A Whimsical Quilt for Maria

I'm not doing very well with time for making this week, I have got a couple of little things started (and not finished!), but the main thing I've got underway is a quilt for Maria's birthday in a few weeks time. I've been struggling for some time to decide what kind of quilt to make her. I've wanted it to be something quite personal and individual to her, but part of the problem is that she likes so many things - I could have chosen to make her a quilt with a flower theme, or mermaids and sea creatures, or birds, or fairies, or snails! Or probably half a dozen other options, and she'd have been excited by it. She's very easily pleased. In the end I've decided to aim for a quilt with a fairly general whimsical feel to it (Maria and whimsical are words that go together quite well I think!) and try to have a picture of Maria within it. This could be a little ambitious so it might all change, but I've made a start. I'm using this picture of Maria as my guide:

But she's going to be sitting on a toadstool instead!

All scraps, mainly from recycled bits. Maria's top in the picture is actually made from an old top she wore when she was younger.

I've got the background all sewn down, but I've still to sew the applique bits down. And the make or break part will be Maria's face. I think it's very hard to capture a real face well with a few stitches. Made up faces are much easier. So if it doesn't look like Maria to me, I'll be back to square one.

And I've had lots of fun digging through fabric, pulling out pieces that might work with the whimsical feel.

Fingers crossed I'll have some progress to show you in a few days. Either that or I'll have started a quilt of snails, I can do snails!

Sally.