Linda Poole announced her Small Quilt Contest for her first line of fabric, Iridescence, little over a month ago. I really like Linda and loved the class I took with her earlier in the year. So when I saw the contest I thought about entering. I've never, ever, ever, ever done a challenge and this was my first. I had noooooo idea what I had gotten myself into.....and I'm glad I did not know in advance because you know how hindsight can be....LOL.
This is what I started with:
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I had absolutely no idea where to go with this fabric. It seemed to lend itself to squares and triangles because of the panel. Keep in mind I've never done anything like this before. I have always had a pattern to start with. I scanned all my fabrics into my EQ7 software and began designing a quilt. I was very proud of myself and I thought I had come up with something that looked pretty good. Until.....one morning I woke up and decided to try some techniques that I've never done before. I've seen some quilts where there were varying size blocks....so I just decided to start making things and see what would happen.
This is a block I made....and I really like it too.
Then a mishap......honestly I don't even know if I can call it a quilt block....it turned out more like a size B bra cup (turn it on it's side and yep....that is exactly what it looked like, without straps).
Ok, I liked these....but I could not find a direction to take them into. Nothing was coming together for me. I let everything sit for over a week....and still nothing. Then I had what I thought was a great idea. I have lots of books and so many techniques that I want to try.....so I grabbed a book in the stack and decided to just give it a whirl....what did I have to loose right? It happened to be Ricky Tims' Convergence Quilt.
(a photo of the book)Well....ok then....I guess I'll slice and dice this fabric up and see where it goes. The first Convergence I tried did not converge at all.....and I was lost. My girlfriend Rosemary came to the rescue and helped me create the actual convergence. Then I added a border.....got it all on....nope...didn't like it at all.
Then of course there were a long series of self made dragonflies....several and lots of print and fuse going on...so many sheets used and wasted it is a crime.
NOPE! A few more days pass and I decide all the vertical and horizontal lines are just too stark. This piece needs some movement. But what? I Googled "Dragonfly" and every photo had dragonflies on or near green leaves....so green leaves it is!!!
But which green? This went on and on and on....for days. It was 11:50 PM on the 4th of October (the deadline for the challenge) when I finally sent Linda the photo below. I decided this was going to be finished and I was done. I felt like I had given birth again.
I think an appropriate title for this piece is "flying by the seat of my dragonfly pants" don't you?
Linda has posted all the entries on her blog. Who wins? The person with the most votes of course. Now....I do want everyone who reads the IHAN blog to go over and vote. However....I only want you to vote for the one you like the best.....be honest!!! If it is another one you like the best....by all means vote for them.
PLEASE CLICK HERE AND VOTE!!!
Smiles,
Kelly
