Wednesday 9 November 2011

WIP Wednesday No. 11

My mum was hospitalised on Friday so, between work and running backwards and forwards to the hospital, I haven't had much time for sewing. I was determined to make some progress this week so here's the little I managed to do.

Hexalong
So far, I have been picking out my favourite spots and favourite solids to make the hexagons but I started to worry that I would be left with the yucky colours and no way to brighten them up. The new plan is to take the spots I'm not keen on and find some way to make me fall in love with them.


This was the first challenge. I really didn't like the diarrhoea coloured mustardy brown spots with the violet but, when paired with a brighter yellow, the whole thing looks a lot more palatable to me.

Double Wedding Ring
I pieced another couple of curves which makes enough curves to piece my first full ring. I also traced out the templates for the "melon" (the tutorials term, not mine - I've never seen a melon that shape!) and the centres using template plastic. Using my new templates I cut 4 melons and 1 centre.


That's when the panic set in. Should I piece them together or should I make all the curves and play around with them first. I have a fear of getting the balance of colours wrong. A paralysing fear.

I'm learning that my brain does not do scrappy, it craves order and symmetry. It's an engineering brain and scrappy is hurting it. I will not be defeated! I will, however, chicken out of sewing them together until I have them all pieced and can spend hours and hours rearranging them.

New projects
They're running a competition over at Missouri Star Quilt Company called the iron quilter. Take up to three charm packs and create anything you want. The finished quilts will be judged in January and the winner gets $150 to spend in the shop.


Can I resist the chance to win $150 of fabric loveliness? - nope. Do I have time to design a quilt, make a quilt and post it to America by December 31st? - Do I ****!

I guess I'll have to make time because I've ordered the charm packs so now it would be rude not to.

No progress projects
Finishes
  • None :(

Why not pop over to Freshly pieced to see what everyone else is up to this Wednesday. It's the one year anniversary of Lee's Linky party and to celebrate she's featuring the original linkers and a giveaway.

26 comments:

  1. That looks like a great start to a double wedding ring. Can't wait to see it finished!

    Mary
    http://www.quiltgenius.com

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  2. I really like the diamonds, and you're right, the purple fabric makes the other one "work" a bit better!

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  3. Ooh, double wedding ring! I did one this summer, and it's a lot of work but definitely rewarding! I like your fabric choices; they're so pretty and calming. Good luck finishing more!

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  4. so sorry to read about your Mum, I hope she is doing better soon. You did a good job of selecting a solid to bring out the best in the violet/mustard dot

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  5. I'm right there with you on the paralyzing fear of of the double wedding ring, and I haven't even finished piecing my arcs yet! I too have a hard time with random and scrappy, I'm trying so much harder to embrace it! Good luck getting the balance and symmetry you desire :)

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  6. What a pretty double wedding ring that's going to make. I totally understand about worrying about placement. No onus at all in waiting to be able to play with all the parts.

    I think the melons look like a slice of melon seen from above? Who knows why that name for the shape got picked. I see it used all the time. "Football" is closer, though. . .

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  7. I love the wedding ring start. I would be scared to death to try and piece the sides. Hope your mom is feeling better soon.
    ~Kimberlee

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  8. Hoping your mom is feeling better soon! Mine has terminal cancer and I know what having a sick mom can mean to your schedule, sewing and heart!

    The Double Wedding Ring is just gorgeous...cut some more out and then play around with it. No commitments and a larger selection of finished pieces to play with?

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  9. Wow, that double wedding ring is simply stunning! I'm so impressed!

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  10. I am sorry to hear about your mom! You take care of yourself with all the running. I saw the challenge over at Mo. Star...but knew there was no way...I wondered why they chose the busiest time of the year for it??

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  11. I hope your mom is feeling better soon! I really like how you paired that polka dot with the bright yellow, it totally makes it work!

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  12. Iron Quilter, lol.
    Beautiful wedding ring. Just go for it.

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  13. So sorry to hear about your mum and wishing her a speedy recovery. Love that double wedding ring block - may have to try that!

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  14. Your projects are lovely. I wonder if you pieced the DW as you go then you would just have rearrange the blocks for colour balance. Either way, it will be very pretty when it is done.

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  15. The double wedding ring would paralyze me too... Looks so complicated but lovely.

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  16. double wedding ring - brave girl! btw love your background, the pins are adorable!

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  17. Sorry to hear about your mum, hope she's feeling better, but your WIPs are fab.

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  18. Scrappy quilts make my head hurt, too. I still haven't made any. But I can appreciate them from afar!

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  19. Go for it and good luck.
    I've not been "brave" enough to try any hard patterns such as the wedding ring.

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  20. Hope your mom is feeling better. Good luck with the iron quilter. That is awesome!

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  21. I'm so sorry to hear about your mum!

    When I find a colour or fabric I really don't like, I usually try to pair it with something I really love. Mostly it seems to work! Adoration by association!

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  22. I also hope that your mom is feeling better! And I really adore that double wedding ring you are working on. And totally understand how scrappiness can be mind melting! Happy sewing!

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  23. Pretty hexy block! Scrappy takes practice sometimes—if you keep at it, I'm sure you'll get more comfortable with it. Thanks for linking up to WIP Wednesday. : )

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  24. The double wedding ring looks great!

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  25. I love your hexie block, and don't think that mustard color is bad at all, quite stunning actually!

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  26. You are so right about the mustardy yellow making the fabric work together! What an interesting contest, I can't a=wait to see what you come up with!

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