the postcardquilt project :: my quilt block

So shortly after I shared the postcard I made for Zak Foster and Amanda Nadig's #postcardquilt 'experiment,' I received an inspiration postcard from Heidi Parkes, and then the pressure was really on!

After staring at her postcard for a week or so, I finally got to work over the weekend, pulling fabric directly inspired by it, right down to that gray smudge. The off-white fabric was slightly textured, just like the surface of the postcard; and the green print, as you will see, included some white 'stitching.' It's the little things, right?

On one hand, I got pretty literal, when it came to the two 'sprouts' on Heidi's card. But then I got into some other improvisational green growing thing shapes, as well as a few gray 'clouds,' as that's what I determined that smudge must represent.

Just over 14" squarish, I was pretty happy with it. 

But something felt missing. And that was a little hand-stitching. You may have noticed that Heidi hand-stitched the fabric onto her postcard; and knowing most of what Heidi creates is hand-stitched, I felt I had to at least give it a go. 

If you scroll back to the first photo, you'll see a faint peach-colored postmark of some sort. That gave me the idea to add a little peachy detailing to the 'flowers' in my block. I left my little quilt - as there is indeed batting and backing - as I may add more stitching before binding, though I'm just not sure. But for now, I cropped it square, per Zak's request, and went ahead and submitted it.

I was surprised at the feelings that arose as I worked on this little project. The whole theme of the project was "newness," and I definitely felt that in all the green, just as I am in real life these days. Newness, spring, hope, all those things; yet still so much uncertainty. And that's why including the 'clouds' felt important.... maybe a bit of shadow over it all? At any rate, my piece is submitted, it was an enjoyable exercise, and I'm looking forward to seeing what inspiration Heidi found in the postcard I sent her, as well as the completed group 'quilt.'