Thursday, February 3, 2011

February - latin (februum) - Purification

Mother Nature certainly 'Purified' the beginning of February with blanketing most of the US and Canada with white. Our long country lane is starting to look like a tunnel. The time spent shoveling, tending snow machinery, and re-plenishing wood piles has taken some time away from sewing.

Love Nest Quilt Contest at Gen X Quilters
I decided to enter my 'Morceaox de Bleu' (bits of blue). It was partially shown on my header for a while. Here she is in full view. A full size quilt (for the old rope bed) that was part of a design test that I put a twist on. This is my first large quilt, first quilt with a lot of white, and first play at design. And my first machine quilted piece - It was machine quilted by Sue Reed (my local longarmer).

Blogger's BlockaPalooza - These are my first blocks for the quilt-along. I'm using Moda's Butter Cup line - my selection from Cotton Charms Quilts. Thank you Kelly Guy, she got that bundle before Moda even had it in their shop. I love the entire collection, but splitting this with my daughter. So chose the linen green and apricot, saving her the yellow and blue.

SQUARED UP
I had a lot of comments about the purple plate - wow. How the simplest item can draw inspiration - but that color was a POP.

This is my new square inspiration. This is the time we browse those seed and nursery catalogs that are pouring into our mail box (US). With all this snow I am dreaming of green and flowers. I want to have some raised beds this year. A mix of flowers and vegies. Hmm, squares of squares of color - lots of potential.


I suddenly remembered I had an 'odd' charm pack of florals - it must have been in one of the scrap bags donated to me. Not a full charm pack and they really don't match each other. But how simple to just piece those pre-cut squares into a top - like planting a raised bed garden.

The top certainly wasn't large enough in itself, so needed some borders. I wanted to keep to the look of the planted garden. A lot of new quilters (even some of us old ones) have trouble with color selection. I found this lovely Kaufman floral in my 'backing' stash that would meld the whole piece and decided it would be my backing and binding. Using those color dots - yes they are there to assist you in selecting coordinating colors - I tried finding fabrics with similar color dots. Made it so much easier to select my borders - the medium green and the apricotty tan. That piece has a floral on a trellis - perfect to go with the flower bed. If I hadn't had interuptions, this would have been a completed quilt in a day.

What will be your inspiration? Turn to the simplest of forms - the square - and see what your creative side can grow.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

13 comments:

Wilma Lee said...

Your garden picture makes me yearn for spring. We're going to try more vertical growing this year hoping that it will making weeding a little easier.

Stray Stitches (Linda G) said...

Your 'Morceaox de Bleu' quilt is beautiful!! My garden has lots of green in it right now - unfortunately that green is made up of winter weeds. I just can't bring myself to go out and pull them when it is cold.
Isn't fun to make a quick quilt like you did with the 'odd' charm pack? You did a wonderful job of matching the backing to the front.

Sue Daurio said...

Your love nest quilt is wonderful! It actually inspired me to add more white in my quilts (the baby french braid) and I have another planned.

Flo @ Butterfly Quilting said...

Congratulations on all those "firsts"!! As a beginner quilter I celebrate every first for me! Although I certainly take a lot longer to make something...and even longer to get it finished.
I love the Garden colors in the bottom quilt, feels like spring.

Kelly@ Charming Chatter said...

Oh Sharon - I just love those blocks you're making with Buttercup - so cute!! I love your Love Nest quilt too! Always so many pretty things to see here!!!

Shannon said...

Your block-a-palooza blocks are great. I notice that since I have been quilting I see block and quilt patterns everywhere.

AnneMarie said...

Great quilt with a lot of firsts! Turned out wonderful!

Thanks for entering it in the Love Nest Quilt Contest and best of luck!

AnneMarie @ Gen X Quilters

Astrid said...

Nursery catalogues remind me of Norway. When they landed in the mail box, it was just like spring was there already! Lovely quilts!

Sheila said...

Always loved to look at your lovely 'Morceaox de Bleu' quilt, Sharon.
Funny, but I can't pass up an opportunity to take a second look at a quilt made up entirely of squares with maybe a border or two or not. Simple, yet much rides on square size, colors and arrangement ... even when fabrics are chosen randomly. I think the classic quilt design is a quilt made up entirely of squares.

Deb said...

I love your Morceaux de Bleu. Just beautiful.

I tend to use ready made patterns, rather than making up my own designs. There is so much inspiration in blogland and I tend to find that my quilts are inspired by what I see on various blogs. I seem to be drawn to my fav colours all the time. but am trying to branch out and buy fabrics that I wouldn't normally buy.

Millie said...

Congrats on all those firsts ...they all are looking good.

Kris said...

Oh, Sharon, that garden picture started me drooling for the spring and the garden!!! Although we have NO snow here in southern Utah!! And I love your eclectic garden charm quilt!!! Kris

Char said...

What great inspiration for a quilt. I like it. I always use those little color dots, although sometimes I stray just a little bit.