Tuesday, April 15, 2014

WIP Tuesday

I started making this quilt a few months ago. The original plan was to make it with solids and have the blocks interlocking. One day I was flipping through a book and found this quilt. It had already been done! I guess I wasn't really surprised, but I was a little disappointed. It happens...and I'm so glad that I found that before I started working on a pattern for it!

I still wanted to use the idea to make a quilt, but I wanted to change it up from the quilt in the book. So, I'm going scrappy. No shock there! Each small block will finish at 6", so the larger blocks will finish at 18". I'm absolutely loving it!
Yesterday I made a few more blocks. It's fun to be working with larger scraps...it goes so fast! :P The other good thing is that I'm using up some of my endless supply of strings. Of all my scrap categories, those are the hardest ones to keep up on.
It's fun to see how the dynamic changes so much with each color addition! A shock of bright pink/magenta is next. I'm choosing my fabrics carefully, gravitating toward darker, more saturated colors. I might mix in some low volume blocks? or I may keep going in this vein. That's the fun of making it up as you go...you never quite know where the quilt is going to take you! I do know that I have plenty of scraps to use....and that's a good thing!

42 comments:

Renee said...

Those are very fun! Beautiful colors and fabrics together.

Mama Spark said...

I am loving this Amanda Jean! Maybe some low volume strippy squares where you have plain white now? Just a thought.

Amanda Jean said...

Mama Spark,

I thought of that! But those white squares might end up being white slabs instead....I have still have some testing to do. :)

AJ

Svetlana said...

ooooh, I do love where this is going. Very, very fun.

KateKwiltz said...

Love this!!!! What a great way to use strings! I may have to dump out the string box and see what happens...

SuperMomNoCape said...

Oh I'm liking this! The scrappiness gives it so much more movement than the one from the book.

Lana said...

inspired to try this at home! Tonight? yes please!

Becky (My Fabric Obsession) said...

Those are really fun and look fantastic. And I totally hate that when it happens. You think you finally have an original idea but someone has already had it!

Ina said...

ooooh! i love those beautiful colors and the pattern! ;p

Melissa Corry said...

I love this!!! It is absolutely fabulous :)

Anne said...

I love the secondary pattern that's emerging here!

Diane said...

cool!

Beth said...

Love that block!

PeggyinNO said...

What a great block!!! I LOVE this!! Can't wait to see it finished!

junacreationsuk.blogspot.co.uk said...

These are fab, really like this... definitely inspiring.

Live a Colorful Life said...

This is going to be stunning. No surprise there. :)

Sophisticat Studio said...

Love the vibrant colours!

SeeMaryQuilt said...

The one from the book looks really traditional, but yours has a totally different look. The strings make it look like concentric circles. Love it!

2ne said...

Love your blocks

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

Love that idea! Great way to use your strings ;-)

Tina in Boston said...

You made lemonade out of lemons! This really looks great. Am looking forward to seeing it on Finish it up Friday!

Esther said...

Can't wait to see the end product! Well done!

Susana Neiger said...

Beautiful! I love how the design is organized & not hard, but it looks intricate -- and it's the perfect use of scraps!

Susan at TheBoredZombie.com said...

Neato!! I love the orange. Orange keeps showing up all over the place and it makes me so happy. :)

Andy said...

I love the scrappy version!

Kay said...

Wow! I love this, also the idea that it is not really planned and will grow to show us what it looks like.

Jeneta said...

I am LOVING the vibrant colours! I'm glad you saw the 'other' quilt, as this beauty might never have been born.

leanne said...

really fun blocks - I like your scrappy version - lots of interest :)

Samiya said...

You're so cool! Love it.

Linda said...

What a fun idea! I totally know what you mean about the strings. I have a giant container full of them. I have a hard time getting to my scraps anyway, and then the strings too?

Dee said...

Love it!! But how do you make a HST with scraps?

margaret said...

I think we should rename you the Queen of scraps, the way you put them together and come up with lovely creations and this is definitely a winner

SueAnn W said...

Hi. I wanted to tell you I bought that same Juki machine you have sitting on your sewing table and I absolutely LOVE it.....
I own 4 other machines and a serger and all I want to sew on is my new Juki!

SueAnn W said...

Hi. I wanted to tell you I bought that same Juki machine you have sitting on your sewing table and I absolutely LOVE it.....
I own 4 other machines and a serger and all I want to sew on is my new Juki!

elizabeth said...

i love this!!! I must say, I have began a project using SCRAPS!! this always intimidated me but I am SO THOROUGHLY enjoying it!! :)

fernroycequilting said...

Fortuitous and beautiful post! Taking a break from creating string demo blocks for my upcoming string class this morning and find your wonderful string blocks! Glad you are back posting. Always an inspiration.

Dolly said...

I had to read the other comments to see if anyone else saw what I saw........these blocks look like cut gemstones ! Seriously !

Beautiful....I want to do this !

Leanne said...

I love the look of these blocks built like this. These are very traditional blocks, although you are making them look very wonderful and that other quilt is the same. The "pattern" have been around for hundreds of years, there is no reason why you can't write up your scrappy version, there are a lot of the similar patterns out there, especially for traditional blocks. I have certainly seen many versions of this particular block and layout. Your pattern will have your own flare and approach.

Liz said...

I really like this one. So striking!

Jo said...

I wouldn't consider it done. Yours is different as there the pieces are pieced. Anymore with quilting-unless it's totally an art quilt or totally an improv piece, I don't think anything is completely original.

Amanda Jean said...

Dee,

If you see in the next post I posted a photo of the ruler I use to make the HSTs out of strings. Hope that helps!

AJ

Annilu said...

Just wonderful! I love your pattern much more than the one from the book. Your octagons look like jewels - compared to yours, the others are just boring (sorry to say that).
Hardly can wait to see your finished quilt :O)

annilu