To ring in the new year, I decided to sew. I was going to be sensible and finish off a project...but as I dug through fabric and batting, I came across a jelly roll that I'd forgotten about.
And I wanted to do something fiddly with it, so I chopped the entire thing into 2-1/2" squares and started pinwheeling. And pinwheeling. And pinwheeling. Nothing like going all out!
It wasn't entirely random. I organized the fabrics by colour and by pattern. Then I came up with a handy-dandy chart to make sure I got as many different combinations going as possible. I figured I'd use the extra bits in a border of some kind.
There will be enough pinwheels to arrange them in a 12 x 12 square, with a few left over. Which is good, because there are one or two in there that don't deserve to see the light of day. Let's just call them learning experiences and leave it at that.
And the learning continues. It's easier to sew into a fat seam than to start on it. Clunking noises mean stop the presses. The start/stop button is faaabulous for chain piecing. The machine likes to pull a bit to the left when it starts up.
I'm thinking this one will need sashing (is that the term?) between the pinwheels. I want it to be fun , and maybe even busy, but not crazy/overwhelming. Whaddaya think?
Backing, batting, and quilting is *all* this lady needs! I finished her more than a week ago, but had no where to photograph her, so I waited till I was at my parents'. (Don't they have a lovely yard? You can see the neighbour's shed in the background.)
I was extra careful to sew a consistent seam and line up the seams carefully. I think it paid off. It's not perfect, but I'm satisfied.
I love how the reds pop and the blues and greens calm and the pinks, well, they're the girly princessy part! The sunlight threw a dappled shadow through the trees, making it a wee bit enchanted-looking, in my humble opinion.
Ok, not so humble. I'm just tickled to have finished something!
Absolutely non-princess me fell in love with this quilt, featured in EasyQuilt's Fall 2012 issue. Could I make do with a similar fabric? Oooooh no, I had to order the 'Hello Luscious' Moda fabric online. And could I assemble the squares randomly? Oooooooooooh no, I had to follow the magazine's full-page picture precisely.
And I'm so glad I did! Matching and creatively mis-matching fabrics is not my forte, so I'm perfectly content to emulate someone else's genius.
This fabric in this configuration...it's sweet, but not precious. Spunky but not spoiled. I love it! Just a couple of rows to piece and attach and the front will be done!
