#737
November 11, 2013 A long long time ago in a land far far away my little sewing room here, I got it in my head that I wanted to design a block for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Magazine.
Fine. Nice dream. Whatever. Probably won't ever happen.
Then at Quilt Market last year, I happened to pick up an entry form.
I brought it home.
It sat on my desk.
It got buried.
I found it.
I shoved it in a drawer.
It got buried again.
I found it again.
I pondered.
I got an idea.
I made (a few) test blocks.
I didn't like them.
I put them aside.
They got buried.
I found them.
I tried again.
And then a block was born. :)
I submitted it and then didn't hear anything for a very long time. In fact, I thought my block hadn't made the cut. But then many months later, I got a surprise email saying that "Gelato Italiano" would be published after all, as block #737.
(Thank you for the photo PamKittyMorning!!! I didn't get my copy in the mail yet ...)
My block ended up in the "mixed technique" section of the magazine because I used foundation paper piecing for the cone (or you can use templates), machine applique for the gelato and garnishes (or you can do it by hand), and then of course embroidery.
Now I know it looks like a fairly simple design at first glance. And it really isn't difficult to make. But you would not believe how much I hemmed and hawed and thought and thunk about every last detail - what fabrics to use, what order they should go in, should I use checks for all of the cones ...
how many mint leaves should there be, what flavour do they taste best with and what side should they go on ...
what fabric would be good for those little wafer stick cookie thingies that I've never had and don't know what they're called but saw lots of when I googled "gelato flavours".
I think my very favourite part of this block is the stripey fabric I used for the stick cookie. Seriously. That thing makes me deliriously happy. You would have carted me off to the funny farm if you'd watched me trying to get the exact right angle of the print on the cookie, and then the exact right angle of the cookie in the gelato.
But one man's insanity is my salvation.
Oh, and can you believe I've never even had gelato? I hear you have to go to Italy to really appreciate it - there on the Spanish Steps, like Audrey Hepburn.
And then I thought it would be cute to embroider the flavours - in Italian - which I don't speak. What words would look best in embroidery?
- frutti de bosco = "fruit of the forest", like blackberries
- lampone = raspberry
- pistacchio = ... uh, I won't sport with your intelligence here
What font looks the nicest? What fabric colours best represent those flavours?
Oy yoy yoy. I've designed entire quilts that were less stressful than this block. I think I would have fretted less if Oprah were coming over.
Here's one of the rejects, with lace trim. I decided to ditch the lace even though I like it ... didn't want to risk going overboard. There comes a point where discretion is the best idea.
And that red check/dot print on the bottom ... I hope it looks like a tablecloth in a little Italian cafe. That was the idea, anyways. I was inspired by the spaghetti scene from Disney's "Lady & The Tramp". (My sister and I had the read-a-long record when we were kids and I know that song by heart.)
Anyhow, I mailed this block last January and seeing it now in the magazine makes me smile. A lot. Maybe a little too much. Would it be ok if I carried it around with me in my purse and stopped strangers on the sidewalk and in the grocery store to show them? No? That would be obnoxious? Ok. I probably won't do that. But I will send an autographed copy to my mom.
Now the lovely people at Quiltmaker's Magazine asked me to do a little giveaway for a copy of this very inspiring issue (the eighth!) to one of you. If you'd like to enter, just leave a comment telling me your favourite flavour of gelato. Or ice cream. Or frozen yogurt if you're a health nut.
UPDATE: Giveaway ended.
And go here to find a list of the other bloggers with a block in this issue too! They're also doing giveaways. My sweet friend PamKittyMorning is in. But that's no surprise because she's been in EVERY issue! She's my hero. :)
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--C.B.