Alice Challenge

Ballaarat Quilters' annual challenge was this year based on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. My memory of the story was hazy, so I read "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (for the first time since childhood) to remind myself of the details and look for inspiration.

My inspiration came from chapter 10, "The Lobster Quadrille", in which the Mock Turtle sings a song beginning:

"Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail.
"There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail."


Later in the chapter, as the song is discussed:
"If I'd been the whiting," said Alice, whose thoughts were still running on the song, 'I'd have said to the porpoise, "Keep back, please: we don't want you with us!"'

'They were obliged to have him with them,' the Mock Turtle said: 'no wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise.'

'Wouldn't it really?' said Alice in a tone of great surprise.

'Of course not,' said the Mock Turtle: 'why, if a fish came to me, and told me he was going a journey, I should say "With what porpoise?"'

*************

So I went looking for a porpoise pattern of some kind, and rather than finding a porpoise-related quilt design, I found this cross stitch pattern for a patchwork dolphin. Dolphin, porpoise, close enough. I've never done cross-stitch before, but I found it a very relaxing process.

Week One (27th March):

I read about gridding the Aida with fine fishing line, but buying a whole reel for this little job seemed like a waste. I used some Bottom Line thread, which did slide out easily, but also was possible to pierce with a cross stitch needle, so it wasn't ideal.

Week Two:

Week Three:

Week Four:

Week Five:

Week Six:

This could be a "spot the difference" puzzle, because looking at the photos now I can't see the difference between weeks five and six. Maybe I did the white stitching that week? I can't tell from the photos.

Week Seven:

Week Eight:

Week Nine (22nd May):

And there he sat for a few months. I eventually stitched the quote, and then last week I popped him in a frame:

Not a great photo because of the reflective glass. But I'm pretty happy with the end result!

Tonight was the challenge reveal. I wasn't the only person who hadn't made a quilt; the eighteen entries included cushions, an embroidered hanging, an actual clock, and a bag as well as quilts of various sizes. An amazing array of creativity. I really should have taken some photos.