Curves

It is my month for the bee. And boy have I struggled with this. Too. Much. Influence.

Idea #1 Charlie Harper quilt. I picked up a Charlie Harper colouring book and debated sending out images to ask for blocks based on them. But a) that seemed too prescriptive for you and b) I would have ended up with blocks that seemed to beg (in my head) for a straight set with sashing and that is so not me.

Idea #2 Imitation of a Frank Lloyd Wright stained glass pieced. This was actually Hubby's idea. While I love Frank Lloyd Wright this idea again seemed too prescriptive for my liking.

Idea #3 Because I love the mid century clocks and chairs so much I thought an Ingrid Press inspired layout could be quite interesting, despite my aversion to straight sets and sashing. This idea was okay, but it didn't feel original enough for me, especially when it comes to bees.

Are you sensing a theme? Original and challenging. Bold and graphic. Colour and no straight sets.

Soooo..... This is what I've come up with. In the end I went back to two of my first mid century modern loves – atomic barkcloth and curves. Seriously, I couldn’t get curves out of my head.

But it is really hard to ask people to simply be inspired by curves. For me, it is the curve in so much of the furniture, like the Saarinen Tulip table, an Eames chair (pick any one), or the Noguchi coffee table. It is the organic shapes of Alexander Calder mobiles and sculptures or Alvin Lustig graphics. It is the George Nelson clocks. It is the fun styling in atomic designs and even things like the Jetsons’ set.

Half of you have been sent fabric to produce a curved block. If you have a fat quarter of a light background, then this is you. There doesn’t have to be curves in the piecing, just that the final block has an organic, curved shape. As for what the block itself looks like, well be inspired in your own way by my inspirations.

The other half of you were sent an alternate package of fabric for a different block. If you’ve got a teal/turquoise fat quarter, then this is you. If you could finish your blocks with right angles that would be great, so please, square it off.

I hope (and fear) that this is a challenge to all of us. But it is such a great group or artists that I have no doubt something amazing will happen.

Simple, for Jess

I was so afraid for Jess that no one would make her simple block. Sure, it would have been more fun to do the pieced blocks, but her design calls for a number of these simple blocks. This was not the easy way out, trust me!

Color Bars

Here's Jess' block.



I'm liking how this can be viewed as three bars or white tracks down the center. I can't wait to see how these all come together. I'm always so impressed by your sketches (and coloring skills), Jess!

Block for Jess

I finished my block for Jess yesterday and mailed it out today!  I am ready for September!  I hope you like it, Jess, and that it fits with the other blocks well since it isn't wonky (at least not on purpose!).

November is my month and I am mulling ideas so I have a question for you all:  do you applique?  Are you opposed to applique?  As you might have guessed, one of the ideas I am mulling would be an applique quilt.  I have other ideas too, so if applique is not our collective thing, it will not be a problem.  Thanks!

Jess's Block

Hi Jess, Here's the block I made for you.  It was fun to play around with.  I started with the idea of being very simple...just three bars, one being a little shorter.  However, once I had them done and put them on the mat to see how much white needed to go around, I saw that I needed one more bar and then I decided to break it and make it taller than the others..more and more seams eating up your white fabric.

So, ultimately, I ran out of white!

I put paper in that top photo so you could get a sense of how I was composing the block.  I'm going to send this as is, since I know you can handle attaching two swathes of white.  : )

I love this bee.

Ladies...

My submission for this month's quilt. Don't worry, I'm not always on top of things like this! I have to admit, it does feel good to be ahead of my "to do" list. Anyway, as you can see I ran out of fabric. I'm hoping you have more white Jess! I hope this is in line with what you were thinking of. I do like thinking outside of the box and am grateful for the assignment. Next!

P.S. You've probably already seen it, but I blogged about this block on my blog already. Rossie, is there any way you can insert a link to this page on the sidebar? I find it helpful in anticipating what's coming round the bend next!

more 1950s textiles

I want to marry the gray one.  And the other looks ripe for translation into a quilt.

 Pop over to this page on AnotherDesignBlog. to see more and/or get the book!