Tuesday 28 April 2015

Nerds Craft it Better Swap - A Finish!

Have you ever seen Orphan Black?  It is a TV program made by BBC America about a girl who discovers there are lots of people who look identical to her.  The lead actor in the program gets to play lots of different characters while we figure out that they are all clones.  She is amazing at making all the characters so different, 4 of them in particular.

Meet Helena, Sarah, Alison & Cosima!
_DSF3052

So, when my swap partner for Nerds Craft it Better Swap on IG, picked Orphan Black as one of her favourites, I had an idea of a Hazel the Hedgehog (pattern by Elizabeth Hartmann) 24” floor cushion that she can throw herself down on, when watching her favourite programs.

I thought 4 Hazels, all the same but slightly different, would be a good fit for Orphan Black and I had to use Me & My Sister fabric for it, just couldn’t resist!

IMG_0195

I chose 3 prints the same, just in different colours and 1 odd one, as one of the characters Helena is quite odd herself and has blonde curly hair, when the rest have dark straight hair.  Sarah is the main character and the cool dude so she gets purple. Alison is the soccer mom and wears lots of pink!  Cosima is the brainy one and wears glasses.

IMG_0200

I really like the weight the glasses gives to the design drawing your eye to the bottom corner and prefer it over just the straight version below.  I made the top 25” square to allow for some shrinkage on quilting and to make squaring up easier when trimming.

_DSF7128

I reduced the glasses template that Elizabeth gives for her larger version of Hazel.  I love these retro style glasses and think Cosima would definitely wear these!  The glasses were added using fusible paper and blanket stitched in place.

_DSF7136

Quilting was done using Aurifil thread, using a creamy colour to match the Moda Porcelain background.

_DSF3044

I quilted an overall swirl pattern in the background and using white a spikey triangle shape in the hedgehog spines.

_DSF3054

I was going to quilt the faces but ended up stitching in the ditch as these small versions of Hazel are quite cute on their own.  Kona Ash is probably my most used grey colour and I used it here with a Zen Chic print for the body.  Love this for the hedgehog faces.

_DSF3055

So there you have it.  One 24” floor cushion and a covered notebook as the handmade items, some bought goodies and of course chocolate.  Hope you like it partner!

_DSF3058
The post date for international peep's is this week so come Friday this lot (and a few bits more I'm hoping to cram into the envelope) is winging its way across the Atlantic.

Linking up to
Sew Fresh Quilts
and the Friday Finishes!

25 comments:

  1. Very cute, good idea to add glasses on the one of them, it's such a fun pattern!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow what an awesome swap bundle!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I get your posts by email so don't always comment. Had to say I adore the cat's eye glasses. LeeAnna at not afraid of color

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, that is fantastic, Ruth. I love the thought that you put in to making this, and I hope the recipient is thrilled with your creativity!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely cuddly hedgehogs! I like the way you varied them slightly, and the specs are a brilliant touch.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love these. Tempted each time I see someone has made one.
    You have a very lucky swap partner.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love how you thought about each character and then represented them with an adorable hedgehog. Ruth those glasses are the best!

    ReplyDelete
  8. The cushion is so cute I would have a hard time actually using it. Great job. The glasses are my favorite part.

    ReplyDelete
  9. what a fab cushion, I love the one with glasses! Is Orphan Black on Netflix?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Fan of Orphan Black, but bigger fan of your cushion! If your partner doesn't want it, I get second dibs, ok?

    Julie @ Pink Doxies

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great finish. Hazel is on my list of to-do projects, but I don't think I'm ever going to find enough time to do everything that I want to do. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hazel always makes me smile! Love your and the story behind it! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I don't know the show you mentioned, but I love your hedgehogs! They are quite lovely. And I love your quilting on the pale solid fabric.
    Pinned.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love your little hedgies! I'm being tempted over and over to make some of these little darlings. Your quilting looks great too!

    ReplyDelete
  15. a very fun interpretation :-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. It's a wonderful pillow! That Hazel is just so nerdy cute.

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is AMAZING! I love your pillow.... so beautiful even if you don't know about Orphan Black!
    (I just started watching the tv series.)
    Love love love this!
    Susie

    ReplyDelete
  18. So cute! I am loving the cute little Hazels.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh, these are fun! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Aww I love it - they're all so cute but those glasses just steal the show!

    ReplyDelete
  21. You're right, those glasses really make the whole thing better! How adorable to have the Hazel's so similar, and yet still distinctive.

    ReplyDelete
  22. This is adorable! Such a perfect swap item!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I have never seen Orphan Black but a girlfriend loves it. I should try it one day.
    I have seen this cushion and know I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love your thinking behind this!! Still haven't seen any of orphan black, but that's because I'm trying to figure out a way to watch it from the beginning and not just jump in. Your partner is going to LOVE this :D

    ReplyDelete

Comments are most welcome! I reply by email or within the thread if you are a noreply blogger so check back. Thanks.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...