Saturday, August 19, 2017

Island Batik Ambassador's Quilt as You Go Challenge

When I looked at this year's Island Batik Ambassador list I must admit that Quilt as You Go (QAYG) was the one I found most daunting.  Why?  Simply because I have never done it before.  Ever.  In 30 years of quilting!  



So what to do?  The same thing I do when a student in my third grade classroom asks a question I don't know the answer to...ask "Professor Google."  I found videos from Leah Day, Missouri Star, and many others.  I watched them all.


I decided I liked Leah Day's approach and went with it.  I also happened to be in an art gallery as I was starting to ponder this challenge and I saw a three panel painting.  I knew that's what I wanted to do.  Make three panels and then stitch them together QAYG style.  It turned out well and I would do it again having successfully survived the experience.

Here's one of the three panels all quilted up.  In looking at it from far away now I wish the green was a little stronger, but such is life.  I must admit I did not make a pattern for these flowers (shocking as I usually do).  I just free cut petals and leaves.  The extra curl I cut out from the bottom of the stem ended up at the top of the flower and me being me, it needed a few dots.




After following Leah's method I decided to do a blanket stitch on my sashing strips.  I used a different machine than I usually do for blanket stitch and found that I should go back to my usual as I'm used to how that one does blanket stitching.  Next time.


I was trying to decide what color to use for sashing.  People kept telling me to use green.  I decided it was too much contrast and went with a lovely blue.



I also decided that the quilt needed more red so I added some really fat red rick rack I found at my local quilt shop.  It's the perfect addition.  A tutorial on how to do that will be coming next week.


And the final quilt!



I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

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