Bermuda Tea Towel Quilt Finish!

Well, that took awhile but it is done (except I have to snip threads) and was claimed by my son for his bed!  Ultimately, I think it will be a picnic quilt for concerts on the green and the like. 

It's not quilted heavily except on the tea towel which is nice and cuddly.  Close up below:

Quick review - I hadn't worked with so much "made fabric" before and there are some spots that came apart which I will have to hand sew back together (small price to pay!). 
Initially, I though this might be a low volume quilt, but I found that terribly boring and started adding lots of color and orphan blocks. 
As I played, it did all flow together and take shape on it's own.  Adding the ribbon was a new trick which I quite like and I pieced large scale concentric squares for the backing. 
Wrapping up, making this quilt made me realize that I prefer to go with the flow rather than follow patterns, although I do both.  I tend to start with patterns and adapt or modify them as it suits me.
Thanks for a wonderful learning experience Victoria!!!  Now I can start my architectural challenge - although I will probably miss that deadline : )

Click Clack

I'm still on the track constructing another section for the architecture challenge.

D.H. visited the studio and inquired "what are you making for me?"  Tilting my head toward the design wall indicating this section. He scrutinized it, removed it from the design wall and held it up to himself declaring. "Ah a vest for me ; a fancy vest."

All of the above antics were delivered with a straight face until he looked at me and we both  dissolved into tears of laughter. You just got to love em.

Riding the Rails

I'm riding the rails today with the first part of my challenge

Today is my day to visit the N.S.W. Quilt Guild Annual Show. Over 400 quilts on exhibit as well as traders. I will walk, bus, train and light rail to get there but it is always worth the journey.

You never know perhaps I will return with a new view on the challenge.

Starting ...

Here's my sketch to help with the correct size ...

I've condensed and edited the original photo.

Starting to fit chunks of made fabric into the sketch

and sew together parts ...

Architectural Challenge

Ellen's play

Ellen sent me a tease of a photo of her architecture inspiration. ;-) She says, 

Mine might be more 'from my window' than architectural, but I'm loving what I'm doing. Thank you Victoria for the inspiration. 

New look Train Station

I cropped and  flipped and lots of other options in paint shop. It was a lot like cut and stitch type of quilting. The end result is the starting point for my quilt.

 

 

 

I'm happy with the result.
 Federation Homes ; early 1900's Australian houses had corrugated iron veranda roofs which were often painted in colourful stripes. The new train station continues the tradition.

apiece of made fabric from an earlier challenge .... it was in the parts department and is a perfect place to start.  Next some red and white stripes ..

susan's inspiration

I admire this house every time I go to Placida, close to where I live. I think it will be a fun one to use for the challenge. We do things bright here in Florida!

Thanks, 

Susan

LOVE the HOUSE!!! and COLOR!!!! ~V

Playing Catch-Up

Hi All:

I am finally posting my inspiration photo for the architecture challenge.

I'm combining our challenge with my guild's challenge quilt for our show in October. We are supposed to make a "Charming Cottage".  My idea of a cottage is really more of a cabin and I want to have it set in a garden.

I'll post later to show you the challenge fabrics: 5 bright charm squares. I think my cabin - cottage is going to be quite bright!

Inspiration photo before/after

I said it might not happen, but it did: your comments totally influenced my Architecture challenge decision, and deck stairs and geraniums it is. Here's the original photo (left) and after some Photoshop play (right), so I have something more abstract to work from:

"After" is the result of several rounds of copy/paste/flip/rotate/scale, followed by application of the "dry brush" effect. This would make a lovely quilt at, oh, 60"x72" or so, but is now way too complex for a smaller work, so I'll be sampling in some way.

I've not yet started working with fabric, other than to acquire yardage, as this palette bears no relationship to my stash (other than those pops of bright red!). A wildly fauvist approach to color would be fun but is not where inspiration is leading. All those grays will be giant step away from usual for me, so that's what I'll be doing. This required a stop in at my LQS where I spent 3X budget for pale green and gray fabrics, including a "Bali Pop" jelly roll ranging from ivory to black that will be very useful.

Of course, even a fistful of fat quarters and a Bali Pop quickly adds up to more yardage than a small quilt needs, so my insanely over-ambitious muse is whispering, "a triptych could be fun."

Sometimes I wish she'd just shut up or go bother someone else for a while. I'm aiming for one and we'll see what happens.

moving right along...

Now for some contrast. The color splash that's part of the Academy chapel structure that you see in this picture actually  occurs on every spire..   The spires are built with a one-foot gap that's filled with stained glass.   The long view only shows the splash of color at the head of the chapel, but is apparent when you look up from where ever you stand.  The off-white stained glass rectangles are an understatement to all of that.  Symbolism everywhere. The chapel was completed in 1962. It's hard to stay focused on just one aspect of the chapel.  There are so many directions one could head. PR

Train Depot Progress

I am making some progress on my architectual quilt and it's starting to look like the Santa Fe Depot in San Diego.  I drew a "blueprint" on paper and it is really helping with size and lay out of the building.

After seeing Peggy R's Air Force Academy quilt, I see we both have the same creative ideas - way to go Peggy!!

Two Options, One Decision

When the architecture challenge was announced, I immediately had in mind what I'd like to do.. the St. Paul Winter Carnival Ice Palace. They don't make one every year, but when they do, it's always so beautiful. We have a poster of one hanging at work. I took a picture of it.. and I'm pretty sure this will be my inspiration.



I could also have fun with the Milwaukee Museum of Art, but...maybe I'll do that one another day. For this one I decided to go with my gut instinct and use the Ice Palace. Haven't started on it yet. We're getting company, and I need to clean. After the company leaves, I'll start on this project!



--carol e.