Friday, March 4, 2011

Time for Chocolate!

Are you in the mood to stitch something yummy?

If so.... have I got the project for you!

It's my newest quilt design called "BOX OF CHOCOLATES" and boy, is it delicious:


The inspiration for this piece was actually a photo I saw in a magazine for a pillow that had lots of pink circles on a chocolate-colored background. It reminded me that I had a skein of Watercolours' 081, "Black Cherry" that I'd wanted to use in a quilt of some kind. Then I flashed on a box of chocolate-covered cherries - and VOILA - a new project was born!

The trick was to create the illusion of round candies in a box, using the geometric grid of needlepoint canvas. I modified a geometric circle so it looked sorta like a round dark chocolate-covered cherry (squint and use your imagination a bit, and you'll see the cherry center, the layer of juice, the fudgey gooey layer, coated with the dark chocolate cover - YUM!). Then I decided to add some square-ish milk chocolate-covered raspberry truffles between the cherry motifs.... and what the heck, why not throw in a ripply border of strawberry cream (pretend those round dots are bits of strawberry, okay?) Here's a close-up of a section of the design:


And to create the fancy chocolate box effect, I added a handful of over-the-top striped metallic borders and finished with a scalloped edging that brings to mind a romantic, lacy candy box. Is your mouth watering yet?!?

Well, mine was, while I was stitching up this design.... I enjoyed every minute of this project. All of the candies were fun to work: they all have Waffle Stitch or Rhodes Star centers done in Ribbon Floss metallics, so there's a LOT of flash and sparkle in this piece. And the scalloped border was especially fun, since I think it's nice to do something besides a straight ol' border now and again!

And while I love the pink and chocolate color combo, the pattern also gives a rich red and chocolate version, (for all you red lovers out there!)

The pattern also contains an additional smaller pattern for a little matching box of chocolates that would be super cute as a mini-ornament or gift for a chocolate-loving friend....

Anyway, if you're craving a really sweet new project, check out my new BOX OF CHOCOLATES, available on my website now.

4 comments:

Carol in Indian Springs Village said...

Now I'm hungry as well as wanting to stitch...beautiful!

Anonymous said...

That is really beautiful!

Beth in IL said...

Yummy!

jhm said...

What happened to the blog that was supposed to be on March 20?
My link showed you blogged but nothing shows up.
Jackie
http://needleworkerssamplings.blogspot.com/