Mediterranean Rose in Progress

Mediterranean Rose, a quilt started over 6 years ago, is on the design wall today.

It's slow going at the moment, what with Thanksgiving and all, but at least it's sewn into rows. Just need to add the side triangles, then it will be a top. 

Working on this quilt, at this time, was meant to be - here's why:  I started this quilt as a hand applique project while on a cruise to the Mediterranean in 2012. This past Sunday, as I trimmed and sewed, Rick Steve's travel program came on PBS. And he was travelling to the Greek islands of Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes, all places we visited on that cruise. How wild is that coincidence???

My blocks are based on a design found in Vol 1 of Quiltmakers 100 Blocks, 

#30, Full Bloom.

The instructions for that block used wool felt, but I wanted to do mine in traditional cotton. And I just wanted to applique the flowers and stems, not the big leaf parts in the center.

So, redesigning this block in EQ to suit my vision of it, I instead pieced those big leaf parts by stitching set in triangles.

Thank goodness for freezer paper and glue to make this possible!

set in triangle back side

set in triangle front side

So my block looks like this,

my redesigned block

with more points to the center leaf area, and also slightly different flowers.

original block

Maybe I didn't finish it because I was tired of it? Or didn't know how to quilt it? Who knows why I didn't finish it long ago. At least it's getting attention now, and should be done next week. It will be a lovely addition to red and green of Christmas decorating around the house!

Happy Quilting!