Out of the Murky!

These are the blocks I was working on during Quilt-Cam last night!  If you missed it, remember you can always catch the re-runs – I’ve linked them all under the Quilt-Cam at the top of the blog!

The story goes that I started these blocks a few years ago, thinking they would be an Addicted to Scraps column, but they were too labor intensive and the crumb piecing would force the column to take up more than one page - -it would be better as a full project.   So on to the back burner it went.

And stayed there.

I uncovered a couple of blocks yesterday while looking for something DIFFERENT that I could work on for Quilt-Cams because let’s face it, neutral string sashings are just BORING after a while.  There are not many more of those to do and I was just wanting something ELSE.

Ahah.  Maybe it’s time for these to come forward?

 

Gifted Crumb blocks.

A whole BOX of these little sort-of-log-cabn-ish blocks was gifted to me several years ago.  And I’m sorry to say they have sat.  Maybe it is because they are too predictable, too straight?  To murky? They are predominantly 1980s and 1990s “country” style prints. 

I love all of the colors in them, don’t get me wrong there, but there is just something needed to punch these up. More color.  More variety.  And ANGLES.  They are all very straight…but what to do?  So much work went into these, hours and hours, and I want to do something with them.

What if I did this?

Cut the blocks off center on the diagonal –sort of.  And build around them?? Can I bring in more color, change up the angles, make something more interesting while still using the gifted blocks?

I think I can!

While I’m doing this, I have a confession to make.  I have BINS of crumbs.  I have the hardest time letting any usable piece go.  And when I think I am just to the point where I want to just stuff it all into pillow cases to make dog beds, an idea like this comes along and I just can’t bear to throw good fabric away.  I’d rather sew it up.  Like this.

Can you even point out the murky bits now?

How about now?

Fabric DOES get dated.  It does get predictable, especially if you are sewing from one designer, one manufacturer, one line of fabric.  It’s still usable, but something I have come to firmly believe –you have to continually update older fabrics by sticking them next to something newer, something less matchy, something fun – a bit out of the ordinary.

Just say NO to boring!

So that’s my plan.  I’m slicing up these gifted blocks and using them in my own creations.  Look at it this way – it’s the chocolaty center at the middle of a tootsie pop.  Brown is good.  But it’s better next to other colors!

Kitting up block parts for retreat!

I head out tomorrow for Pennsylvania.  I’m teaching Friday, Saturday and Sunday for Mary Koval’s Quilt Shop in Bedford PA! 

I’ll be staying with her for a few days afterward, and then move on to another Pennsylvania retreat – Quilt Odyssey Retreat at Allenberry Resort in Boiling Springs, PA!

This retreat ends the day before Labor Day, and I'll have time to sew after workshop time in the evenings, so these star parts and a bucket of crumbs are coming with me to play.  I’m not sure how many of the neutral background ones I want versus the color ones, so this will evolve as I go.

Perhaps a quilt for the NEXT book down the line?  We shall see!

It’s going to be a full day of packing and getting ready today for these two back to back events.  Remember, the drawing for the two Quilts from 100 blocks issues by Quiltmaker Magazine (AND the 5 fat quarter bundle for one lucky winner!) is TONIGHT!  If you haven’t entered yet, go leave your comment on THAT POST.

Have a great Wednesday, everyone!

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