Project QUILTING - Season 11 - Challenge 11.6

Vibrant and Vivacious


Here we are.  The FINAL challenge for Season 11 of Project QUILTING!!  It's been a fun exercise in creativity and speedy sewing.  Thank you to Kim and Trish for offering this to their quilting public.

Challenge 11.6 did it, again!  The stars aligned and something I had JUST seen on the internet (and wanted desperately to try) managed to meet the criteria for this week's prompt.

Care to explain, Joyful?

Well, I typically spend Sunday mornings following the links on Cynthia's Oh Scrap! link-up.  This week, Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal linked up with another of her wonderful faux trapunto quilts.  It looked like a fun technique and I reallyreallyreally wanted to give it a try!  Sprinkle in some BRIGHT colors and you've got the recipe for an awesome quilt.

What to SAY...

Hmm... That might take some thought.  Or, would it?  I think I have an idea.  Now, to see if it will work.

What were this week's restrictions, Joyful???

The Vibrant and Vivacious prompt is a good one for the current state of affairs around the globe.  We all needed to add some cheer.

Here's an excerpt:

...be bright – think crayon basics, macaw birds, fields of flowers, or the rainbow! I want to see day-glow, eye-popping combinations to create a bright today...

The words I've highlighted will be my guiding light for several aspects of my challenge piece.

Here is my process...

First, I tried COLORFUL, using my own free-cut lettering made from a selection of Fossil Fern scraps given to me by my friend Gayle (Thanks, Gayle!)...

... But the "C" didn't work for me.  Let's try lighter and brighter:

That's brighter and brighter equals better, in my book!!  :o))

Now, let's switch gears.  For this portion, check out my recent Design Floor Friday post.

Combining those elements, along with the word "Be" stitched on, I present Be SEW Colorful, prior to quilting:

The quilting  was another challenge:

... And the outcome - with a preview of the binding that came from January's Silent Auction at my local Quilt Guild:

This was my first foray into matchstick quilting.  I meant to use my neon bright threads from Hollis Chatelain, but forgot once I got to that part of the process.  By the time I was done with SEW, I was over the excitement of trying out the technique!  Can you stop with only the middle of the quilt fully quilted?  The new-to-me matchstick-ing was tedious, in my opinion.  I really didn't want to continue.

After contacting my "quilting consultant", I decided I would choose an alternate path.  Needleb suggested switching to quarter-inch lines, instead of the super tight spacing.  That MIGHT work.

Ultimately, I decided...

... To just leave well enough alone.  My quilt would not be judged by the Quilt Police!  If the patrons of Project QUILTING are in agreement with Britt, I will consider additional quilting the NEXT time I try the technique.  For this time, it feels done.  Maybe a tad bit rumply, but DONE:

Here is my challenge piece hanging on the Gallery Wire in my studio (just above my colorful thread rack.)  It looks right at home:

6.75" x 10"

The reason...

... for participation in the season, was simple.  I participated in the challenge to express an idea that came to me when reading that first prompt.  The challenge aligned with a desire to make a quilt for the new baby that would soon join our extended family.

That continued with each release.  Not the SAME reason each time, of course.  As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, when this prompt was released, I was chomping at the bit to try Jayne's faux trapunto technique.  PQ 11.6 gave me the PERFECT opportunity to play AND use some lovely bright colors.  Which, most of my readers know, are my favorites!!

Along the way, something happened.  My original idea for this prompt changed.  Something different came to mind.  Then another idea came to mind.  It took some time, but I think I condensed the ideas into a piece that I will be happy to see in my studio everyday.

Thank you, again, to Kim at Persimon Dreams and Trish at Quilt Chicken for running this fabulous challenge.  It was great fun to stretch my creativity (to the breaking point.)  Thank you to all of the wonderful sponsors.  The prizes make the event that much more compelling.  Even without, I think Project QUILTING is SEW much fun:

Next year, Farm Quilter, remind me to clear my calendar!  (My participation was thanks to your encouragement.)  It was quite... umm... challenging to fit the prompts into an already full schedule.  The sense of accomplishment made the effort worth it.

Joining with Cynthia

for

Oh Scrap!

and

Show Me Something...

With Stripes (Old or New)

@Sarah Goer Quilts

Until next time...
Be SEW Colorful!!!