I'm starting a new quilt

This is how I spent my afternoon, drawing. I was so wrapped up in it I didn't notice the smell of burning eucalyptus trees outside from a bushfire. The smell of Aussie summer, now there's a storm moving in after two days of hot hot weather. Thank goodness our air con was fixed yesterday! Read on if you want to know why and what I've been drawing.The book "Quilts from the Henry Ford" features some amazing quilts and this is one made by Susan McCord made around 1860.
How on earth do you make quilts like this when you have seven kids, make all the clothing and work on the farm, plus plus plus? No wonder she was called a quilting genius!

There are stupendous quilts in this book that I'd love to reproduce and when Tracey announced she was making this one and invited anyone to join her, I jumped in. Click on the picture for a closer look.

There is a pattern inside by Fons and Porter but as I'm changing the measurements, I'm drawing my vines myself. The leaves are all strip pieced and at this stage I have yet to work out how I'll do that.

It's not a quilt for the faint hearted, after all there are around 4,000 strip pieced leaves involved here on thirteen panels.This is my initial fabric selection, including a natural coloured background. Just waiting for a different green to arrive to see if I like it better for the vines. I will add a heap more fabric as I go along.

Don't expect this quilt to be made in a short amount of time, I'm the tortoise not the hare. I'll post about it as I go and hopefully, you will cheer me on, or you can join us.
If you expressed an interest in the footstool I made before Christmas, like the one above, you can get it here.

If you do make it and strike any problems, I'd be happy to help out.
Also, I did say I would add a link to a free online puzzle quilt pattern. You can find that at Jukebox Quilts