ProjectQUILTING - Season 17.2 - Scads of Plaid

 Scads of Plaid

Welcome to The Joyful Quilter!!  And... Welcome to the wonderful world of Project QUILTING hosted by Kim Lapacek @ Persimon Dreams!!  This is my 6th year of participation in the Challenge.  Trish Frankland @ QuiltChicken is the creator of the crazy challenges that participants will face during the next 10 weeks.

Sassy @ Farm Quilter got me started at the beginning of Season 11 by inviting her readers to join in the fun.  I accepted her invitation and the rest is history.  I wasn't sure if I would be dragging along my friend LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color for this season, as she has had some other things on her mind recently.  However, I believe that she decided she's up for the challenge after all.  Would YOU like to join me in this creative journey, too?  Jump in at any time!  The more the merrier.  :o))

BEWARE:  It's a wild ride, but oh SEW rewarding!

Challenges are given and start to finish you have ONE WEEK to complete your project.  PQ 17.2 can be found at THIS LINK:

Step One...

Read the instructions to see what is required of the second challenge.  Here's what Trish had to say:

PQ 17.2  Scads of plaid

"This week, I'd like you to explore plaid with your project - you could use actual plaid fabric, or you can make your own illusion of plaid with fabrics and form."

Lapacek Family in Plaid PJs from Kim's Blog 17.2

LINK above.

Trish also included the following:
Interested in a little history on plaid? I found an interesting article in Smithsonian Magazine.

Step Two...

LIGHT BULB MOMENT!!!  I immediately thought of this cozy flannel fabric, purchased at one of our Quilt Guild's silent auction events for super cheap:

Step Three... Imagine the possibilities.

While I have an appropriate fabric for my entry, I still need to come up with an idea that works for a challenge project.

Step Step Four... Any ideas, Joyful???

Well... YES!!  I immediately envisioned a replacement pillow for a sweet little friend whose previously gifted pillow was destroyed in a house fire several years ago.  I've made replacements for other family members, but haven't found my way to making hers.  Has the time arrived?  Maybe so!

Step Five...

Review the rules:

Rule One: Use plaid prominently in your project.

Projects need to be created during the week of the challenge (started on or after January 18, finished by January 25).

Your project does not need to be a traditional quilt, but must meet at least one of these three requirements:

• include patchwork

• include appliqué

• have 3 layers stitched together by hand or machine.

  
  

Incomplete or unfinished does not qualify. Every challenge piece must be a FINISHED project seen through from INCEPTION to COMPLETION during the challenge timeline.

Link up by Sunday, January 25 at noon CST

Each piece must stand alone as DONE to count.

Your project does not need to be a traditional quilt, but must meet at least one of these requirements: include patchwork, include appliqué, have 3 layers stitched together by hand or machine.

Incomplete or unfinished does not qualify. Every challenge piece must be a FINISHED project seen through from INCEPTION to COMPLETION during the challenge timeline.

Step Six... Gather Supplies:

This is where my personal goal of working with the Color of the Month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge fizzled and died.  :o((

Or did it???

AQUA can be a shade of BLUE, right???  Look what was hiding in that same closet as the plaid!  This bolt of fabric was also in that closet and it coordinates perfectly with the plaid I found:

I also have a Quilted Scrap Basket of AQUA scraps that I could use and that just happens to fit in the "current favorite color" pronouncement from the recipient:

Here is a bit of my construction process...

(Scroll down to the bottom of the post NOW, if you don't care to see a blow by blow of the making of my project.)

Days passed...

 Crickets in the sewing room.  Absolutely NO progress was made!

What happened next, Joyful???

 

That's a good question.

Keep reading...

On Wednesday I searched my scrap basket for additional inspiration.  I discovered the orphan block shown in the lower left corner of the photo below and chose more bits to fill out the color palette I was building:

By the time Thursday rolled around...

I was ready to begin making the other blocks needed.  This was the first:

Soon enough, there were 2 other blocks to fill out a square:

Friday found me layering this little quilt...

Using a scrap of batting and a bit of that bolt of fabric from the closet:

But quilting the plaid square came first:

With only a single day left to complete my project...

There was still much to be done!  I started by developing a plan for embellishment and I went from this basic rectangle, waiting for applique...

To something a little more complex...

Before settling on the free cut "F" shown below:

Here is the quilted flannel panel with the letter applied...

I switched my attention to quilting the pieced block.  That meant thread selection time:

The minimal quilting I did made the work go fast.  Squaring up soon followed:

The moment of truth had arrived!  Can I properly install my very first zipper in a pillow cover?  The installation went well...

But...

I went back to THIS VIDEO to check the final steps and promptly forgot the advise given at Sew Emmy Designs about making sure you open the zipper before beginning to stitch around your pillow cover:

Fortunately, it was a quick fix!  Then the cover was ready for turning:

Twenty-three (23) hours before the deadline, I present my completed entry for PQ 17.2:

Here is the reverse side of the pillow:

There is usually a reason that I participate in these challenges...

... And this time, it is because of a gift that has been a long time coming.  The plaid was a path to that completion.  It was the jumpstart I needed to get off my duff and start sewing!

There you have it...

Process, product, and the REAL reason for accepting this Challenge.

Follow THIS LINK to the Season 17 overview.  Check back on the Challenge release days (or sign-up to be notified automatically) and there may be one that YOU just can't resist. I'm pleased to have finished up with plenty of time before the Link Party ends.  Yay, me!  :o))

It's a SHORT turnaround time!

Depending on the size and complexity of your project, that doesn't HAVE to be insurmountable.  With a little creativity and a few evenings, you really CAN do this!  As is my tradition, I managed to join the LINK PARTY on Sunday morning with 3 hours to spare.

Until next time...

Challenge accepted!!!

Remember:  If I can do this, YOU can do it, too!

(Plus, there's a spot to post your completed Project QUILTING inspired projects AFTER the deadline for any of the challenges.)