Saturday, July 22, 2023

Positively green

 Hello all! Bet you thought I forgot about the blog, didn't you? I didn't, but I did have quite the week. I am getting a little tired of the rain, but we had a good bit of it this week, and it was very hot, and I still had to go out and have some more fun medical tests. I think I passed, because I don't have to go back until the end of September, but who can really tell at this point? Also, I am walking out on the next doctor who says, "you know, you're getting older. . ." as though that's an excuse to ignore how I feel.

Yikes! Did not mean to rant! Today is a day for positivity, after all, because I have finished the green quilt top for the Positivity quilt along offered by our friends Preeti and Bernie! Take a look:


Yes, that is very green! And, as you can tell, I did not follow the pattern offered by Preeti exactly. I made one row with just the leaves, but it looked so bland that I had to add some zing. As you can see, I added pots for the leaves to grow out of. I think they added just enough zing and some nice depth, too.


The leaves of these plants were made from neutral scraps, which paired well with the green background. All those neutrals were hard to photograph in the outside light, but I promise that there is a nice variety. And do you like my "tree farm" on the balcony? They'll have to get planted in the ground soon, because those pots are not going to hold them for much longer.


The quilt was easy to make, and mine turned out a little smaller than Preeti's, at about 55 by 68. I think this size will still work for a Mercy quilt, and I do think someone will really like this one. The green is one of the tonals from Connecting Threads, and I got it a while ago for a backing. It turned out to be much too bright for the quilt I bought it for, but it worked well as a background here. I have a backing for this and I plan to quilt it in a nice crosshatch. What can I say? It always works and always looks good.

Oooh! Accidentally artsy!

So there is one quilt top finished! The second one is still in progress, but I had to put it aside for a while while I finished off the wedding quilt top that I've been working on. That quilt will be a bit late, but it's the thought that counts, right?

Hope you all are having a great weekend, and if you want to, you can still jump in on the quilt along. Just hop over to Preeti's blog and check out all the details!
 

Sharing at Finished or not Friday, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Brag About Your Beauties, the Patchwork and Quilts linkup at Quilting Patchwork Applique, and the Positivity linkup at Needle and Foot.

18 comments:

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Oh, that is fun, Mari! I love the look of the different lengths of leafy stems coming out of the pots. Did you make up the pot blocks yourself, or find some tutorials for the different shapes? Wishing you a week ahead of no tests or appointments - just whatever you want to do!

Sara said...

That green is just perfect as the background, and adding the pots was very clever. The pots totally MAKE this quilt. Great idea!

Hope you start feeling better, and are nearly done with more medical tests.

Bernie Kringel said...

Hi Mari - I LOVE your interpretation of the Positivity pattern. The pots are super creative. Also like the green background - Very pretty.. The size is great. I love when we have donations of various sizes so the family is able to choose just what they want. You are such a loyal contributor of Mercyful Quilts. We are so grateful for your quilts. Thank you!!

Nann said...

Oh, Mari -- it's lovely! Your quilted plants as well as the flowers in your deck boxes are flourishing.

piecefulwendy said...

What a great idea, breaking up the leaf branches with pots! I like the green background, too. I sure hope you can be free of doctor's visits now until September. You deserve a break!

Susie H said...

Your Positivity quilt looks great, Mari! I love how you added the pots, really adds some flair! I'm sorry you had to go to the doctor for testing and I hope you are truly finished with that for a while. I just love how the doctors have their "go-to" responses -- "Well, if you could quit smoking" or "If you could lose some weight", and yes the famous "Well you're getting to that age ..." Blah! Rant here over as well. Lol!

Nancy in Indiana said...

You get to rant as much or as little as you want to - it's your blog, so no apologies needed!

Good for you for continuing to take care of yourself and not ignore your symptoms, even if some of the doctors seem to want you to. You know yourself best. Wishing you health and happiness!

Linda Swanekamp said...

Super job! It looks like a fun quilt and fresh. Just hate medical tests. Especially when you go through them all and they are inconclusive.

Katie said...

I love your interpretation! And the green background is a great contrast to the neutral leaves.

Cathy said...

Where to start??? First off, good on you for persisting with medical follow-through. We know our own bodies best, and are the final arbiters of what feels right and what feels off. Do the doctors think we don’t know we’re aging? I mean, DUH…

Your green Positivity is my absolute favorite interpretation of the idea. It is simply stunning, Mari. And a perfect gender-neutral color scheme. I love it so much and want to make one in pots now too. Unfortunately, I couldn’t participate this year (real life garden and plain old real life), but will definitely be “borrowing” your creativity. xo

MissPat said...

What a terrific adaptation of the Positivity pattern, Mari. I think it's great when people go off in their own direction. It makes it more interesting and most pattern makers are fine with it. Who wants a quilt that looks like everyone elses. I hope your medical issues are settling down. And I'm sure the bride and groom will understand, given what you've been through lately.
Pat

Quiltdivajulie said...

I do love the addition of the pots for the leaves to grow from!

Laura said...

Super creative! Love your version...the green is a striking background! :)

Kate said...

A very colorful and fun quilt. It will definitely brighten someone's day.

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Wow, bright and beautiful Positivity quilt! Love this optimistic color, and the flower pots are fun! Great idea to make the leaves into neutral fabrics.
Thank you for sharing your lovely version, and linking up!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

What fun additions to this quilt - the pots are so great!! and oh ya!! it will be LOVED!!
Sorry about your docs atttude - whats up with that? Annoys me too!

Preeti said...

Oh my darling, Mari. You have done it now - created perfection. As someone who grew up in the seventies, you think that pot makes everything better. So you added a few different varieties of pot to the quilt!!! And it is growing in your backyard. I am laughing myself to tears as I type this. When in doubt, add pot or two or six. Big hugs.

JanineMarie said...

Potted plants—what a fun idea!