In January I had no idea what to do for the Chinese coin challenge. I love working with bright colors and have made a lot of Project Linus kids quilts. I decided to challenge myself by working with neutrals.
For convenience I turned over a narrow framed canvas to the back side. This provided a rough surface, non-slip, and a rim to hold the pieces when I move it around. It was my design tray for the coins. I planned to do just a wall hanging size. The first set of strips in neutrals stayed untouched for a few days. I was so bored with it and totally uninspired.
I decided to do black and white mixed prints, which made it more interesting but still it sat there. So I tried out a soft teal strip of Grunge down the center.
Nothing was stitched together yet. It just sat and stared back at me now, for about two weeks. That was January.
One day I recalled another challenge I was planning to do about six years ago. It was making a small wall hanging for a very worthy charity. The pieces were then auctioned off. I had an inspiration for a theme and collected fabrics to make it. Just as I was going to start cutting them, the group announced they were discontinuing the auctions because they had met their fundraising goal. Wonderful for them, but I was left with an idea and nowhere to go with it.
The coin stack now became the basis for my original idea, but in a totally different form. I had been given a pile of dull colored strips from someone who had been doing retro quilts. The challenge now became to use these dull fabrics to express my vision.
Here was the first layout on the tray.
At last I was on the way, began to fill it in and actually started piecing it after only six weeks of nothing.
Here is the basis of the project. I finished piecing this so far. I have some more borders to add before quilting and binding, but now I'm on a roll.
Do you have any ideas about the theme I am working on? I'll let you know at the end of the challenge. See you at the end of March.
I'm very happy to be linking up with Ad Hoc Improv Quilter at Ann's blog, Fret Not Yourself. Please check out the fascinating things shared there by really talented people.
The bright inserts add so much to your finished top. They really pop. Turning the Coins sideways is something I always want to try.
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain waiting for inspiration. Some of mine sit half-cut for a long time. Unfortunately, once they are packed away they are also forgotten.
Thanks for joining Chinese Coins and for linking an insightful post with AHIQ.
Your little piece is wonderful! It is simple but yet complex at the same time. The hits of yellow and orange give it a nice sparkle!
ReplyDeleteIt's frustrating when inspiration fails to strike, but looks like it was worth the wait. I like your horizontal layout and the little strips of brighter yellow, and enjoyed reading about your journey to this end.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the sun suddenly breaking through rain clouds (or winter clouds) - which happened here just yesterday. Is there going to be more to this project? It would make a lovely table runner as-is.
ReplyDeleteThose small bright pieces make all the difference; I must bear that in mind!
ReplyDeleteThe brights caught my eye right away when I saw the thumbnail. I think of glimmers of light through the cracks in a wall or the sun shining through just at sunset on a stormy day. Or maybe sky lanterns. Probably too literal, right? Now I can't wait until the end of March.
ReplyDeleteI think I was left high and dry by the same group. It would have been nice to say something like, "we'll accept quilts for X number of weeks." lol I probably wouldn't have made it, but my feelings wouldn't have been hurt either. Maybe it was on a limited time and I just didn't know. The possiblilities are pretty endless when I'm the chick missing the boat!
ReplyDeleteLove the little blocks of brights against those beautiful dark fabrics. It's interesting how the brights pull the graphic textures out and bring the eye in close to the piece. A work of art!
all your pondering has certainly paid off and now you have a great wall hanging loving the pop of yellow you have added
ReplyDeleteIt's really striking Paula - isn't it great when two ideas come together to make one? And it's always nice to get an old project on the move again :)
ReplyDeleteNo idea about your theme...looks like a brick building with a few windows with the lights on...
ReplyDeleteWell, I have no idea what your theme is, but I love your piece! Very pretty purples and those little pops of color make it sing.
ReplyDeleteI hate when a project just sits there mocking me with my lack of "vision", and I love it when things start to become clear and I can make progress with it!
Thanks for sharing the thinking behind your Chinese coin quilt.
ReplyDeleteThe fun part.