It feels like my Pantone challenge entry has definitely been a journey, but it's done now!
Choosing fabrics was the easiest part. Once that was set, I decided to make a bunch of slice-and-shift blocks, as that at least was easy to get started on while I was on retreat.
I'd originally hoped to include some Essex Homespun Yarn Dyed in Natural scraps, but turned out that not many were a usable size, but I did use a handful. I also began incorporating a colored print - an unidentified orange-ish elongated grid that I'd gotten in a FabricBubb scrap bundle.
Once I was home, I made even more blocks, then got them all up on the design wall to see what I had to work with.
After sharing on Insta, it was suggested that I rotate the whole thing, so after removing all the blocks from the wall, I slowly began to rearrange the blocks into a real layout, including the rotation. In piecing it all together, I added some filler blocks with larger/longer pieces of that striped fabric. Once squared up, I had a quilt top that was 45" x 47".
You can see the entire process of creating a pieced quilt back in Making a Pieced Quilt Back, but basically, I went from this....
to this....
For batting, I used a leftover piece of Quilter's Dream Select, a little lighter in weight than my normal Warm and White. For quilting, I chose to use the Tower of Triangles design from Jacquie Gering's WALK. I'd used it once before, and though a bit time-consuming and involving a lot of reverse-motion quilting, I liked the unique shapes it created across the quilt. For thread, I used Aurifil 50wt 2021 [Natural White], keeping things as light as possible, but not stark.
I saw the transition from vertical to horizontal on Instagram and felt my eyes soften and body lighten up - it truly was a physical reaction to the shift! You even used a Cloud Dancer thread for the quilting. Bravo and congratulations on another wonderful quilt made from this yearly challenge.
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is amazing! I love how it changed with rotation. I am closing in on finishing my quilt and hope to post about it next week.
ReplyDeleteGreat piecing skills and machine quilting design!
ReplyDeletethe rotation truly did make a difference! and I love the back... maybe even more than the front!
ReplyDeleteIt's perfect, Debbie! Your block-making idea - slice-and-shift - is inspirational. What a great way to start improv while on retreat because (after retreat) it is indeed best to put all the blocks on a design wall to see what you've got. Love seeing your process, and how rotating blocks was so effective. That orange and cream print was the ideal addition to the piece, to give it interest. And your back.... it couldn't be better, especially because it used leftovers. You picked the perfect name for this too. You can be proud of the quilt you'll submit for the challenge. Good for you! I'm impressed.
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