Not a bad thing

Things have been a tad hectic. That probably has a lot to do with the change of seasons. It involves switching gears emotionally as well as physically.

The holiday season is very low key here so shopping only involved 2 toys for the grand kiddies but a lot of supplies for the various winter projects (and the sketchbook challenge) so I can stay home and do them. Now a first doll requires a first little pink quiltlet but then I learned that the grandson has actually been playing with Bob the Builder so that means another quiltlet, but it'll be green. I got the idea from Terri. The TOM at 3CS has us using scraps and I am trying that. Only the triangles were scraps but it is a start. I used flannelette as a backing and minimal quilting to keep it drapeable (sp???) for the dolls

The Altered Book 101 needs a chunk of time to make a niche and I need to find that chunk. Laundry had to be done so that compromised my basement work area. I'm good to go again and have made a few changes to lessen downtime. It is cold down there so drying time and comfortable work conditions have made adding a better heater necessary. Course all the snow we've been getting adds insulating drifts to the foundation but buries the walk which means I'm shovelling instead of sorting laundry!

Back to my scraps. I picked the black and white box and combined the page sized challenge. Monograms. ??? The E became and 8 and I shouldn't have made the 8 part so dark. I used a freezer paper shape and black free motion stitching on the white fabric with the batting underneath.

I was going to do an inner border and then the checkerboard for the outer but I liked the graphic look of the strips. Now I was going to add those borders in a quilt as you go way so I need to rethink how to do this. So I kinda appliqued as you go! lol. The checkerboard was relegated to the back with another piece to 'make do. I did the quick turn finish so I can keep moving along.

So here it is. Think: 2, 4, 6, 8. Who do we appreciate? E LOL I used to be a cheerleader and I was desperate to explain the whole 8 thing.

I am learning to let less than stellar go as I move along the creative path. Improvements will come.

I have 2 small lap quilts and 2 baby quilts in the starting line up. One is already in rows. Two have their pieces cut and one will be out of the scrap box.

I am sew delighted to be making happy noises as the snow sifts down and covers the darn walk AGAIN!

Finally something

In my attempt to change bad habits I resisted blogging about promises. (dreams) Tonight is our Common Threads group and the challenge was red/yellow/black and white. The size is an 8.5 x 11 inch page. This could be an intimidating colour combo but I like colour challenges.

I got all excited and picked a great collection of prints. But then I remembered that this is also an art challenge. So I changed gears but because I am working on a colour workshop I decided to do up the more traditional quilt to encourage our newer beginner quilters. Then I mixed things up colour wise for the art quilt to encourage shades and tints as options.

White light contains all the colours but in fabric white is the absence of colour. I chose a very light Bali with hints of colours. Then I chose a greyed black. Black in nature is the absence of light but in dyes it is the combination of colours. It also had a little streak of yellow that I utilized. I had no true red so I went with a blend of a dull red and a dull yellow. I very much prefer to work asymmetrically. I was going to do circles but one section reminded me somewhat of a mountain so I rough cut that, added another. The smaller yellow could be a more distant mountain or perhaps a sun. I'm not sure about raw edge applique so I did one seam 'according to the book' and then I left the rest of the seams exposed. I left raw edges for the applique also.

I found a backing which is actually the challenge colours! Another example of how changing the proportions affects things.

I am busy MQing the little table place mat. I'll post it tomorrow *after* it is finished. ;)

I am so glad to be back playing in the Coop and Saucer Playroom. I guess I mean working!!!