Sipping Marsala

Marsala, the Pantone Color of the Year, was met with a pretty chilly reception around blogland when it was announced, yet I was kind of anxious to play with it a bit. I had gathered a few fabrics as possibilities and was mulling over what to do with them when I flipped through Alex Ledgerwood/teaginny Designs new book, Improvising Tradition: 18 Quilted Projects Using Strips, Slices, and Strata, and saw IT. That being her En Pointe Wall Hanging, with its slashed blocks reminiscent of a traditional rail fence.

The fabrics I ended up using were Essex Linen in Natural, Kona Sienna and Brick (the closest I've come to my Pantone Marsala swatch), and 2 luscious Kaffe Fassett Shot Cottons, a Terra Cotta and a Multi Stripe "Parma".

There's something about these blocks that is low-stress and satisfying, not something I can say about all improv. Here they are on my gray design wall, nighttime lighting and all.

I really would be happy just making more blocks, but decided I'd stop here and see what I could come up with. The first layout below is most like Alex's, but I rearranged my blocks a bit just to see if there was anything else I liked as well.

       

   

I may do something totally different, we'll see, but so far this little dalliance has been invigorating. Not quite what you'd expect from reddish brown, is it? {wink}

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday.