Texture Challenge

This is my second Endeavourers challenge. I really look forward each time to pushing myself out of my comfort zone with improv quilting. The wallhanging size works very well for me.I decided to emphasize texture by avoiding color contrast and prints which would compete for attention.

Then for inspiration I went first to Pinterest. There were many examples of shadowboxes, book covers, prayer flags and wallhangings embellished with a vast variety of fabric collages. Many contain other elements such as paper, postage stamps, photos, medals and embroidery.

I have many pieces of old lace, crochet, and other fabric with texture. After searching through all the nooks and crannies, I collected quite a few samples that would be useful. Most of them are off white so that’s the color that I worked with.

The fabric I chose for the front and the back was a reproduction of old handwriting. I fused both front and back to the batting then did straight line quilting in a grid. Then I pressed a very very long strip of machine crocheted open work. This was stitched down to make a nice frame for the piece.

At that point I decided to add pink accents to give a little color and liveliness. This was my first rough placement of the pieces.

Once I had the edge pieces stitched down, I picked out a fragile hankie with some holes in it. I gathered it at the center, tied it with a piece of pink lace and stitched it down to the top border. The rest of the pieces were laid out in a gentle curve.

I decided to fill in the remainder of the circle with buttons chosen from my old Mason jar. Most of them are mother of pearl and a few pink ones. I like the way the pearly ones add a little glimmer.

Here is my texture challenge.

Thanks, Janine, for coordinating the challenge. I can’t wait to the other entries.

Texture Challenge Progress! And New Member, Yes!

This is the 'canvas', hand quilted diagonally.

Stitches and embellishments have been added and still more to come.

Here's my intro;

Hi, I'm Janie and art, color, sewing and fabric have always drawn me in. I enjoy learning and teaching different techniques. I think a good teacher learns more than her students. 

Crazyvictoriana.blogspot.com is where I blog and share color/quilt ideas and process.

Why did I name my blog Crazyvictoriana? That's easy, I was very much enjoying crazy quilting at the time and the Victorian era was so rich in textiles and amazing handwork, the two just go together as far as I'm concerned.

I live with family on the West Coast, the Pacific Ocean is a big inspiration for me.

I'm looking forward to participating in some of the Endeavorers' challenges, thank you for

letting me be part of it.

And this is my progress on the texture challenge. For me embroidery is a good way to show texture, so that's what's happening here. Now my stitch hand is really unhappy and I need to slow down. I used Robert Kaufman 'Essex' for linen texture and some smooth Kona cotton solids in snow and ice peach in the squares of the 'canvas'.

I'm looking forward to seeing your projects.

New Member

We have a new member, who is joining us for our 1 February reveal!  Please welcome Janie, who blogs at https://crazyvictoriana.blogspot.com/

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Fellow Endeavourers :)


I thought I'd just drop in to see how everyone is getting on with the Texture Challenge for February 1st as there are only three weeks to go and we are going to have to be stricter, this year, about the deadline.


Are you nearly done or still pondering?

If anyone is stuck for ideas, let me know and I will offer some suggestions but the most important thing is the old adage "Finished is better than Perfect"!

Otherwise, Good Luck!

I can't wait to see wait to see what you are all making and, of course, feel free to post sneak peeks for us here anytime because we'd love to see them :)

Janine

Gathering Materials

I have collected what I think will be enough supplies and materials for my texture quilt project. I've looked on Pinterest (never found the bottom of that rabbit hole, thank goodness). I watched a few preview videos about classes that would teach me how to add texture to quilts (I got the jest of it in the previews). Now, what's the plan? Hmmmm, only time will tell. On my carpet, sets my harvest!

How goes it with the other members? Merry Christmas, Happy New Year.

New Member

A new member joins The Endeavourers.

You can find out more about Wendy on her blog here and on Instagram.

Welcome, Wendy!

TEXTURE IDEAS

PINTERST is a wonderful source.  I can’t get out much to take photos, so I just went to Pinterest and typed in Texures. It’s unbelievable, an endless source of them!  I’m really going to explore new techniques. Take a look for yourselves.

New Theme Announcement

That was a splendid reveal - congratulations everyone!

And now for the new theme.  We still have the following in the hat:

1. the sea
2. a walk in the park
3. texture
4. memories
5. a quilt inspired by a newspaper headline
6. emotions feelings
7. opposites attract
8. colour theory
9. dreams
10. wishes
11. a scene from a book
12. raindrops keep falling on my head

and Mr Random Number Generator has chosen:

which is 'texture'.  That certainly suggests any number of possibilities so it will be exciting to see the results at the next reveal on 1 February!

A little late - apologies!

Improv

I’m afraid I struggled this time! I decided to try improv circles and found it a bit too tricky!

You can read more about my Portrait of a Polka Dot Lady on my blog HERE.

I am taking this opportunity to let you know I am stepping out of the group. I have enjoyed participating, but have found it hard to make the deadlines. For the last few months I have had problems commenting on Blogger blogs, and investigating why this happened has eaten into valuable stitching time!

I will be popping over to visit of course! This is such an inspirational blog, and I would never have tried so many techniques if I hadn’t been a member here.

Thank you Janine and Catherine for allowing me to take part, it was a great experience!

I wish you all well and look forward to catching up on visiting everyone.

Barbara xx

Gonna Be a Little Late

Hello everyone! Maureen from https://josephinaballerina.com here. Although I have been a member of The Endeavourers since its inception, due to a series of strange circumstances I have yet to actually make a quilt. I was bound and determined to join you with a quilt this quarter. I am in the process of making one, but progress is in fits and starts due to the fact I had shoulder surgery four weeks ago and I can't really move my right arm. And I am right handed. However! Here is a sneak peak of the Improv Quilt I hope to have finished within a week.

I am so inspired by the fantastic quilts you all produce each quarter. Wow.

Smiles from New Jersey, USA,
Maureen (and JB the cat aka Josephina Ballerina)

Window

This challenge has really been exciting for me, giving me a chance to be creative with what I have on hand. I’ve used fusing for the first time rather than appliqué. All the components are from former projects. The result is Shining Vista.

The first part was an 8-inch block I made for a monthly color series done in 2016.

I never did use these blocks for a quilt, one of many UFOs. The second piece was from a set of practice blocks for fusing.

These were just bits of batik strips fused to these crazy blocks with pinked edges. The one with the yellow and purple reminded me of a sunset, but I had no plans for it. I happened to set it down on top of the purple block and…that was exciting!

So when I was looking through my UFOs I knew this was the focal point I needed. The cream fabric was handy and I had enough to use for the top and backing. By the way, I’m on a year of no fabric buying and sticking to it.

For the side strips I used a reject from a project that I abandoned. It had the gradation from dark to light, but was much wider. So I cut two strips from that and used 2-1/2 inch strips for the top and bottom borders.

I fused the top and batting, which made it nice and firm. I used HeatnBond Light fusible.

I began by quilting the purple areas and added the directional lines, then used a tight zigzag to emphasize them. Today I finished the quilting. Deadlines really help.

Improv Reveal

Improve - Fractured Minerals

I got a lot of ideas from Youtube and used some of the ideas from the Mr Domestic to start me off. The fans reminded me of agate and other minerals so I alternated some of the fans to make strips. I did cross-cut a few to make small blocks and to make the piecing simpler I kept to 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 strips and blocks

I finally ended up with this

The big reveal in my case is I got stuck. Should I trim and bind? Seems too traditional for it. Maybe bag it out so there is no binding instead?  I do like the uneven edge. Or bind, keeping the wobbly edge Has anyone got the answer!!!

I was so inspired by some of the clips I saw that I have ordered Improv Patchwork: Dynamic Quilts Made with Line & Shape by Maria Shell! This theme has started me off in a new direction, although thinking about it, crazy patchwork is really improv patchwork too, so not so new afterall