Bella Filipina, aka Aldrin Jay Parilla, is my designer of choice to focus on this year.
On January 11, I started Bellatrix on Dusk Belfast by Steel City Stitchers, and did 700 stitches. I'm absolutely loving it, the fabric is perfect IMO, and it will be wonderful to make more progress next week. She was started for a new Bella Filipina SAL with my friend Becca, also the 2022 Calendar SAL with Semisane Stitchers (FB). The minimum for the SAL is 40 x 40, which works out to 1600 stitches (if full coverage) and that sounds like a good monthly goal to me. Maybe I can do more as I finish older WIPs, but if not, 17,200 stitches by the end of the year would be nothing to sneeze at.
Mr. Parilla designs the most incredibly beautiful, detailed ladies, fairies, mermaids, goddesses, etc… even a regal mer-man. His designs are large but not huge, most fit comfortably on a fat quarter. He also often markets his designs on gorgeous hand dyed fabrics, which I think surely enhances the patterns.
Here are a few Bella Filipina designs from my stash with fabrics. King Triton on Sweet Stash Tidal Wave Belfast, Queen Amphrite on Under the Sea Mermaid’s Sea Belfast, and Gaia on Silkweaver Rock Quarry Belfast. Plus I ordered a few things recently to enhance my Bella stash. Most of his new releases, intrigue me at the very least, and he is quite prolific with new designs published most months. His first of the new year is Lakapati, Deity of Fertility and patroness of agriculture. I think her colors are amazing and I love the grain detail. Picture copyright Bella Filipina designs.
The People’s Choice SAL is hosted by the lovely Jo at Serendipitous Stitching .
Thanks for taking part in The People's Choice this month. Bella Filapina is an excellent choice for your Designer of the Year. I do like Bellatrix, especially on the fabric you've chosen. She'd make a good companion for Mirabilia's Raven Queen!
Posted by: Serendipitous Jo | January 14, 2022 at 03:03 PM
Bellatrix is gorgeous - can't wait to watch your progress. I have Raven Queen by Mirabilia kitted up to start this year and Bellatrix would be a good companion piece I think.
Posted by: Susan from Canada | January 19, 2022 at 04:58 PM
Oops! I wrote my comment before reading Jo's! I actually thought I had an original idea - sorry Jo!
Posted by: Susan from Canada | January 19, 2022 at 05:00 PM
I love his designs as well - they are similar in some way to Mirabilia, but also completely different, if that makes sense! There are quite a few I'd love to stitch.
Posted by: Leonore | January 23, 2022 at 05:28 AM