Saturday, January 14, 2012

Red and white is coming together

The Forsyth Piecers and Quilters Quilt show is fast approaching.  Ive been thinking about it since they announced it and the quilt challenge.  I love a challenge!  It motivates my creativity!  When I was in DOQ it was my favotie part of being in a guild.  I have been thinking, designing, and collecting red fabrics for months.  I didnt have any red prints or just red and white fabrics so this was a challenge.  When I want on the LQS Shop Hop last fall I acquired some good fabrics- red on white, white on red, red on red, ...  I was always singing to myself "All I need is red, wah, wah, wah...." 
First design,
 
 Another
not sure what happened to this file..

Still another

this was my last design

I liked some of the elements but they weren't exactly right.  Then the Swoon along happened. I have been lusting after making one of these quilts.  I have some Denyse Schmidt and Kaffe Fasett fabric in my stash that would be perfectly showcased.  So this lead me to a new design based on me making this last night


 A red and white swoon block. 
 I actually didnt use the swoon pattern but rather the Bethlehem star pattern with my Marti Mitchell set A templetes and a companion triangle ruler.  I modified the center and enlarged the whole block to 24".   I really wanted a large statement piece block and this came out perfect.  I didn't want a layout with traditional borders or a one block quilt.  I added 4 other blocks based on my favortite stars and what I am now titling the quilt-"All I need is red, wah, wah, wah...." The 3 wahs gave me the idea for all blocks to be 3' based.  So I made these other four blocks.

A 3" pin wheel star, a 6" free style star, a 9" friendship star, a 12" wonky star and the 24" Swoonlike star.  These are my favorite quilt blocks!  This is kind of what the layout will look like.  Im using that great red I got at Karen Gray's shop for the background.  I have a large scale red and white print called Kumari Garden that will add a statement as a strip down the side.  It will finish at about 45" by 45".
  Im hoping to complete the top this weekend.  I'll piece the back with whatever I have left.  Im still debating the quilting.  Maybe some hand quilting on the stars with red and white pearl cottons, maybe a few antique red buttons, beads... or just straightline overall quilting or maybe straightline over lapping large freehand stars or a combo?  I plan this to be a small throw for my favorite chair in the den.  Any suggestions?

4 comments:

Barb said...

I love your red and whites...

beaquilter said...

lovely designs, say hi to me at DOQ, so I know who you are?

Carrie P. said...

Oh, Look at your great design.
I was planning to have and enter a quilt in the show but it fell by the wayside. It was going to be applique.
Too much going on.

Paige said...

No suggestions but wanted to pop in and say it's looking good! I'm not a member of FP&Q. Keep us posted on the upcoming show!