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Monday, April 22, 2013

Common Affection

Some projects turn out exactly as you had imagined them, and others . . . Well others just take on a life of their own. This project was one of the second variety.

March was my month to choose a project for the Mid-Century Modern Bee and I chose the Hugs & Kisses block by Little Miss Shabby. And then I dug into the stack of charms I had gotten in the Low Volume Swap last summer. Without even realizing it, I even used the fabric I had swapped in my sample block - the blue/gray/white circles (Quilt Blocks by Ellen Luckett Baker for Moda Fabrics) in the bottom right-hand corner.
Low-Volume Hugs & Kisses block
The blocks came in right on schedule, and one day I put them all on my design wall and began mulling over what to do with them.
Low Volume Hugs & Kisses blocks from Mid-Century Modern bee
I posted a picture in the flickr group, and my bee-mate Carla/Grace and Favour made the quilt-changing suggestion to put them on-point. Oh yeah.
Considering layout #mcm #MCM 
At that point, I was talking filling in around the blocks with solid grays when bee-mate #2, Linda/Flourishing Palms suggested matching up with the skinny bits to make all those block conjunctions squares. Good idea! But when I started adding those pieces up on the wall, it dawned on me that I really needed to link up the skinny bits out on the edges too. So that's what I did, using three different grays in the process - Kona Ash and Iron plus Michael Miller Couture Stone.
on the design wall.... 
Things were getting a little more complicated . . . 

If I'd known all along what the outcome would be, I would have pieced things just a bit differently, but I made it work, and was pretty pleased with the result.
Mid-Century Modern quilt
If I had it to do over, I would have used more low-volume prints for those squares inside of the 'border' line, but then again, I didn't really 'see' that till I was done. Anyway, I forged ahead, quilting with Aurifil Light Beige (#2310). I did a straight-line coil, starting off centered in the upper-left of the quilt and echoing at 1" increments. Binding was scrappy solid grays with a couple of snippets of gray prints.

To be honest, this quilt is as much a collaboration as any I've done. The block was designed by Little Miss Shabby, my Mid-Century Modern Bee joined me in making blocks, Carla suggested the layout, Linda gave me the idea of continuing the accent strips, and I ran my quilting and binding thoughts by daughter dear before moving forward. So yeah, it's small (45" square) but for me, there's alot wrapped up in this quilt.
As I finished it, I started mulling over a name for it, and I came up with "Common Affection" - common for the cooperative effort of my bee in working jointly towards a goal, and affection as a nod to the Hugs & Kisses block. 

Weather wasn't really conducive to a decent photo shoot, but hubby was willing to run out during a break in the rain and let me take a few shots. I loved the one against the blue building (a random smoke shop!); he liked the one below against the brick. So I figured I'd share them both . . .

This project is on my Q2 Finish-A-Long list. Also linking up with Fabric Tuesday.

32 comments:

  1. It turns out gorgeous Debbie! I love the neutral colours.. so loving low volume now..but have not start on any project with them yet.. Yours is amazing!

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  2. This is gorgeous...an award winning quilt, I am sure. Well done!

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  3. I love this quilt...but I think you already knew that! It is so individual and YOU! I think I like the blue photo, and the grey one too! And what a great name! Fabulous all round!

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  4. This is so beautiful! Very clever design and it works brilliantly! Great shots too :)

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  5. I really like that the blocks are on point it's gives it such a different look, really fantastic quilt your low volume fabrics are great!!

    Rachael

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  6. I've gotta say, when I saw the first pic, I was far from impressed. Of course, I'm a color person, so it just wasn't floating my boat. But now I must say, I was really impressed at its transformation. First, the "on point" was a great idea, next the darker gray really punched it up and then the small stripe added icing to the cake. Congrats on a job very well done!

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  7. Oh I love it! So much! The setting is just perfect and it's a great way to show off those low volume prints.

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  8. I feel you have something very special there!

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  9. Love Love Love! Spectacular layout!

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  10. This really turned out fabulous! I really like how you took the time to piece that border. So worth the effort
    : )

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  11. This is such a great quilt and I love it exactly as it is!

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  12. It turned out so beautiful, Debbie! I love that there are so many different design elements to study when you are looking at it. Very cool! And so fun that you had such helpful bee mates!

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  13. Gorgeous and I love your creative border!

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  14. Great finish and congrats on being able to mark something off of the Q2 List - Kudos to you!

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  15. This quilt is amazing Debbie! love the group effort, love everything about it!

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  16. Lovely! Thanks for sharing the process, too. Hubby's a keeper!

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  17. This is just beautiful and the name is perfect. I'm thrilled with this bee and the incredible women in it.

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  18. This turned out so perfectly lovely, Debbie! What a great take on a low volume quilt!

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  19. Really cool! What a great collaboration.

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  20. It's absolutely stunning, Debbie. I so love how you managed to put all these blocks together and that added border is just perfect!!!

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  21. what a fantastic team of inspiration and effort!

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  22. it looks great, love how it came out, and on point was genius!

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  23. Your quilt turned out wonderfully. I really like the picture of it against the blue wall. And your name is perfect.

    -Bobbi

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  24. I like the hearts around the border! I think it is perfect.

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  25. Love how your quilt turned out!

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  26. Such a beautiful quilt - I love how you have quilted it!

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  27. It's got a great feeling of transparency, Debbie! I love it!

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  28. This quilt really is fabulous! I have enjoyed seeing it come together on instagram! :)

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  29. You're so kind to credit me with helping you on this quilt - the name for it is perfect! I think it turned out beautifully, and is certainly something you couldn't' have PLANNED this way. I do hope you'll enter it in the AQS Modern Quilt Challenge. It's definitely worthy!

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  30. What a great post about your clever and gorgeous quilt! I love the name that you came up with...it's perfect!

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