What Doesn't Kill You

Finally! I can show you what I made for the winner of the One World, One Heart blog-giveaway that I participated in way back in February. I can finally show you, because I finally completed the winner's prize. Not sure why, but I had artist's block for a little while(like writer's block I suppose) which contributed to the delay.

The winner, Bonnie, wrote me a great email with her story and why she chose the seven words that she chose for her memoir quilt. "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger"

This first picture shows the quiltlet during the editing and composing stage, before I've finalized the design. The next step is to nail everything down with lots of machine stitching. This is how it looks with most of the stitching done, but no words just yet..

I had to make them first! Using my favorite teeny font stamps I stamped the seven words on the selvedge of this thick natural colored cotton.

This is what the words look like after I've sewn them into position and colored them with fabric crayon pastels.
I liked how the colors blended in but still were enough of a contrast to stand out.And down in the corner is what came to call "Strong Dog". She's that part of ourselves that will always stand up for us, even when we might not want to. She was made from a scrap that was this exact shape when I took it out of the scrap pile. I couldn't believe how much it looked like a dog. So I used it without cutting anything off. It just seemed so expressive of what I wanted the dog to represent.

I used the circle stitch on my Janome to make his eye, I love using that stitch!And up in the left hand corner is a piece of one of favorite fabrics in my collection. I remember the dress my mom had made out of it, and the fantastic rustling that it made as she whooshed around the house getting ready to go out. It is a very shiny woven taffeta.
And here is the whole thing, finished.

I sure hope that Bonnie likes it!