Sunday, February 10, 2013

AnnieYoung Project Quilt Challenge

I bought this set of batiks at my local quilt shop on sale. I washed it at the beginning of Project quilt knowing I would use it for a challenge!
As soon as I saw Annie Youngs work I thought of batiks. I have never done an art impression themed project so I this was going to be a new path for me. I could not decide what project to do so I called my ever faithful sister and. of course she told me what she liked best! The painting called "Chasm of Truth," under Truth between friends. With a saying that is so true! "A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.". A saying that I can really gear toward one of my friends and her life right now. I think that Annie hit it on the head when she chose that comment.
So back to the quilt, trying to make it easy as I could knowing that I worked 4, 12 hour night shifts in a week(for tjose that don't know the entire quilt has to be done in just 1 week), started my patternless quilt(which I don't ever think I have really used a pattern completely)! Fabric conserver me figured a dimensional cut length and width that would not waste any fabric and then I decided to off cut several pieces so that the sewing lines were not totally straight. I randomly sewed the fabric strips in groups and then cut them again. I laid these strips out so that I could try to see a shading like the painting, light to dark and vise versa. I then just sewed up 3 panels and sewed them together.
This is the first time I ever used the use the backing as your binding method. Don't know if I like it. Not sure if its from the fact that I did not use any in the quilt, that I feel that it does not 100% match or if I really don't like the method. I used another piece of tiger stripe batik that had all the reds and purples out of the quilt. Again, bought at the fabric store on sale.
I then quilted it with 3 different color threads. Another new thing for me. The 3 shades to match area. I might try this method again. Decision made though in this process was that I need to only buy the mega spools when quilting. The smaller ones, even though there is a better thread selection don't go far. Maybe when they open the Joann's here in my area in a few months will have more big ones!
I have tried to use each one of the challenges to make a full sized quilt, something I could use as a finished gift during the year. My other goal was to only use fabric from my stash in this project. Not to buy any new fabric. I was guilty of only buying thread. Thread is an item that I don't have as big of a stash of. But I think I need to stock up on during a big quality thread sale!
Not knowing that I would need the stress relief this week, I actually stressed about getting this quilt done. Actually not having anyone in mind to give this too. I was just doing it as a challenge. Then I began to think of how the quilt/painting and it's saying was reflective of one of my friends lives, I decided it would be for her. The joy and no stress returned. Then it was found that my son would need an emergent type of surgery. The day I had planned on finishing most of it had went to taking to the doctor and specialist and my finishing day I was supposed to help with my nephews party, but ended up taking my son to surgery. But with Gods will I finished it!!!
Now to a week off and to working on cloths and English paper piecing!!!
The pictures below are of my staring fabric and my finished quilt. New tradition. Take them on the playground of the school my church is using on Sundays!!











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