So, I write this post feeling a bit sheepish.
I had such a good intentions of finishing up my black and white quilt to submit to Curated Quilts for their black and white challenge and hopefully to be featured in their black and white issue. Well, a few things converged to thwart my success. I LOVE that some of you did it, though! More on that later.
Time constraints aside, I was well on my way to finishing my quilt when I hit a speed bump in the creative process. When I had all the blocks sewn up and I laid them out on my floor, I didn’t like it. Just wasn’t working. All of this could have been avoided if I had planned better and actually drawn out the pattern and looked at it rather than just following my imagination. (-:
BUT! a good thing did happen when I laid out those blocks. I didn’t like it in the original plan, but my eyes immediately saw a design emerge that I thought would be even BETTER!
This is what I love about quilting: there are so many steps in the process and so many opportunities to explore, make changes, and try new ideas. Lots of my quilts don’t finish the way I originally planned them, and I love that! I think they are better when we are flexible and follow through new inspiration along the way.
So, the new design involves cutting some of my blocks into circles and setting them into a background square (Watch the tutorial on set in circles on Color Girl YouTube <<click here>> ).
The circles alternate with the regular Irish chain blocks (watch the tutorial on making the Irish Chain blocks <<click here>>).
But there is more!
(-: COLOR! I couldn’t help myself.
I know we were challenging ourselves to use just two colors. Honestly I really love my black and white Irish Chain and have enough blocks to make another one without the circles. But I had this awesome idea to emphasize the criss-cross pattern of the white squares by adding appliqué circles in bright contrasting colors. What do you think so far?
So here is my (still) work in progress…I cannot wait to show the finish!
How did you all do? I know there are some great finishes in our two-color challenge and I have loved seeing your posts on IG and your own blogs. If you have one, post a link to your project in the comments. I’d love to see your two color quilts!
Happy Sewing!
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I love it!!
How fun! It looks like a game board. Let the color games begin! Two color quilts are a challenge, but not nearly as much fun as colorful ones.
The colored circles add a playfulness to the quilt that I love. Your creativity is inspiring.
I love How you turned your block into a circle. You can still see the irish chain pattern, Love where this is going! I’m so hard on myself when things don’t go as I planned. Just have to keep moving forward and chalk it up to a learning lesson. In your case looks like a beautiful new pattern.
It looks great! You are so good at both circles and colors!!
I was gonna say the same thing about a game board but Pat took the words right out of my head already. It looks great!
Love the new, improved design. The rounded blocks give more flow and somehow the colored circles remind me of raindrops.
Please show a pic of the completed quilt. Love what I see!