Friday, September 25, 2015

Heavy Metal

So, today was all about experimenting.  Colors, fabric & design.  This design may look familiar to many of you.  I made an original block for Fabri-Quilt New Blog Block Hop, the tutorial for the block is here:  Casual Link

Top: 36" x 36"
I will admit that I love my block, when it is combined with other ones.  So excited in fact, that I had to make a quilt faster than a speeding bullet!  You can see a shot of it here:  Just The Basics Ma'am.  I have yet to finish it, by finish it I mean quilt it!  I'm waiting for an idea to hit me.  In the mean time I wanted to play with the design and see where I could take it.

The fabric I picked is Heavy Metal, a Windham Fabric.  I bought a fat quarter bundle in June, bound and determined to use some of it, any of it.  It has a little sparkle and shine with the metallic spots.  Gold, silver and bronze.  


The colors are gorgeous and picking just a few for this project was so hard!  I even asked my daughter to 'advise' me.  She wasn't much help except to say 'go with your gut mom'! No help at all!




This is kind of a tropical palette.  There are times when I want to go crazy and wild, pick an unexpected combination, live on the edge!  



This is my idea of living on the edge!  Hold me back!  The yellow-ish, green-ish, chartreuse-ish...that's wild!  This piece has been sitting on my shelf for a year.  One year!  I haven't a clue what it is exactly, I just know I love the color.

The project...oh yeah!  Colors picked, fabrics cut.  But wait, what was I thinking?  I had to do some fast thinking when I cut the white/grey color.  Remember I said I bought a FQ bundle? Not enough for four blocks!  I don't think you can tell where I pieced together the 2" squares, but I was short 2 of them.  At this point I'm thinking I'm screwed!  What was I thinking?!



Then I fiddled, scrimped, and finagled myself to finishing the four blocks.  Hindsight:  I would have used a solid that I had plenty on hand of.  



Once I added the borders, it not only framed the center well, but beefed up the size!  I was thinking it should become a baby quilt.



Looking back, there are a few things I would change or do differently.  Color placement for one.  I think using four colors for inside and four outside would be interesting.  I might even make the corners angled.  


Which leads to many more ideas!  That I like!  I enjoy taking a design, playing with it and changing it up. 


It was fun cutting in to fabric that would otherwise sit for far too many months.  And especially fun to use my block again.



When you work with a pattern, do you like to change it up and make it your own?  Or strictly stay inside the lines?  


Linking:

19 comments :

  1. Thanks for sharing your process. I love these stream of conscious post where I can get in another quilter's brain. Love the project. The unusual color palette adds a great wow factor.

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    1. I hope I didn't make you crazy getting inside my head!! It gets a little jumbled at times! It's always fun to try and make something work, and I am pretty happy with this one!

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  2. Lovely! The color grouping really does have a tropical vibe, and the yellow-ish, green-ish, chartreuse-ish solid really is wild but works so well. :)

    I definitely love to make a project my own in some way. It isn't always possible (sewing on commission comes to mind), but it is satisfying to put our own touch on something, I think. And, honestly, it helps give me freedom to accept the inevitable "whoops" like the block turned sideways in my Love Letters quilt top. :)

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    1. It is a crazy palette, but one I can live with! Had you not said anything I would have thought you meant to have the love letter block sideways! I get really excited when putting a different twist on things.

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  3. I am all about playing with the fabrics. I might start with a clear idea but I always see to get sidetracked. I love your project and lo ok forward to seeing how you quilt it.

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    1. Generally I have an idea where to start, all bets are off after that! The dreaded quilting…the part I really don't like unless it's organic waves or lines!

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  4. Love that fabric line. I do change patterns to make them my own. See it as a challenge to myself and we don't grow without challenge.

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    1. Its a really pretty color palette! Making changes here and there are enjoyable for me. Making huge changes usually take a little longer to work out, but so rewarding!

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  5. I'm all about coloring outside the lines! This looks fabulous!

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    1. The best part of being creative and quilting is there are no rules! In my opinion! Maybe that's why I love it so much!

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  6. Love it!! Great colour choices. I still the pattern...although I'm hoping to get to the point of being able to think outside the box.

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    1. I am pleased with the results, but will always look at it wish I had changed a few things! The way of the quilter, I suppose!

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  7. Very, Cool. Love the fabrics and the block is so amazing. Very fun.

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    1. I have to say there are so many possibilities with this block and it makes me want to do all of them! For now I'll let it rest with this quilt and pick it up again later!

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  8. I like this quilt! I love the block you designed, and the colours are just super too!

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  9. I don't normally use a pattern, but I love it when people use their imagination. It's refreshing to see a quilt done up in so many different ways. Such a lovely block here, Jayne. Perfect for showing off those pretty fabrics!

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    1. I was happy to make this latest version with my block. I get an idea and have to make it in order to clear my brain, only to have several others take root! Vicious cycle it seems!

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  10. Both. Sometimes it's good to follow up something but if it is possible I like to make it my own :)

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    1. I'm happy to have fiddled around with this latest version of my block, but it only led to several other ideas! Too much to do and so little time!

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