"Inspiration for this item has originated from childhood memories and an appreciation of the beauty of nature. The form of a butterfly was chosen as butterflies are often associated with feelings of joy and happiness which is at the core of many childhood memories. This enchanting and elusive insect depicts some of the fascinating wonders of our world and embodies the spontaneity of childhood. The Major Project is a patch work quilt, reflecting the exotic and intricate details of a butterfly. The butterfly is centred at the midpoint of the quilt, mirroring from the core of the design, also known as the thorax. A range of colourful cotton patterned fabrics and geometric patchwork blocks forms the profile of the butterfly. Using colour as part of the innovative nature of the major work, the shape of the butterfly is emphasised through the bold pink, blue and purple patterns, contrasted against the plain white background fabric. The quilt is constructed through the assembly of 9 blocks, mirrored at the centre of the quilt; the chevron patterned thorax. The 9 blocks use a range of patchwork designs including; log cabins, crosss, wheels, half-square triangles, intersections crosss, striped slabs, flying geese, teeter totters and pies. The technical difficulty of the design has lent itself to a high level of innovation. Once these smaller designs are assembled into blocks, the blocks are then joined to form the 2 halves of the quilt. These halves both connect at the chevron patterned thorax. These sections are then sewn with the two borders positioned at the top and bottom of the quilt, to create the final layout of the piece. During the process of design and construction of the major project I have gained extensive knowledge that relate to two main topics, problem solving and technical skills. The design of the major project, including the initial brainstorming process, has developed my analytical skills. I have been able to think through a project and identify problem areas, areas that require additional resources, improved technical skill or simply time sensitive steps. This ability to solve problems in a step-by-step manner has proven to be a very valuable lesson. As part of the major project process, I have also gained valuable technical skills."
