These 'terrible twins' finishes started out as a rather innocent baggie of 3-1/2 inch (more or less) squares donated to our quilt ministry sometime last year. Being under the delusion that I might create something like one of Debbie's wonderful watercolor masterpieces I dove into them early last fall. It was all quite innocent at the time. But as soon as I began placing 'squares' on the design wall it became quickly obvious that there were nowhere near enough different prints to make a true watercolor quilt. What to do. After scrounging through the meager 3-1/2 inch squares in the ministry's stash bins, I just started piecing twosies, then adding a square, rinse and repeat, then stitching the threesies into nine-patch blocks. Working on these only during free time at quilt ministry.
By the end of December most of the nine-patches were finally done. There were a few of these flower blocks that had been made early in our quilt ministry days just sitting on a shelf, so they became part of the mix. Still, this was what was facing me at the end of December.
Early design wall mess
The idea of incorporating those flowers intrigued me, but clearly this wasn't going anywhere. Then came the discovery of a lovely eggplant solid in our stash! You say red is the new "neutral," well I'm here to advocate for eggplant as the next new neutral! Here's why:
First finish - "Chaos Corralled"
My favorite of the two, mostly because it does ... sort of ... have a bit of a watercolor effect. Be kind, I know you're rolling on the floor laughing! The eggplant fabric did an amazing job of blending well with all the other fabrics in the quilt, though most of these photos show it much darker than its true color.
A bit of the back, probably gleaned from a thrifted then donated sheet, faded but still very soft and snuggly.
Then, the second of the 'terrible twins', created from all the leftover nine-patches. Also known as "Chaos Unleashed," queen of the mismatched seams and ripply scrappy binding.
It at least deserved a glamour shot to mask its infirmities. This next shot also gives you a better rendition of the color of that lovely eggplant fabric.
The back of this one is a sweet but thin print that has sat in my stash for far too long. The remaining yard+ has been given to one of our church members with a baby girl, for her Easter dress. Perhaps the thinness of the fabric accounted for the wavy edges/binding. Though I fear it may have been the meandering line quilting, great texture and loft though I'm not sure if I'll try it again anytime soon.
These two are slated to be donated as a need arises, they will make good chemo quilts, or perhaps for a nursing home patient. There are a lot of I-spy squares to be discovered, everything from florals to vegetables, Noah's Ark to fishing gear to wedding rings and roosters!
And, if you're still reading, here's the latest shot of the pineapple bud/flower growing in our sunroom. It has grown a couple inches since I last posted a photo. That despite the snowstorm raging (again) outside the window.
Til next time, happy quilting!
8 comments:
No laughing here at all, just smiles and delight at your terrible twins! The beautiful eggplant does a fabulous job at drawing the eye away from anything you did not like:) I love your brilliant idea for setting the first mix together. It works perfect. And the second is random delight...who cares if things don't match. I can't tell from the photo and the purpose is to give comfort. I call them beautiful!
Ooooh, awesome alliteration in that title! The quilts turned out great, and that eggplant is purple. I’m really intrigued by the pineapple flower. I’ve seen pictures of them, but never knew anyone to actually grow one. So sorry about the snow. I think we got more last night, but the wind has died down, which makes it a little nicer.
Your flower blocks have a very spring like look.
Your terrible twins are WONDERFUL! The eggplant sashing was a stroke of brilliance. It really defines the space and makes such a difference! I think they will be loved and appreciated!
What a fun thing to see this pineapple blossom. DH's cousin grows banana trees and lemon trees indoors. Fascinates me.
Love the names of these two ingenious quilts, corralled and unleashed. Too funny. That eggplant purple really did the trick. You made-do and made two quilts that will give two folks some pleasure. You'll be ready for a pineapple luau by summer at this rate. :0)
A delightful post - and a good example of how to tame miscellaneous quilt squares! You certainly pulled everything together with the eggplant sashing. Watching your pineapple plant flourish while all the snow comes down is fun!
Well look at you go with those quilts! I really appreciate how you worked through your dilemma and came up with the perfect solution. Both quilts turned out so nice. And I love seeing that pineapple! Though it contrasts nicely with the white background, I'm thinking "ugh" to see you with all that snow. I couldn't live like that again. It seems the the midwest has had more than its fair share of the fluffy (and not so fluffy) stuff this winter.
Putting those block together into the two quilts is a whole lot better than leaving them in the bottom of a drawer, or throwing them in the trash! Someone somewhere will be happy to wrap up in them to stay warm! ---"Love"
Post a Comment