Gwen-Inspired Medallion QAL - Round 2 Reveal

The theme for this second month was "childhood" 

I could feel what the quilt top wanted,

but the challenge was how to combine 

that need for half-square triangles

with the wide-open concept shared by Cynthia.

I grew up in a house that faced onto a small lake in lower Michigan.

Our house (a renovated summer lake cottage) sat on a bluff 

with 123 steps from the house down to the lake.

Up and down . . .

Snow and ice in the winter . . .

Graceful sailboats in the summer . . .

Lights from the other beachfront houses

reflecting across the water at night . . .

Dresses sewn by my mother . . .

Doll clothes stitched from the scraps . . .

Trips to the fabric store for dotted swiss, stripes, and polka dots . . .

Gathering spring and summer flowers . . . 

Feeding the birds . . .

Cloud gazing . . .

Trying to count the stars at night . . .

Crawling underneath the Christmas tree 

without my glasses so the lights turned into starbursts . . .

So many bits and fragments of memories . . .

This may or may not be trimmed down

(the green strips and orange cornerstones were cut at 2.5 inches)

once the third month's theme is announced

and a plan hatched for the next round.

For now I am happy with my design

which measures 26" wide x 30" long.

You can find my initial post for this project HERE.

Month One (baskets) reveal is HERE.

* * *

Just announced - Round Three involves log cabins.

Ideas are already happening!

* * *

Linking up with the others HERE.

SO many variations on the theme!

Quiltdivajulie

Medallion QAL Show and Tell No. 1

I first posted about this project HERE.

(Lori's initial invitation post is HERE)

Since then, I used my small stack of golden scraps to

make two sections of scrappy made-fabric.

I cut a handle from this one.

I cut a base for my basket from the second piece.

(the forms were freehand cut 

from a sheet of printer paper)

Because I could, I tested the method shared in 

Lara Bucella's new book - Crafted Appliqué.

My test confirms that Lara's method also works on made-fabric!

Using stitch #45 on my Bernina,

I added blanket stitching around the handle and basket

to "finish" the edges.

The basket medallion was pressed and hung on my design wall.

I liked my basket, but it needed something more.

At least two weeks went by

while I considered dozens of options.

Not long after I saw Sue's Basket of Fishes

in the Liberated Quilting Facebook group,

I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

Lara's appliqué method is supposed to be re-positionable,

and in order to execute my plan I decided to put that to the test.

After carefully removing my blanket stitching (shown above),

I easily lifted the basket handle out of the way.

After adding my free pieced word,

I laid the basket handle back in position.

Another round of blanket stitch edging

and my surgical upgrade was complete.

Now I had a SCRAP BASKET !

I was much happier with my medallion,

but it still didn't feel finished.

. . . insert pause for pondering . . .

Then it hit me - 

a scrap basket needs to have SCRAPS!

Inspired by Gwen's "floor scraps" 

I quickly grabbed some small fabric pieces

in colors that fit my overall plan.

Since Lara's method worked for the basket,

I tried it again to appliqué my scraps in place.

Yes!   

I love it when an idea finally comes together.

NOW my medallion panel feels finished

and I'm ready for the next Gwen-inspired border idea . . .

* * *

SIDE NOTE:

Taking a class with Gwen Marston 

has been on my bucket list for years.

A real "in person" class may never happen,

but at least now I can say that I did take an online class with Gwen.

In case you don't know about her online classes,

here's the link --  Gwen's classes through iquilt.com

* * *

Sending a big THANKS to Lori and her co-conspirators

for sharing this Gwen-Inspired QAL with all of us!

CLICK HERE to see lots more baskets.

Quiltdivajulie

Gwen-Inspired Medallion QAL

A group of five bloggers have started

a quilt along and are inviting others to participate.

This is not just any old quilt along.

This one involves the making of

a Gwen Marston inspired medallion quilt.

Each of the five "organizers" will call out 

a design idea for one round for the medallion project.

That idea is to be interpreted by each of us as we choose.

The stack of books above is my collection of Gwen's books --

and even as much as I've read and used them for inspiration,

there are SO many more possibilities.

I've just spent several days 

reconsidering my too-long list of projects.

I jettisoned several, 

set priorities for some of the others,

and ultimately decided to join in with this quilt along.

* * *

The first challenge is for the center - a basket.

I adore basket quilts . . .

but what colors should I use?

Baskets come in all shapes and sizes,

are designed for so many different purposes,

and while many are shades of browns,

others are very colorful.

Proper or scrappy?

Traditional or freeform/liberated?

One large basket or a group of smaller ones?

SO many choices/decisions to make!

Stacks of possible black and white, orange and yellow, green and pink

After all that pondering, 

this is what I've pulled from the stash.

The soft pink dotty Moda Marbles fabric

will be the background for my center block.

Those scrappy bits of strata will become a single central basket.

What shape?

I have some ideas, but haven't decided yet.

Same fabrics with the pinks and yellows reversed

The striped fabric on top is what I plan to use for the backing.

The black and white will be a constant throughout the project.

The oranges, pinks, yellows, and greens will fill in as needed

depending on what is called for in any particular round.

I now have the fabrics and a general plan.

We'll see how this goes!

* * *

Here are the five organizers

if you want to check their recent posts

for more details about the Gwen-inspired QAL

Big Lake Quilter (Cathy)

KatyQuilts (Katy)

The Constant Quilter (Wendy)

wabi-sabi quilts (Cynthia)

and

Humble Quilts (Lori)

Lori was the originator of the collaboration

and she chose the the basket theme for the center.

(CORRECTION - thanks, Cynthia)

Quiltdivajulie

p.s.  Be sure to visit Nancy's blog this week -- she has shared her second SSOBB blog hop post that includes a giveaway opportunity for an autographed copy of BUILD A BARN.