Just Keep Swimming, Swimming

I have finished my March quiltlet for the Contemporary Quilt Group Challenge.

The quilt follows the rules I set for myself using fabric from my stash which I have hand pieced.  I applied a variety of gold fabrics and hand stitched the quilt with a selection of goldwork threads and cotton perlé.  

The quotation from Dory is written with permanent ink.

The design was inspired by the idea of looking up from below the sea to the sunshine.  The rays of the sun offer an escape route from the cold, dark depths but the sun is distant, frightening and hard to reach.

March 1 - Just Keep Swimming

The inspiration for my journal quiltlet for March comes from several places.  

The text is the most obvious, that great advice from Dory in from "Finding Nemo" is appropriate this month.

But as well as swimming, there is the opportunity to look upwards from the dark and murky waters and see the sun shining down on that water, extending its rays like lifelines.

I have pinned a curved seam, using fabric from February's quiltlet (as per my rules) and some hand dyed cotton.  I am now auditioning fabric for the sunshine and then I will get stitching with gold threads.  

More soon.

In addition I have been making some goodies with batiks for the latest Global Piecers' swap.  We've been a bit quiet recently, it goes like that, but it's good to be swapping again.  These will be for Easter and need to be flying soon!  I can't show more than these pinned pieces, ready for the machine....