Winter Bella: New Portrait Quilt Pattern

Miss Bella lives in Upper Michigan and I turned her into "Winter Bella" a few years ago when I created the blue snowflake version in the upper photo. I originally titled the quilt "Upper Michigan in January." While being on the teaching/lecturing circuit I would show this quilt as an example of a monochromatic color scheme quilt. I displayed it at Quilting Divas Quilt Shop in Green Bay, WI in 2014 as the "Honorary Quilt Diva Of the Month" and the owner and a few customers asked about a pattern. I was asked again to make it into a pattern in May at the Green Bay WI Evergreen Quilters meeting. I couldn't figure out how to get the applique pieces onto a 11" x 17" piece of paper. When I designed Bella Strega (the Witch pattern) I had an a-ha moment which helped me create this quilt into a pattern and renamed it "Winter Bella." In late summer I constructed a newer version in a gray and red colorway which hangs in Pine Street Quilts in Marinette Wisconsin. The blue version is currently on display in green Bay Wisconsin at Quilting Divas. The quilt is 18"l x 27.5"w and is a raw edged fused qpplique technique. For both color versions I collected as many snowflake themed fabrics as well as anything shiny or "icy" looking. I machine quilted it and embellished it with snowflake sequins, rhinestones, glitter nail polish and loose glitter/glitter glue. It is for sale on my website for $10.00. www.laurieceesay.com

 In the close up photo I used foundation paper, a snowflake motif  and variegated thread and machine quilted on the cheekbone/chin areas to repeat the snowflake theme.