Off The Beaten Path with Henry Glass and Co

I accepted the Desire to Inspire Challenge for May on the Henry Glass & Co blog recently and was sent a gorgeous pack of fabrics from Amy Hamberlin's #Laugh Love Quilt collection. It is a pretty blend of modern and floral prints. I knew right away that I would need to design something scrappy in order to use all of these prints to their advantage. Since the navy stood out from the rest, I wanted to use it where it would make a splash.

#laughlovequilt collection by Amy Hamberlin

My cats always manage to wake up and come running when I start cutting a new project. Smokey and Conrad like to keep an eye on how the project is progressing.

I knew that I wanted to make several different, but similiar blocks for this scrappy quilt, so figured out a design that was simple but intriquingto look at. I like quilts that have interesting design elements incorporated into the design...it keeps you searching for more. I quickly made some pieced sections for the center of most of the blocks and pieced the rest of the quilt. 

Since I had used the navy for the star points, I decided to cut a smallish border out of it to bring it out in the quilt. I added it to 2 sides and hated it. It took over, or was too much...something wasn't right. So I tore it off and made a pieced border with scrappy rectangles and squares instead. I realize as I'm writing this that I didn't take a picture that shows the border well, but it's a combination of pieced strips strategically placed and rectangles. I liked it much better!

Unsewing the border...

I quilted it using a pastel variegated thread and the Starburst panto. It was fun to see it come to life with the quilting!

I always take pictures of the quilt, front and back, as I take it off of the frame. I like to have a record of each quilt and this way if I forget to take a pic later, I have these.

When the navy didn't work as a border, I decided to use it for the binding. It didn't take long to trim it down to the right width. 

I think it's just the right amount of navy for this scrappy quilt.

It was fun taking it out for a photo shoot....though I don't think my camera caught the beauty of the fabrics like I'd hoped it would. They are always prettier in person!

Off the Beaten Path

I feel like I grow as a designer and quilter when I take part in a challenge like this with parameters and a deadline. You don't have the luxury of weeks of planning, or designing, so you have to know just what the fabric is trying to say, or what it's saying to you. I think you learn a bit about the fabric designer as well, using her fabrics. There was a large print fabric with this collection that I got, but couldn't use as I couldn't cut it up. I didn't have time to incorporate it into a pieced backing, so now I need a plan for it. Still thinking about that one!

Thanks to Vanessa and the folks at Henry Glass & Co for the chance to participate in this engaging challenge. Visit their blog today to see the post about my challenge quilt, Off the Beaten Path. Go back tomorrow to see which collection will be used for the June Desire to Inspire Challenge and get a chance to participate yourself!

We all have lots of catching up to do...

That's why my UFO Saturdays are always popular and lots of fun. Dianne has been working on this new quilt for her bedroom for a few weeks and got it finished on Saturday. Such gentle colors...

Dan and Patty brought their Spinning Parasols tabletoppers to work on and made some great progress. Dan had all three blocks finished, didn't get a pic of that third block and Patty had her center finished and the pieced border sections as well. They are looking good.

Ruth worked on a runner she started in a different class and got lots of her tri-recs finished and another diamond or two. She will be ready to put it together soon.

JoAnn worked on a some teeny tiny half square triangles for another project and then made another Quilted Boxy Corner Pouch. She made one last time too, and loves making them. Everyone was curious as to how they go together.

Julie got the second half of her Lone Star sewn together and the setting corners sewn in. She worked on this quilt the last time she came for UFO Saturday, so it was fun to see her getting it closer to being finished.

Elsie had purchased the Curvy Log Cabin ruler a few months ago I demo-ed it at Cut Up and Quilt, but when she went to use it, she couldn't remember how to use it. She had her strips all cut and ready to start sewing when she got there, so she got quite a few sections made, plus sewed this block together. She is using all pinks for this lovely.

I finished sewing the Henry Glass #LaughLoveQuilt project together yesterday, so now I have to quilt it. I had an idea for a backing, but it didn't work out, so I have to get some fabric today to make a backing. My deadline is looming and not sure it will be finished by Friday.

It took me a bit longer than I thought yesterday as I had to go back to the drawing board when I didn't like the darker print border I had added. It just didn't look right. So eventually, after much thinking and head scratching, I decided on a pieced border. Makes sense.

 Sewed more strips together...

 Cut out some rectangles too...then came the unsewing....sigh....

Ever so pretty....#Laugh Love Quilt

I spent a lot of time last week working on an idea I had for the Henry Glass Desire to Inspire Challenge this month. I get to work with the #Laugh Love Quilt fabric by Amy Hamberlin. As you can see, it's a beautiful collection with many soft, pretty floral designs. There is also a large quilting themed print, which I don't know if I can cut up.

Working on an idea usually means I start with one idea and it keeps evolving until it's something else that I like. I decided that those soft prints would look great together, all mixed up, so I cut some strips and started sewing them together. I chose a white cotton for the background fabric so that the fabrics would stand out. Since the navy really stands out, I have another plan for it!

When I make a project for the first time, I figure out what I will need to cut, cut it and hope for the best. That helps with pattern writing later. It's a double check for me too, as I'm checking my notes as I go.

Yep, soft to the touch!

Smokey and Conrad are always around to help with decision making and quality control.

Conrad was swishing that tail back and forth over the fabric. Lint rollers are my friend.

Luscious! I love the colors together and can't wait to start on the next step.