Down the Rabbit Hole, Murals, Sunset, Eclipse, Dresden Plate idea, Bees and Flowers.

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I've been stuck with a step with my Down The Rabbit Hole Quilt.  The next round are 40 houses and I've been trying to figure out what colours to use.  I finally bit the bullet and have cut them out and so far have sewn four roofs for house 1.  There are ten of each and the roofs are done with paper foundation piecing.  Then there is the actual house that has windows in it.  No pictures yet but a start.

I have come up with a plan for the next couple of months.  The picture below is combining two different months.

 The smaller quarter circle and points with be the corner block of the house row.  There's a difference in size as there will be a narrow border before we start the next row.

 I've decided to have different colours rotate around the flower and have cut multiple prints in each of the sizes.  I've got four different petal prints which will also be rotated.

 I'm still playing around with how I'll be pairing them up when I finally applique them down.

 I can't do needle turned applique to my satisfaction so I have made heat resistant Mylar templates to aid in turning the points on the petals.

 I also made templates for the quarter circles.

 I'm also playing around with different prints for the leaves.

 I think I've flipped the leaf that the wider end will be near the stem and the skinnier end the top.

 Yes I've five choices.  I think I'll mismatch them also and then will make a fifth one as a pillow, or even part of my label for the back.

 So many choices I may have to make a mini sunflower hanging.

 I also have to choose what to use as a stem, but I think I've got a couple of options from what I used on the smaller flowers in the medallion centre.

 There are also four half Dresden plates in the middle of the row with the larger quarter circle flowers. This was my first layout but then I realized that those four Kaffe fabrics blend together.

 So I swapped them with polka dot prints to help play with the contrast.

 Vancouver had a celebration of revealing some new murals earlier in the month.  I took my mom to see some of them last Sunday.

 This mural wraps around the corner of the building.  I couldn't get a good photo to share but will go back again and take some more.  They are located in the alleyway just off of Hastings and Hawks street.  In the area called the Downtown Eastside.  It is Canada's poorest neighbourhood.

 This one was in the same area, nice to see the neighbourhood brightened up with some street art.

 This reflects some our indigenous First Nation heritage.  The N to the right is one of I believe three different indigenous languages that all say the same thing.  I need to go back and get photos of it and find out the translation.

 It was a gorgeous day to take these photos.

 More art from the alleyway just off of Main Street above 6th ave.

 This one was incredible but I don't recall ever seeing magnolias and giraffes together when I was in Kenya.

 Love his long tongue coming out to sample the tidbits.

 This photo was taken on August 20th just before Eclipse Day.

 Can you spot the guy walking along the train bridge?  It was safe as the swing bridge was open and he was probably leaving at shift change.

 No flash was used for these photos.

 That small group of window on the top right is our Light Rapid Transit called the SkyTrain, it's elevated at this point of the route.  This is the Expo line that opened up in 1986. It was an alternate mode of transport when I worked if the road conditions were too snowy for my liking.

 One of the last shots for the night.

 My one and only picture on Eclipse 2017.  I didn't have the right filter or protective glasses so I took this just before the eclipse started and then stayed indoors.

 I thought I'd share my plans for the Dresden plate curved top. I made pencil marks in the three holes at the top of the cutting template.

 I then made a smaller heat resistant Mylar template of the curve and connected the dots.  Ending where the seam will finish.

 Just a smidge away from my drawn line I did a running stitch that I had knotted the thread.

 Thread cut and ready for the next step.

 I pull the thread and then press it in place.  Then I use a paint brush to paint liquid starch and press it again over the template.

 I flip it over for another quick press.

 Here are the larger blades being prepped.  Ignore the stains from the starch on my old pressing square.  The pins hold the template in place.

 I'm holding the template in place and pulled the thread taunt to mimic the curve. To take the picture I've caught the thread under my fingers.

 My first press to stablize the curve.  Then I paint it, can't show that one handed.

 Iron the wet fabric and make sure there are no peaks.

 Then I flip it over and make sure it is completely flat.

 Yesterday I went out for breakfast and walked along the quay.  It's interesting how the flowers planted along it mimic my fabric choices.  Now remember I started making my choices in February before the colour of the flowers were chosen and planted.

 Love this pink/purple.

 Lots of bees and bumble bees visiting the flower beds.

 This guy was extremely busy.

 Farther down these purple flowers were also well visited.

 Love this guy balancing on the edge of the blossom.

 This plant reminds me of Lanterns.

 Wonder how this snail managed to climb up on this leaf?

 Love that pop of yellow against the soft pink against the succulent purple/grey/slate tones.

Off to make some house roofs and the the building and windows.