Isn't it amazing how a change of colour can completely alter a design, or even a photo?
I love this photo of Blossom and I taken in May this year...
But today I was playing around with it, and discovered that the black and white effect has captured my heart as well! In fact, I am going to have this one framed...
When I designed and stitched the "Bless Each Heart" pattern in country colours earlier this year, it was on the suggestion of a magazine editor...
They're not what I'd normally choose, and though she loved it this way, I really wanted to re-make the design in pastels, so I did...
...and chose to add some applique.
The pastels were definitely 'me'!
Are you adventurous when you stitch? Do you have one style, or do you play around with different colour schemes and layouts?
Early in 2010 I designed and stitched my "Shabby Roses - A Christmas Story" quilt. I was in love with Robyn Pandolph's "Roses de Noel" fabric range at the time and the deep green and burgundy colours had that comforting winter feel to them that I associated with a frosty Northern Hemisphere Christmas...
But I am a Southern Hemisphere girl, and our summer Christmases are rather hot, so when I re-made the quilt late in 2011, I chose the softer palette of 'Aviary' by 3 Sisters as my fabric choice...
Then of course, there are times when a re-make ends up in almost the same soft palette as the original!
This happened after I made my original version of "Shabby Roses"...
I loved the fabrics, so when I decided to make the quilt again I chose different colours, but still maintaining a gently romantic appearance. There was one major difference with the second version, though; can you spot it?
I changed the layout of the blocks, and thus altered the appearance of the quilt!
Little things can be changed too. Like using one small stitchery many different ways.
This is my "Little Bird in Tree" design. It began as a freebie on the blog in 2010, just in stitchery form...
...and then I stitched a new version that I coloured with pencils to make a zippered pouch...
...before adding some applique to a third version that became a journal cover!
Now, you'd think that might be the end of that design, right?
Nope!
It truly is one of my all time favourite originals.
So where else did I use it?
On the front of a sewing companion I made for my sweet daughter Kezzie's 2011 Christmas gift...
There are many ways you can take one design (or photo!) and give it your individual twist. A different use of colour; change of design layout; adding another technique such as applique to add depth to a stitchery, or vice-versa...we're all only limited by our imagination.
SOOOOoooo....
I thought you may like to stitch "Little Bird in Tree"??
The pattern is free to download HERE.
I wonder what lovelies you will create?! Leave a comment and tell me how you might use "Little Bird in Tree"...
hugs,
Jenny
xx