Linda, your flower and using colored pencils reminds me of the 'Venus of Paradise' coloring projects I bought when I was a very young teenager.

How awesome to reproduce such beauty for a quilt project.

Looking forward to seeing the complete flower.

Blessings,
Sandi

I made this Zentangle Leaf with the pencils and used the Pentel Gel Roller for Fabric pen to outline in black. The pen works great on fabric; it rolls so smoothly with the lightest touch. I used all of one pen and a little from another, so a project like this can really "eat up" the ink. I ordered two boxes of 12 each, so I'm set for the near future. After doing the search below I could have bought them for less, but I got free shipping at the Amazon site.

Web search for Pentel Gel Roller for Fabric pen

Review of Pentel Gel Roller for Fabric - It was mentioned that this pen is at Hobby Lobby.
http://3creativestudios.com/blog/201...er-for-fabric/

This is where I learned about these pens:
http://tanglepatterns.com/tips-tools...re/fabric-pens

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...ler+for+fabric
$1.68 each - Box of 12
http://www.amazon.com/Roller-Fabric-...1762616&sr=8-2

$1.59 each
http://www.csnstores.com/Pentel-of-A...A-UHU1327.html

$1.42 each
http://www.officeslide.com/pentel-ge...ffice-products

$1.40 each
http://www.honestoffice.com/pentel-g...pen-for-fabric
http://ibuyofficesupply.com/Products..._PENBN15A.aspx

$1.30 each
http://www.officespecialties.com/pen...41718_prd1.htm

$1.29 - $1.27 discounted prices for multiples
http://www.govgroup.com/gel-roller-p...75318-prd1.htm

Wow Jane your leaf is awesome.

Blessings,
Sandi

Thanks for the info on the Inktense pencils. I bought some at a booth at the Paducah Quilt Show this past April. Good timing on the tuttorial.

I use the Sakura Gelly Roll Pens for my labels. They work the same and are cheaper. The leaf and sunflower projects are beautiful. Thanks for the tutorial on the pencils. I've been wanting to give them a try.

Thank you. I am hoping to get that exact (or something really close) look of the flower center. On the whitish dots I was thinking of using a few little beads to give it dimension. Yes, I did use pencil in the center. I was both surprised and delighted that it came out the way it did. Lots to learn here. Can't wait myself. :-D

Jane, how do you suggest that I go about darkening the flower center but still making it look like the real flower with spikes? In real life the center is like a round mound with pins poked in it, basically.

Oh Jane, your Zentangle leaf is gorgeous. You know, that is the other art form I want to use in quilting. So cool. :-D

Try experimenting with a practice piece of fabric where you have colored in some spikes. If you are wanting the background behind the spikes to be darker, use a pencil to color lightly and then gel. You might want to use a colored pencil on the back and then add gel. I haven't done this...just thinking it might work to darken from the back.

You could use a wet brush on the tip of a pencil in the desired color to remove some color. Place it in a drop of water. Test on practice fabric. Add more color if needed. Brush the colored water onto the fabric.

You may need to darken the spikes with another color. Let me know how it works.

For anyone that is a member at qnntv.com the "Quilt It" show has a woman that colors whole cloth's. Very pretty. Her name is Irena Bluhm.

Your tute was great. The kids did an outstanding job. Your work is so beautiful.