BOM Quilt Design

I'm an overachiever.

I'm an overachiever, and I like to take the less-beaten path.

...

Yes.

Yes, I am insane.

:)

Insanity, this time, led me to being determined to come up with a unique setting for the Botanical BOM blocks I'm making with the Stitch 'N' Bitch group.

Much easier said than done, obviously, as my mind regarded the blocks with a kind of blank pseudo-interest that said, "I'll make you. You're pretty," and left the blocks in pile in the corner of my mind, nary a quilt top design to be seen. In fact, my mind then went skipping off into making scrappy blocks, no matter how much I tried to rein it in.

And then a light shone in the darkness!

The mail carrier brought me latest Hancock's of Paducah fabric catalog! For a few days, my mental self crouched in a corner clutching the catalog, stroking each page, muttering, "My preciouses..."

I'm pretty sure had I looked into a mirror, I would have been balding and grey, with saucer discs for eyes better suited to a cave-dwelling lemur.

As I stared at the pages, an image advertising a quilt top/kit caught my (saucer) eye. The Women of Courage BOM quilt top made me stop and think.

And then I reached for my laptop.

I still need to find two more botanical themed blocks for the lower corners. I also am playing around with the idea of changing out the blocks that comprised that central 'plus sign'. However, I'm sticking with that pop of aqua. The quilt definitely needs it.

We'll see how much this design evolves as I stare at it!

DWR Quilt-Along - Let's Talk About Fabrics

It's been brought to my attention that McCall's has a free Double Wedding Ring paper piecing pattern available at their site.  Freespirit Fabrics also offers a free download here.  A big thank you to Tiffany for leading me to the McCall's pattern!  So, there are two more options for those of you want to participate.

Let's talk about fabrics!  Obviously, your biggest investment is going to be in the background fabric, should you opt to go with a single background fabric.  Check out Sandi's post, here, for some wonderful examples of a DWR drawn in EQ7 using multiple background fabrics for the melons (or footballs) and centers.  Now, just so we're clear...

THERE ARE NO WRONG CHOICES IN THIS QUILT ALONG!

Every coloring option is equally valid, whether you choose to go with a traditional palette and use off-white muslin for your centers and melons and feedsack reproductions for your arc centers and ends, or if you opt for a solid that coordinates with a favorite designer line.

Monochrome (also known as analogous), scrappy, or limited palette, is it all up to you.  I encourage you to share your choices on the Grey Cat Quilts Projects flicker group.  I would love to see them, and I would love to feature some of them here on the blog.  Posting your photos to the flickr group will not automatically grant me permission to re-post your photos here.  I will contact you and ask you for permission before posting.

I would like to start piecing next weekend, but don't worry!  There will be plenty of time for anyone to join in at any point.  I still have to buy fabrics - again.

Remember this?

Not the plan anymore.  I got silly, and drew this up in EQ7:

Yeah.  Now I need more fabric.  *facepalm*

Another DWR Teaser

This is what I'm thinking of doing, but I'm so tempted to throw the towel in on this color palette and go with the black background with pink and aqua circles.  This just doesn't have the same visual pop for me... Hmm...  What if I go with purple and yellow?

Now, I'm sure you've all noticed that I'm working these samples up in fairly limited color palettes.  Why?  Because I get really, really bored dropping different colors into EQ7.  I'm not kidding, lol.  I love the program, but I spend 90% of my day working on the computer, so I tend to try to transition from work to my sewing machine with as little computer time as possible.

Also, I like the look of the limited color palettes.  For me, it does a lot to modernize this classic quilt pattern.  And, honestly, I've done a scrappy DWR, so I'm not eager to re-tread creative ground:

Obligatory Cat Cleaning Herself Included

But don't let my current color freakiness off put you to a scrappy look.  Take a look at the following mosaic for some further color inspiration:

1. Double Wedding Ring Quilt, 2. double wedding ring, 3. Joe Whitton- Double Wedding Ring, 4. Great Grandma's Quilt -- White Double Wedding Ring, 5. wedding ring quilt, 6. Double wedding ring quilt, 7. An Amazing gift, 8. Double Wedding Ring Quilt, 9. Double Wedding Ring Quilt, 10. Double Wedding Ring Quilt (Modern Meadow & Hope Valley), Row One, 11. Double Wedding Ring Marked for Quilting, 12. Double Wedding Ring

Check back on Saturday, 4/2/2001.  I'll be posting fabric requirements and a recommended supply list for the quilt along.  I'll also have a blog button up if you'd like to advertise your involvement in your own side bar.

I'm Back!

I'm finally over being sick!  I'd do some handstands and cartwheels, but I'd just fall and break something important.

I told ya'll that I'd update you with the things that I'd purchased to fulfill my annual tax-rebate wish list.  I got everything I wanted, because we did really well and took care of everything that we needed to take care of.  Having play money was a lot of fun this year:

I broke down and bought EQ7.  I *love* this program.  I still have to work my way through the lessons and re-familiarize myself with how it works, but I'm already having fun.

I gave into temptation and bought an Accuquilt GO!  I still want to buy the hexagon die and the double wedding ring, but I think those will wait until next month.  I did treat myself to an applique flower die set and the 1.5" strip maker.

I also bought all the fabric I'll need for my Dear Jane quilt:

The bottom of the stack? 20 yards of Sandstone solid from Connecting Threads.  Yeah, that's a lot of fabric.  I bought 3.5 yards of the eight solids that I'll be using.  It's way overkill for some of the colors, but stashing solids is *not* a bad thing.

The rest of the loot?

I bought a twelve pack of bright threads from Connecting Thread (I love their thread - I get so little lint from it), two packages of flat head pins (they were on sale), some applique needles (cause there's a beautiful applique BOM I'd love to do this year, plus some Dear Jane blocks), and the large size flip-mat that's a cutting mat and ironing mat.

I spoiled myself this year, and I'm totally burned out on buying stuff.  I keep looking, but nothing is calling my name.  It's almost sad, but it's better this way.  This way I work out of my stash.

Oh! Oh! The Dear Jane fabric...  If you look at the original quilt, it's done in a Trip Around the World setting. It's actually kind of hard to spot - the colors are muted and there's so many blocks it's easy to miss.  I'll be doing the same, but in different shades of orange/yellow and purples.  For an idea of the color progression (and I swear, there's more variance in the lighter shades than it looks in the photo - my bad for taking the photos indoors and late at night):