Our Guild is doing a Paint Chip Challenge that is due at our next meeting. I was so thrilled that we were going to do this when it first came up at a meeting a couple months ago. I've seen other guilds that have done these and it always peeked my interest. Basically, we were randomly given two actual paint chips. The rules are pretty simple. We must use the two colors as the starting point and are allowed to add one more color and a neutral.
Simple. Realizing our 'reveal' meeting is quickly approaching I needed to get my butt in gear and come up with a plan. My colors are gorgeous...IMO! A beautiful teal and golden yellow.
So what was I to do? Yikes! There wasn't much time to ponder or worry about my current 'mojo' rut. Out of the blue the idea of 'Storm At Sea' came to mind. Its a block that interests me, a block that can be toyed with using colors and a block I could paper piece for accuracy.
Why not? Let's do this!
My first fabric pull started with this batch of fabric. Great start! Love the magenta! If only it was that easy!
I'm not much of a planner. I'm a 'fly by the seat of your pants' kind of a girl! It's easier for me to play it by ear than plan every detail. So, when I picked my block and picked my fabric I was sure I had it in the bag. I did not!
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| Storm At Sea |
I'm making a 24" x 24" mini quilt that requires nine 8" blocks. I'll be paper piecing these blocks for accuracy and frankly...you know I love paper piecing!
The above block was my guide to color placement. And I tried. While cutting the pieces for my templates, I quickly discovered I didn't have enough of this color, then that color and then I cut the wrong color...it went on and on!
When I'm paper piecing numerous of the same block, I like to cut all my pieces prior to stitching. I cut, sub cut, cut the wrong color, cut the right color and eventually...finally...I think I hashed it all out.
It was a frustrating process. Working from my stash didn't go quite as planned. Whats better: having a well rounded stash of lots of colors or having a stash that has plenty of yardage but not much variety?!
There are nine templates for each block. Nine. I know! You would thing a little 8" block wouldn't be so involved, but it is!
The small square in a square is 2 1/2", the larger one is 4 1/2" and the diamond is 2 1/2" x 4 1/2". That little one is just adorable!!
Tomorrow I hope to take all the parts and pieces, put them together in a timely fashion with no fuss or muss.
And hopefully, they will all turn out to look like much like this one. I have no idea how this is going to turn out. It could be good, or it could go terribly wrong!
Storm at Sea is one of those blocks that trick you into thinking there are curves, yet there are none. In a quilt, there is a lot of movement and flow, which I'm hoping will come through with my quilt. It's hard to say what will happen. It could end up being 'The Calm Before The Storm' instead!
It was a fun exercise in making do with what you have on hand! Have you made a Storm At Sea quilt before? Would you do it again?
LINKING:
It looks as if you have got your work cut out for you. =) And I expect the result will look gorgeous in those colours.
ReplyDeleteI’m hoping it will all come together! I’m not sure with all the last minute color changes I’ve had to do!
DeleteYou certainly get the brownie points for perseverance. After all your trials and tribulations it's coming together great, and you are doing it in style. Just as you always do, your quilting rocks Jayne.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been trying to get my focus back, and for the most part I’ve done that. Still getting side tracked far too often! I’m excited and apprehensive about this block!
DeleteI started SAS many, many years ago. Still unfinished. Those long diamond blocks did me in. Also wasn't happy with my fabric choice. Still one of my favorites when other people make it!
ReplyDeleteThe blocks do take forever!! Especially that little one! Hopefully it will all be worth it in the end!
DeleteI can totally relate to how many pieces are in a storm at sea block! We used it as the basis for our 2017 QuiltCon charity quilt and I have to say that paper piecing is the right way to go for this block. I really look forward to seeing how it comes together for you. I think your colors are stunning.
ReplyDeleteThis is just really pretty. I have had Storm at Sea on my to-sew list for a while. I might get to it eventually.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be so gorgeous! :)
ReplyDeleteThis will be awesome. Can't wait to see the finish piece
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you. You cut, sub cut, arrange, align and so on. This proves that you are a very methodical person and not a fly-by-the-seats-of-my-pants kinda person. Besides who cares about the mistakes and wrong cuts - I am sure you will gather those "discards", swing a magic wand and transform them into a mini block, a table runner and a hot pad or two. The block so far is stunning. I will make SAS quilt someday - I need to grow up first :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is looking great! Look forward to seeing the blocks sewn together! I absolutely love looking at Storm at Sea quilts, have made one block for a sampler quilt once, and that was 'nuff for me ;-)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing it all come together. I've never made this block. I love that it looks like curves, but it's not. Happy sewing.
ReplyDeleteI' e always loved that pattern but never made it. Hmm, maybe that would work for my gold and navy fabric? Off to plan!!
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed it all goes together like a dream! LOVE the colors!
ReplyDeleteI have, and I will! It happens to be my favorite pattern ever! Love your interpretation! Can't wait to see more!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like it was a fun experience!! Storm at Sea is on my quilty bucket list. I want to make one for my ocean/naval battle-loving dad. It's a bit daunting, though, since I would want to make a larrrrge lap quilt since he's 6'2". Dare I even begin? Yours looks lovely! :)
ReplyDeleteL O V E how it turned out! Paper piecing is a blast (yep, frustrating sometimes, but awesome nonetheless). Your question about the fabric stash: I don't think we ever have all we need - sometimes we need variety for smaller projects so yardage is not an issue, other times we need yardage of the fabrics we only have a tiny bit. All the more reason to keep buying fabric!
ReplyDeleteAs always, great job on your color selection. This block is on my bucket list. Maybe you will inspire me to move it up the list.
ReplyDeleteI am so in love with the colors you used! They are so cool. What a fun project. I did make a Storm at Sea using scrappy maroons, and a light grayish print for the background. It may be a lot of work doing the paper-piecing, but the accuracy is spot on. Way to go!
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