A process post - Elephant Parade!

As I promised myself for the new year, I have been taking some time to just sit and do some doodling.  No pressure drawing.  Get out the graph paper and just let the ideas take shape.  Just have some fun with it!

Drawing inspiration from this backing fabric, Elephants in Grey by Ed Emberley from the Happy Drawing collection for Cloud 9 Fabrics, I sought to design a front to blend with the backing.

Elephants in Grey by Ed Emberley from the Happy Drawing collection for Cloud 9 Fabrics

 
I do so admire the works of Ed Emberley.  (And of course, Charlie Harper, too!)  Their art is of animals.  In their simplest forms.  This is not the first time I have been inspired by Ed Emberley's work.  Remember the Fox & Friends and Fox & Friends 2?




Picture Pie was my muse.

Picture Pie by Ed Emberley for Cloud 9 Fabrics

I shared my doodle page on instagram.  It's so nice to get feedback in real time.  Urging me on and letting me know I am on the right track.  Then more sheets of graph paper.  And some rework before moving on to my computer and using the Paint program to bring some structure and colour into the mix.

The layout was planned next.  A baby quilt size with a width of 48" was the goal.  I wanted to keep the shapes simple.  And repetitive.  I originally planned to add alternating rows with some colourful animals.

But then I decided that those pops of colour would best be dispersed among the grey elephants.  So I filled in all the rows with those elephants, alternating with left and right facing rows.

Then I added those little pops of colour.  A green frog and a turtle.  Little red birds and blue flowers.  But I was not content that the one little elephant was forced to add a spacer panel to bring the row to the same width.

So I added another flower.   I also began the process on graph paper of sketching out just how each block could be constructed.  This caused me to make a few adjustments.  The frogs rear legs.  The size of the birds.

Now each block has been drawn out on the graph paper.  Showing what size of pieces, how many of each colour, are needed for each block.  Then those figures are used to calculate how much yardage is needed.



It was such a pleasure to sit and doodle the day away.  Maybe soon there will be an Elephant Parade pattern for sale?  Perhaps a tutorial?  How about a Quilt Along?!!!

Edited to Add....
The Elephant Parade pattern is for sale in my pattern store here.
And the free Elephant Parade quilt along can be found here.



Before I sign off, just wanted to let you know....
It's day 2 of the Island Batik - Sock Hop Blog Hop and I am heading over to visit with Susan @ Susan Vassallo Quilting Arts.  She's showing off her Topsy Turvey Log Cabin finish today.

Let's head over and give Susan a warm Sew Fresh Quilts welcome!

Keep On Quilting On!

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