I recently had a visit from a quilty friend for the weekend, and it seemed as if I was all over the place with my projects... somehow, I wasn't really motivated to work on the things that I was "supposed" to work on... and I actually pulled out a project that had been a long time in the works... for a long time.
When I first started this Brimfield block, I didn't have a specific plan, but had thought to possibly make a little pillow for my living room. Since I already have several quilted pillows, I quickly concluded that it was perhaps a little predictable... and even overdone. By the time I had decided to turn this single block into a stool, the next step was to actually find a stool.
Anyone who is keen on vintage shopping or furniture refurbishing knows that you might have a general idea of what you are looking for, but may not find it on the first couple excursions. Sometimes you find the most when you are not looking for something specific.
Last year on the way home from Nadelwelt, I made a spontaneous stop at a little antique place that was on the side of the road. I was excited to find some comic books for my boys, a few vintage cigar items for my husband, and yes, you guessed... a stool for me!
But as you can imagine, my block had been basted, half quilted, and put on the back burner by then. It's not always easy to pick up a project that has been packed away for so long, dust it off, and jump back in.
Because I had to custom fit the block to the stool, you can probably imagine how nerve wracking it was to cut this block into a circle... if the measurements slightly off, then I would have to scrap the whole thing - only one-chance-cutting here. Sewing the inset circle was nothing new to me, because I did it often from my purse-making days... and give me a staple gun, and I am a happy girl.
... and just like that, to my surprise, I was stapling away for a weekend finish!?! I was super please how well the upholstery fit. So the only thing left for me to do now, is kick back and really put my feet up.
Pattern: Brimfield Block, from Brimfield Awaking
Fabrics: Anna Maria Horner, Alison Glass, Heather Baily
Background: Essex Linen
I'm not sure how it is with you, but I often find with me that things have a tendency to flow from one project into the next, taking the influences and hints from the previous train of thought... especially with colors. I don't necessarily think that this is something that I intentionally do, but something that I notice only after the fact. Some time ago, I realized that I seem to work in color clusters, and that one inspiration color that I'm feeling at the time gets carried over.
For instance, there's my "jewel-colors phase"... it all started with "Jeweled Kaleidoscope", which influenced the fabric selection for my bee block quilt, which spilled over into a mini quilt that came to being in an effort to use up all of those yummy scraps. One could possibly argue that "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" belongs in this category as well. Hmmm...
Following close on it's heels was my "purple phase"... this phase is technically ongoing starting with "Whirly Girl" (which I hope to release in spring) that influenced "Home Sweet Home", and lead me right into my "Lovebirds' Remix", which is currently a back burner project until I figure out the final direction it should go... oh, and I almost forgot my purple and orange HST quilt!?!
In an effort to be more controlled with my colors choices and prints, I noticed myself using a lot of Basic Grey grunge fabrics in my "grunge phase"... does "Lovebirds' Garden", "Home Sweet Home", "Apple Of My Eye", and "Contrasting" bring anything to mind?
Often, people mention that they can identify my work because of the bright popping colors, but that kind of leaves my "toned down pastel phase" without explanation. My "Home Sweet Home " quilt seems to be connected to several phases, but my "Summer Smoothie" bee quilt boasts a similar subtle, and subdued color palette. My current "Folk Flower" quilt definately fits in here too!
Let's not forget to mention my "earth tones phase" with my "Penny Sampler", the recently finished "Cascade" quilt top from Victoria Findlay Wolfe's book... and I won't include all the smaller projects that belong in this category.
... AND FINALLY, we make it to my current flavor of the month, the "green/yellow phase", which has the honor of my design wall status for December... perhaps it's sunny brightness is helping battle the dreary greys of winter. In any case, it's easy to see the connection between my latest "Yellow Stars" quilt and my "Brimfield blocks". Just to be on the safe side, I'll through my "Chuck Nohara" project and "Green Smoothie" quilts into the mix.
So, what's your current "color mood"... Do you go though phases and embrace a "color mood" that you carry from project to project, or do you work with a completely new color scheme with each new project?
Do you sometimes struggle after you have all your quilt blocks finished to find a way to connect it all? Well, I have three projects in the works right now where that just happens to be the case. Sashing is the most obvious answer, and with good reason... it's simple and doesn't overwhelm a project. But then sometimes a project needs a little more than just simple.
I was over the moon excited when I stumbled on @janemichelquilts post and saw how she put her Brimfield blocks together. Just a step above simple, yet obvious enough to be annoyed with yourself that you didn't think of it first.
It was pure brilliance to take the small houses block, add a simple center, and then it transitions into the perfect flower cornerstone!?! Once
I figure out the exact direction of a project, it seems to push it
along a little faster.
This is the third "green quilt" that I have in the making, and yet I would like each of them to have a different feel. For this quilt I've pulled in some patina green, and pale aquas, while my yellow stars applique quilt is more yellows and chartreuse green. But they are all planned for the same room, so there should be enough to still tie them to each other.
... but since I still have two other quilts to figure out how to connect, I would love to hear your favorite way to connect quilt blocks. Sashing, or something entirely different?
When I shared the start of my brimfield blocks project a while back, someone pointed out that my all green blocks kind of look like Christmas wreaths. Hmmm... maybe it's true, or perhaps at this time of year, everything seems to remind you that there are only so many shopping days left before the big day of peace and love is upon us. In any case, I thought it would be fun to share the progress of my holiday boughs and let you decide.
As I had shared before, I've had it in my head for a long time to make an all green quilt. As usual, I really don't know how large I'll make this, but it would seem that I simply can't do small. The background is actually quite large, with an unfinished size of 16.5". I suppose I can trim them down later if needed, but it seemed like a good starting size.
This sweet daisy fabric has been in my stash for so long... waiting to be used before it landed in the "never-use-it... put it in the destash pile". I'm so glad I didn't give up on her, because I think she's finally found her project to really shine.
So, just think of these green wreaths as my way of wishing you the brightest, warmest, and merriest Christmas ever!
Every quilter has that one sewing technique that is avoided like the plague... for some it's paper piecing, for others it's applique, Y-seams and partial piecing always make a list, and I'm sure that curved piecing has to be on someones don't-go-near-it list. For me that one thing is EPP - English Paper Piecing!
Aside from the fact that I can't do much hand sewing because of numbness in my fingers, somehow EPP just feels like mending sewing to me... it would be like asking a Picasso to paint your garage. Not that I'm comparing myself to Picasso, but I am a quilter who simply wants to sew and not mend things, despite how portable the technique is.
Well, with all that being said, I suppose it might be slightly confusing why you are seeing snap shots of EPP blocks in my feed.... hmmm. When @brimfieldawakening first shared their new #brimfieldblock, I instantly feel in love. Even though it was EPP, I kept coming back to study and examine it.... I kept thinking to myself that there had to be another approach to this block, and that my ever beloved starch applique method was just the thing!
I asked a friend, who had traveled to the States recently, if she could pick up a single block set for me, knowing that it would be light enough to fit into a purse without being noticed. I then traced the shapes onto freezer paper, and decided to triple layer them. Because of the sturdiness due to the extra layer, I should be able to finish a whole quilt with my one set of freezer paper shapes! It was critical to cut them with a ruler and my paper rotary cutter to make sure that the shapes fit when finished.
I've since added a couple more blocks and will join in on the sew-along that Brimfield Awakening is hosting. An all green quilt has been on my to-do list for quite a while, and I'm enjoying digging into my favorite color stacks in my stash.
One of the beauties of working on such a block is that there is plenty of room for fussy cutting. I've been saving this Heather Ross fabric for something special, and I love these Daisy Chain fabrics from Annabell Wrigley.
Do you have any "back door" approaches to quilting when you didn't want to go through the front door?
