Saturday, January 8, 2022

Sewing Saturday.... Project Quilting using " ALL the colors"

 


This week I worked on my project quilting challenge piece. (I didn't finish until after dark so the photos are not great)  It's like Project Runway, with quilting, we are challenged with a prompt, and it has to be from idea to finish,  done in one week! 

What does that do to a creative process?  I admit to making challenge pieces even for National challenges, within a week once I got the idea. Sometimes it's good to have a deadline so that one might stop dithering and just get 'er done... 

but it's pressure for sure. 

(I wanted to finish a very cool colorful UFO  for this challenge, but I'd done the center a few months ago. It will have to wait a bit longer for a finish)

I like to  have a unique take on prompts. I am a fan of color (big surprise considering my blog name) and bright colors. Someone with a more conservative take on quilting once commented when seeing my show and tell, "my my, all those colors in ONE quilt!" 

I am pretty brave when it comes to color so a challenge involving color sounded like fun. 

 I decided to showcase all the colors in a saturated, blended way... the way of cherrywood hand dyed fabrics. I have a couple bags sold as skinny strips ( from 1/4 inch to 3 inch strips) and decided to use the most variation of colors possible and make log cabin blocks with improvisation. 

  I have old paper piecing software that allows me to design and  skew blocks so I did an archway to showcase a special sun hand dyed fabric bought at Houston back before pestilence took over the world. 

I fused peltex stabilizer to the face circle so it's just taller than the rest of the quilt. Then appliqued the prepared circle to the rays.

  Then I made them work. Trim some, add more, straighten a line here, decide how many blocks to do... 

 In the binding process I chose a purple, which then made the whole piece look more purple! There was not a lot of purple in the blocks but...like in framing a painting, the mat can influence the colors in the piece. The backing was a wild colorful scrap

My fave master artist is Klimt... and I imagined my work was inspired by him in this. The only thing missing was gold paint... so in the quilting process I added YLI gold metallic threads only on the sunburst, my focus. It sparkles and draws the eye. Normally I'd quilt the whole thing in metallic! I used quiet, variegated hand dyed threads to quilt the blocks this time and loved the feel of it. 

It is small ish... 14" Wide by 17" long. The smaller something is the more each detail matters I think.

This challenge did it's job for me... it stimulated design work, it allowed me to sew color to color which is healing in a way, it totally engrossed my mind, and it left me with starter pieces for another piece. That's a great way to create a series. We learn from creating in series, changing subsequent pieces just a bit to see "what if" 

The rainbow scrap challenge color to use this month is red scraps. 

This is from last year and I think now is a good time to finish it, don't you? 

I read that each time you say  "yes" you are saying "no" to something else. I chose to say yes to two big challenges that take a lot of time. They only go on for a couple months and last year I learned a lot by doing them. I love the RSC as it gives me a focus each month. I have not chosen a block to make this year yet so for that I might finish some of last year's blocks.

But... next up is the center for my stay at home round robin... a paper pieced flamingo with lovely mix of batiks around it. I plan to post that if done, tomorrow, so please come back then! 

Linking to

http://frombolttobeauty.blogspot.com/
off the wall Fridays
tgiffridayfinished or not 


29 comments:

Ivani said...

Congrats for a finished quilt!
I don't know why, but your mini quilt makes me think about the Egyptian art. Maybe because of the sun and rays, or its colors.
Well done Lee Anna.

Sara said...

I love your fearless play with color! The curved section of this made me think of a window in the courthouse where I used to live. The whole piece gave me the feel of stained glass. It's beautiful.

The Joyful Quilter said...

Fabulous PQ 13.1 challenge entry, LeeAnna!! Pulling out a UFO from an earlier RSC to work on during RED month? LOVE that!!

PaintedThread said...

So cool! I love how that quilt came out!

Laura said...

Love your colour piece. The colours work really well together and everything feels so balanced. It feels kind of Egyptian to me too (I think it's the colour palette).

MissPat said...

We had a sew day at quilt group today and I worked on my red block for RSC. Didn't make a lot of progress. Too much chatting and snacking I think and I'm still having trouble getting focused. I also started a 10% Happier meditation challenge this week on "Getting Unstuck". Hope it helps.
Pat

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Your Project Quilting piece is beautiful! Great color combinations in an interesting design, and I love the rising sun in the center.

Molly the Airedale said...

Love it! It's so colorful and pretty!

Michele said...

I love Project Quilting. It usually manages to pull me out of the winter slump for a few months.

grammajudyb said...

Again! Proof that you definitely are NOT AFRAID Of COLOR! You are amazing! Wonderful project and finish! Yea! LeeAnna!

J said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog, I just now found your comment almost 6 weeks later. I am not a quilter and don’t know how to use a sewing machine, but your pictures are beautiful, and I especially love the red one. They are both amazing accomplishments.

Sandy Panagos said...

What a great finish! That sun really makes it.

CountryDew said...

That's very beautiful. I've been reading a little about older quilts and how many of the designs in them are actually symbolic protection spells. Do you know anything about that? I found it very interesting.

Joanne said...

Hi LeeAnna,
They turnded out beautiful! Great use of colour !
hugs,
Joanne

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Wow, I love your mini, colorful and pretty! The sun in the center is a great idea, and the purple binding too! It's quite a little piece of art.
Thank you for sharing your amazing projects, and linking up.

Robin said...

Lovely improv piece. I enjoyed following the process and hearing how you made your decisions. The gold thread and the tie in with Klimt was very satisfying.

Tails Around the Ranch said...

Such beautiful pops of color!

Judy in Michigan said...

Awesome! The colors just drew me in and the purple binding was a great touch.

Sharon Kwilter said...

That's a neat quilt. It looks really modern.

Susie H said...

I like ALL THE COLORS! The circular flying geese make quite the statement in the center. I love it!

PersimonDreams said...

This is absolutely stunning! Love what you came up with ;)

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Love your Project Quilting piece! Love all the colors you used. Such great choices throughout. I also love your RSC piece. It so deserves a finish! Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

Oh I love the colors in your quilt, something about the cherrywood fabric. You did an awesome job.

Miaismine said...

It's absolutely gorgeous! You are an amazing artist - finding beauty and courage in these times....hugs to you!

Angela said...

Nice job!

Norma Schlager said...

I love all the colors and the wonky piecing. Your sun lady in the center is a good finish. Hard to beat Cherrywood Fabrics for saturated colors.

Vivian said...

I had not realized the color quilt was so small until you showed the picture of it next to your machine when binding it. Stunning use of color, wonderful fussy cut and you can't go wrong with Cherrywood! Hmmm, I love that you have whole projects in the RSC color of the month. It's like another Project Quilting challenge!

Rebecca Grace said...

"All the Colors in ONE QUILT?!" YES, PLEASE!! I love what you did here with the Cherrywood colors and the radiating sun! Fabulous!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

I am thinking you conquered that challenge!!! Love it!!!