Quilting In The Robyn's Nest: In the Eyes of Mason's Cello

It has been a long & beyond dreary week of ongoing storms resulting in flooding.
Often it felt like our whole region was drowning.

Rain gauge total from one day last week

Overnights of interrupted sleep as "storm, flood, & tornado warnings" all took turns warning us of the need to take shelter immediately through our telephones... TVs... radios.

My husband shot these pics of the flooding Wednesday on his way to work

Tyler, Texas

And then... a few minutes ago- I spotted a glimpse of sun trying to poke through the clouds! It's gone now... but it teased briefly... and reminded me spring floods will be followed by spring flowers (eventually)

After over a year of anxious pause- I finally finished my portrait quilt Mason's Cello. It's Demonic eyes have left me anxious and perplexed for over a year! I took a class at the International Quilt Show with Charlotte Warr Anderson... but it did nothing to help my confidence. I took an online Craftsy class... read magazine articles... pinterest...

Closeup on facial features as I left them a year ago...

Finally... I knew I just had to thread the needle & get started.

I created an outline with disappearing ink

The first stitches were the hardest

And finally... my demon began to look like a man

I wish the eyelash color were a bit lighter, and it had not been so hard to get the needle and thread through the multiple layers of fabric...

or I could have used the thinner matching thread.

But for the most part... I am pleased

& very, Very, VERY relieved to be done with my eyeballs.

They have haunted me since I started this project. And,

If I never do another portrait quilt with two eyeballs again- that will be best!

Today, I added the quilt sleeve & label as the final step for quilt show preparation.

I found an old scrap of Pokemon fabric in my stash. A favorite from his childhood. I thought it was perfect... a bit wonky, so I did the best with it I could- but so is HE!