Stripping On the Design Wall

On this rainy Monday in August my design wall holds possibilities.  I'm back to stripping -- this time with these lovely warm Caribbean colors.  Not sure what this will become...

To see other design walls, click here to go to Judy's blog.

First Time Stripping

In an earlier post I talked about doing something different with these lovelies.

Over at the "...Fire" blog we had a guest artist for June.  Kathy Loomis posted a tutorial for slicing and stitching fabric (here) that is a fine way to "do" something with those bits and pieces of hand-dyes, monoprints, and artcloths that just need something.  

So I went through the "Summer O' Turquoise" stash and pulled these fine candidates and started cutting strips.

Kathy recommends using "flimsy" fabric for the little strips to avoid adding excess bulk, but I like the sturdiness of the hand-dyes.  I'll have to play around more another time with "flimsy" fabric.

I pulled this monoprint from my stash that I had overdyed with a flour resist (here).  I like the colors but it doesn't really stand on its own.  

I cut some strips from the Caribbean-colored fabrics and joined them end to end.  I ironed the seams open because I figured they would be much easier to insert that way.

This is the start.  The orange/blue stripe was a mistake.  But I decided to go with it.  I kept adding more and more slices and strips until I got this:

This is where I finished.  I really like the thinnest strips.  I think the chunky strips look clunky. The really thin strips (3/4 inch or less before sewing) look much better.  Kathy uses less than 1/4 inch seam for her strips and, while it's scary sewing that tiny a seam, they look much better with the tiny seam allowance.  And it's not like it's going anywhere.  I'll post another photo after I add more strips.  I'm not sure I should continue with the turquoise though...

April Design Wall

My design wall for this lovely day in April sports this polka dotted wonder.  I spent last Friday with the friendly ladies in Monroe, Wisconsin.  We worked on this pieced wonder.

It is from a pattern called "Strip Stacks" by G.E Designs, Iceland, at: http://gequiltdesigns.com/.

For more design walls, click here to go to Judy's blog.

Design Wall Twofer

Long time readers might remember that I participate in a BOM every year at Mill House Quilts in Waunakee, Wisconsin (motto: it's the only Waunakee in the world).  This year, even though I am working full time and can't really go to the meetings, I'm doing blocks from the book pictured at the left below along with the rest of the group. 

 

I love the blocks in this book, but I don't really do taupe (motto: I do brights).  So I'm taking my cue from the book pictured above on the right.  I love the stark contrasts in the blocks.  But I'm doing mine in color.  So in the photo of my design wall at the top of this post, the three blocks on top are done in spa blues and browns (which I've been collecting for some time -- although I don't really know why) and the bottom blocks are done in color to satisfy my primal need for color.  After I made the top blocks, I couldn't figure out what to pair the colors with to give the blocks some consistency.  But while I was wandering through my stash, I looked at the pile of black and white fabrics (okay -- I'll fess up:  there were two piles) and thought: "Yes!  Black and white will set off the colors and make the blocks go together!"    And the blocks are pretty complex -- so after I figure out one, I may as well do another.

Yesterday, my design wall looked like this.  I'm working my way through Rayna Gillman's book (pictured at left) along with my fellow artists (and Rayna!) on the blog "...And Then We Set It On Fire."  I hope to start cutting up the strip sets and adding color soon.  While I admire those who can work in neutral tones and I think that the Japanese taupe quilts are outstanding in their beauty, I just don't fly that way.  And it's all about having fun, isn't it?

To see other design walls, click here to go to Judy's blog.

A Little Progress

...very little.

  I managed to stitch the strips together in pairs, then just a few together to see what they will look like.  I was going to do some sashing with more little squares, but I think it will be just fine without.

A lot of people asked what this fabric was -- it's "just hanging" by Alexander Henry.  It's new -- I got it at my LQS last month (they had already sold most of the bolt last week when I stopped in).  But I'm sure it must be available somewhere out there.

To see other design walls, click here to go to Judy's blog.