miniature as she does.

At first I tried making paper patterns of what I thought would work for the pieces it takes to build the plates . . . big mistake!  After spending nearly a day trying to figure that out (with the help of the internet), I gave up and ordered Marti Michell PERFECT PATCHWORK TEMPLATES.  Just exactly what I wanted to make a 3.5" plate.

The first one I struggled through didn't turn out the way I really wanted . . .

 I ended up having to glue the center down over the wonky petals.  Not at all happy.  But I have plenty of time as I said.

As always happens, you learn from the first try and, if you are as stubborn as this blogger, you try again.

Better . . . much better.  This time I made a little yo yo, turned it upside down and glued it in place.

Then I looked closer at the Pinterest offerings from Virginia's site and saw that she made another Dresden plate pattern than the one I had been struggling with.

What a difference the pointed petal made to save time (although I have plenty of that) and picky picky work forming the curves.  This one went together so quickly, I feel like I have to make more of them.

Although there were more petals in this version it was so much easier to turn each one. The next one will look even better!!

These were made from the tiny pieces of vintage fabric I have been collecting for years. It's a small thing, but I feel I have accomplished something new for myself.  

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