Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Whites/Lights scrap along



OK, I've had many thoughts since I mentioned this white/light scrap along  back in early July. But I am thinking simple is best, this round.
See old post here.

This a definitely a challenge for me personally, as I don't often use white/lights, But how do I make it a challenge for you? Some of you agreed with me, that whites were not a favorite, some are waiting to see where this goes... So, here is what I present to you.



The basis is to start with lights and whites... Within that parameter, you will make decisions on whether you think they fit that category. You will also find you will have lights and darks with in that.

And... Make BIG easy blocks, Quickly. I'm using my 12.5" template ruler, adding big swatches of fabrics to grow them quickly.
(To keep them a 15 minute block...)

The hardest thing for me, and this may sound funny to you, I rarely just make a simple block quilt and call it a day... Seems rather obvious, but usually, by the time I get a big bed sized quilt done, I decide it needs to be something else... It becomes a giant palette for some other idea: or, A giant piece of made fabric,and I cut it all back up again! ( why not?)

What I propose to you, is to MAKE, just make.

It can be a small quilt, medium, large... Makes no difference...

But start with LIGHTs/WHITEs,
MAKE,
LOOK.

And when inspiration jumps out at you... When a color says, "YES, You need more of that color..."
ADD it.

Don't rush it.
I started with  a 5 sided scrap ( gives you 5 easy places to add fabric to quickly) and build with LARGE scrap pieces of fabric. (grows quickly, to stay 15 minutes!) Pressing each time, so my seams lay nice and flat...
 Took my time to PLAY with my placement for my cut out...

I'm going for simple...  Will I stick to it? Will I make it more complicated in the end? Does it matter?

Also, if you want to stray and use your blocks for a different setting, GO FOR IT! Let the fabrics and blocks tell you what comes next... If you get a brilliant idea, share it with us! Show us your blocks as you make them. Try to post once a week what you get done...Show and tell!

I'll be making a few more tonight... All this unpacking, a girl needs to sew!

If you want to post along here, and show you work, please email me if you don't already have the posting rights...

Let's see what bubbles up.

14 comments:

The Thimblemouse of Country Crossroads said...

This will surely be a challenge since whites and lights normally make me 'twitch'...or is that 'itch'? Either way, I LOVE a challenge...so I'm in. However the next 5 weeks are my absolute CRAZY time with a huge quiltshow in two weeks...then a vacation (oh, that sounds soooo good) a short time after...but I so want to play along...will try my best!

Terry said...

I like the idea of bigger bits most of my musing since you suggested this challenge have seen the made low volume fabric as background. What will happen as I join in?

Nifty Quilts said...

I'm ready with my shirt stripes. Yippee! Love your addition of lace, by the way.

Nifty Quilts said...

Oops, that lace wasn't yours, it was Carol E's. Great idea!

Miki Willa said...

I started collecting my lights and have a small stash ready to go. This will be very interesting since I really love my mid to dark values.

Irene said...

I knew this was comming, but I am still trying to finish my color challenge quilt. In typical Victoria fashion it's going to be King Sized!

ellen gets crafty said...

This could be a real girly girl quilt - if I can find enough lights and pastels in my stash!

ebwhite said...

I want to play along. I have gathered my pale blues, peach, and yellows. I did not think I would like the combinations, but it does warrant further investigation.

Sewing In CT said...

I need a little time before i can start this but i am interested. At one point, i wanted to do an all white vintage fabrics quilt - i don't know if that is this quilt or not - I will play and find out in a few weeks!

Julianne said...

Yippee!! Anothere quilt-a-long with Victoria! Woot Woot! I'm in! Gotta get home and start picking through my hoard to find just the right scraps! Yippee Yippee Yippee!! How long does this quilt-a-long go for? Is there going to be a Flickr group? Doing the happy dance! BTW, I think I have finally come up with a solution for the setting on my color challenge quilt top..I'll send you an email and you can see what you think...

janequiltsslowly said...

Like Julianne I have just worked out the finish for the color challenge, but I've been digging out the whites, lights and pastels in my stash to play along with this challenge. I'm going to try for an update here sometime in the next week. Right now the garden is going crazy and I'm going to make the first batch of salsa (oh yeah and work too). Thanks for the fun challenge Victoria. :D

Helen said...

White/Lights ....like a moth to the flame, I'm drawn!!!

fiberchick said...

Time to weed out husband's closet!

Ellie Q said...

I am definitely in! Starting in about 2 weeks...the last month has been so much busier than usual (shh...haven't even finished my last 2 Color Challenge blocks!), but that should all be changing shortly. And did I mention preschool started today? This is outside of my comfort zone, so a perfect project to try. Thanks Victoria!