A few months ago, Birmingham Quilters Guild members were issued a challenge! Our challenge was to take a favorite childhood book and create a quilt! I thought about some of my daughter’s favorite books, but decided to go with one of MY favorite childhood books instead. I chose Alice in Wonderland. I set out on the internet to refresh my memory! uh, do some research, yes research!! I discovered a couple of things I did not know about the book. First, I had forgotten did not realize it was written in the 1800’s – 1865 to be exact! Wow, it’s been around a long time! Secondly, the author used a pen name, Lewis Carroll. His given name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. According to Wikipedia, he was very gifted at math and “could have had a brilliant academic career,” but instead “married his first cousin, Frances Jane Lutwidge in 1827, and became a country parson.” Carroll was famous for his word play, logic and fantasy. I guess that’s why I liked Alice so much! Growing up on a farm, fantasy was important in my life – though it got me in a bit of trouble at times!! Carroll went on to write a sequel to Alice in Wonderland titled Through the Looking Glass.
The Plan
I searched online to find some royalty-free photos I could digitize for my quilt. These included the famous signs Alice encountered along her journey. I also had to include my very favorite Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit and references to the Tea Party and the Mad Hatter, in addition to some of my favorite quotes from the book. So, I got busy digitizing, which was so much fun, and then onward to decide on fabric! I recently won a Tula Pink All Stars fat quarter bundle during the 30 Blocks in 30 Days blog hop hosted by Carla, from Creatin’ in the Sticks. Thanks again, Carla! And WOW, that fabric was perfect for part of the quilt – along with an emerald Supernova panel by Hoffman fabrics and Moda Grunge that I found at my LQS Zig Zag Sewing Studio in Pelham, AL! I even found some Moda Grunge Hits the Spot in two of my favorite shades of purple, one for bordering the fussy cut Tula Pink squirrels and one for the border!!
The Design
I used EQ8 to get a rough draft of my design. I knew I wanted the center block to include the tree, the rabbit and the cat, then the rest of the designs around it, so this is what I came up with by importing photos of my digitized designs into EQ. Some are rough placements but you get the general idea!
I did wind up moving around some of the signs, alternating blocks, to get a design I was pleased with. Here are the blocks I used. And there had to be a little “crazy” quilting to fit the theme! As Bob Ross would say, “Happy” quilting!! That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it!! ??
And here is the final quilt!
I hope you’ve enjoyed my journey with Alice!!! It has been a blast creating this quilt, and the Tula Pink All Stars fit this theme SEW well – especially the owls and raccoons for the signs!! And don’t you just love those little pink squirrels? Let me know what you think – I love to hear your comments!
And by the way, did you know that Fat Quarter Shop is 15 years old? Wow! They are celebrating with some great sales. Check them out before the 15th when the birthday bash will end! Act quickly – those flash sales go really fast!!
Linking up with:
Connie’s Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River
Dione at The Clever Chameleon for the Chameleon’s Colour Party
Lorna at the Wednesday Let’s Bee Sewcial
Kelly at Needle and Thread Thursday
Sarah at Confessions of a Scrap Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday
So cute and colorful. You have done a wonderful job on this darling quilt.
You had me at the first picture… the Cheshire Cat is just the best. I am so impressed at your digitization….. oh that I had three lives, so I could master that skill as well. I’d love to turn some on my drawings into embroideries. Maybe we can talk….
Oh my gosh Brenda, that is adorable! I wish I lived closer so I could watch you create the embroidery!
“Alice” being one of my favourite childhood stories, I am in awe of your realisation!
Event the colours you chose remind me of the feeling of the story.
Wow! What a wonderful creation! And I loved the background you gave on Lewis Carrol. I like when quilt blogs give extra interesting information. Your work and color choices are magnificent and the chosen quilting enhances it all. I recently took my son to an Alice in Wonderland show with puppets. It might interest you. Check it out at my non-quilting blog
http://wanderorponder.blogspot.com/2018/02/alex-and-alice-in-wonderland.html
At my quilting blog I had some leftovers that very much reminded me of Alice going down the rabbit hole
http://dianeloves2quilt.blogspot.com/2016/12/vineyard-furrows-completed.html
What a delightful post! I truly enjoyed the journey you took to create this fun and beautiful quilt.
What a super fun quilt! It looks great!
Brenda, I really like the way the quilt turned out. You did a wonderful job. Love all the little critters.
Aww, this is so cute. I can see a few flowers in the Tula Pink fabric too! Love the colors too!
Gorgeous !! Brenda you do awesome work!!!!
That is so awesome! You should be very proud.