Now let's sample something new

The Something New Sampler quilt is something a bit different. Here's a summary:

• modern
• 9 blocks
• size 7" x 14"
• it's hosted by Amy over at The Cute Life
• it runs from 14 January - 1 March
• a different designer for each block
• each designer has tried out an uncommonly used technique, with a detailed tutorial to follow
• there are TWO blocks posted each week

Yes, two. I'm ever so slightly behind (done three, got two more kind of ready to begin, and two more new patterns were posted today (or yesterday, depending on your time zone)), but remember, 2013 is the year of challenges. And trying something different

I couldn't decide on any particular colours, so decided to go rainbow style. My first two completed blocks:

First, sorry about the picture quality.

Second, this is the purple Bargello block. Good fun.

Third, this is my pink Folded block. More good fun, although a tiny bit tricky in parts (try it and you'll see what I mean).

Fourth, I haven't taken a pic of my third block yet, so that will have to wait for my next update on this QAL.
 
Fifth, well there is no fifth, that was just a trick, ha!

(Apologies for my late-night sense of humour; it just goes weird when I'm overtired. See ya tomorrow.)

A Little Night Music

I seem to be continually beginning new things but rarely finishing them. I take comfort in the fact that I am not the only one in the world who does this.

So today, I will post about my second (and final) Project Quilting quilt.

Let's see, I'll cast my mind back...

The inspiration was Music. You had to choose a song title for your inspiration. I chose Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. This translates in English to be "A Little Night Music", which I interpreted as follows...

Navy background, creamy coloured moon in the centre, with randomly placed colourful "music" spots dancing around it.

No?

No. So I rearranged the spots, into what I found to be their natural order. (What can I say, I love rainbows!)

Yes. So I pinned them all. I should add that this is sandwiched all ready for quilting - backing, batting, top, held together with my wonderful friend, Quilt Basting Spray. Yay for the Spray.

I free-motion quilted the spots down, with matching thread for each colour. The central area needed something too, so I did some squiggly "rays" emitting from the moon. Yay for the moon rays.

That was the funnest part, as it was totally unplanned. I didn't know what I was going to do with each quilting line until I was actually doing it. What freedom to be creative!

The finished quilt, 24" x 24"

The back was made in a free manner as well. The central square is sewn from four new fabrics; the rest are repurposed pajamas.

The front's navy background and the moon are flannel as well; the small circles are all cotton. The binding was the lining of a favourite handbag. It had many compartments and pockets, so there was quite a bit of lining to be had.

But why mainly flannel? Because it was originally intended as a quilt for my cat Missy. But after I pinned it to the wall to get a good photo, I liked it being there, so it's staying up until I've got something to replace it with.

Besides, Missy is a long-haired puss, so just imagine all the shedding it would receive...

Hanging on the wall in the living room. Sorry Missy, you miss out. For now.

Layout possibilities

 

So here we have three photos of some quilt blocks that I made last year. I was playing around with the layout possibilities:

• diagonal rainbow (top right)
• diagonal stripes, with each colour standing out more due to the colour placement (top left)
• random (bottom)

Hmmm, I still don't know which I like best.


What I learned today/in the last few minutes:
Taking a photo of a quilt layout, uploading it and viewing it on your monitor, as a smallish size, gives a great perspective.

Rainbow x 2

Find me somebody who isn't amazed by the beauty of a double rainbow!


The part I like best is how the colours reverse in each subsequent arc.

CLOSE UP: Can you spot the 2nd rainbow in this pic?

Today I learned a bit about blog banners, and changing fonts. Hope to have a great new look soon!