More Progress

.........just of a different kind; well, a different project.  I put the RSC blocks away to be worked on later ( maybe at next guild sew in).  I knew I had to get started on the guild challenge quilt that's due in just a few weeks.

We are to make a quilt 25" x 25" finished using as many of the colors in our inspiration photo as possible.  We can add one other fabric and we can use any technique that we want - paper piecing, painting, applique', etc.

This is my 'inspiration' photo... I didn't pick it, it was in an envelope that was handed to me by the guild v.p..  The background is more of a brown mustard color - something almost impossible match.  

I bought a yard of fabric thinking that it might work - and it had a bonus of being gradated from selvage to selvage... almost white on one end, kind of a medium grayish brown in the middle and darker gray/brown on the other end.  Decided today that it wasn't going to work and I went back to read the 'rules' again - that's when I noticed that I could use one other fabric in a color that's not in the photo and went 'shopping' in my stash room... found about a yard ( should be more than I need) of a lovely greenish grunge fabric.

After receiving the envelope with the photo and rules inside, I hemmed and hawed about how I was going to make it... I didn't want to do applique ( I seem to ALWAYS do that) but I didn't know what else I could do.  It doesn't HAVE to be of what's in the photo - it's the colors that count.  Anyway, finally in July, I was watching the latest video on The Quilt Show online and saw a new to me technique' developed by Timna Tarr and I knew I'd found what I wanted to do!  It's still applique' but it's different.

While I was in Lansing ( the BIG town nearby), I went into FedEx and had them enlarge the photo to 25"x 25".. the first time in b&w - BAD IDEA.  I had to go back a second time and ask them to do it again in color... the photos not as clear, but I can work with it.  I teasingly told the gals at one of the sew ins that I'd better win after all the money I sunk into getting the photo copied and enlarged.  It wasn't cheap!

Ok, so here's what I have so far.....

 First step was to draw lines 2" apart diagonally from corner to corner.

Then I had to cut 2" squares from freezer paper for the applique' 'blocks'... I'll give you more info on how to use them in a future post.

Here is what I have so far.... just some of the background ( the greenish grunge) and the bird's beak and throat.  I think I might have to go back and redo the bottom beak; it was my first attempt at doing one of these blocks and I cut off the 1/4" seam of the beak when I shouldn't have.  I may be able to save it as it is'; we'll see tomorrow when I go back to working on it.  The top of the beak is going to need some shading --- I'm going to try and do that with my oil pencils ( which I can't remember the name of right now).
  I'm using clear monopoly thread on top and silver/gray cotton thread in the bobbin to do tiny blanket stitches.... 1.5 x 1.5 on my Janome.  I think Timna used 1.8 in her demo but my machine goes from 2.0 right down to 1.5... nothing in between.  The same silver/gray cotton thread in the bobbin and matching thread on top for the seams.

Ok, so that's it for tonight.... there won't be much to report tomorrow since we have another date to see the Booth Brothers in the afternoon so I won't have a lot of time in my sewing room.

Take care...

ttyl.....