Building Skills

I've been a tad reluctant to introduce this BOM, because I haven't done any sewing on it yet - and so I am currently four (out of a total of twenty) blocks behind. It's the Skill Builder BOM, created by Alyssa over at Pile O' Fabric.

What I was finding the hardest was choosing a colour palette.

My first choice, in a moment of supposed inspiration, was monochrome.

But then I read in the instructions that it needs several colours, with several shades of each of those colours. Black, grey and white didn't seem to cut it any longer. (I ended up using these fabrics for a different quilt, so it wasn't a total waste of time picking them out, phew.)

Then I thought to use this stripe fabric as my inspiration, because I just love all the colours in it. There's a lovely warm feeling about it. It's a print by Sandy Gervais from Moda, of which I only bought half a metre - the last of the big time spenders, that's me!

I pulled some other fabrics to go with it (I just love stash shopping!); as well as a cream, for my neutral background.

Trying to narrow it down to just 12 colours for the 1st block.

I haven't sewn anything yet, although I've done the cutting for the first couple of blocks.

Maybe tomorrow...

How to use fish fabric

The Sisters' Ten Modern BOM has been created by AnneMarie over at gen x quilters. There's a bit of a difference with this one: each monthly block is made twice, so you can make the second one look totally different to the first. Then at the end they're put into a modern setting (click the link above and go take a look!).

This is my chosen range of fabrics:

Once I'd decided upon the fish as the focus print, it was so easy to pick others to match it. Actually I bought the fish fabric back in 1997, with some vague idea of making a skirt from it (I didn't quilt back then; I was studying fashion design). I was never brave enough to sew up a fish skirt, so it just hung around in my stash, one of only a few cottons.
Fast forward to the present day: I realised that instead of trying to add it to some quilting project, I'd add the other fabrics to it, thus making all those crazy colours make sense. And if you look closely, the fish have patchworky patterns on them, some of which I was able to match up almost exactly, and just with what was in my stash. (I'll try to get a better close-up photo for the next Sisters' Ten block post.)

And here are my two January blocks, Grandmother's Frame:

I love how these turned out, especially the one on the left with the fussy-cut fish.

Another Mystery

My third 2013 BOM is by Cindy of Quilt Doodle Designs: the Quilt Doodle Mystery BOM. There's a new block on the first of the month, 12 blocks total, with some fancy sashing to bring it all together.

Here's my fabric selection:

 

Can you guess which one's the focus fabric?!

It's an interesting print which I bought only because it was discounted, and was the best out of what was left. I've always wondered what I'd use it for. I really like it with these other prints and plains.

This is the first 12" block, Monkey Wrench:

 

I've always loved this design.

Back to Square One

Back to Square One Medallion Mystery is a fun BOM that Judy from Patchwork Times has created, along with Vicki from Field Trips in Fiber. The end result will be a medallion-type quilt, 92” x 92”. Clues will be given each month, keeping the final design mysteriously secret. I was intrigued enough to give it a go.

These are my fabric choices:

Not having enough of any one fabric (except for the background, which is an op shop sheet!), I’ve gone deliberately scrappy. It’s a gamble, but I reckon 2013 is a year to take chances. If my end result turns out horrendous, I’ll just use it as a backing. But I’m pretty sure that won’t happen.

Here are my bits from the January clues:

Do you like my artful arrangement? No, I don’t have any inside knowledge of the final block arrangement... I was just playing. Trying for a more interesting composition. Next time I won't photograph the pieces on the carpet, as it's the same colour as some of the blue triangles.