Making Parts

Recently I have been teaching my Tuesday quilters about improvising a design. I didn't specifically announce my intentions, but just had them make some patchwork from black, white and red as a warm up. They were familiar with half square triangles and nine patch blocks so this wasn't a giant leap to make pinwheels and checkerboard panels. As they made the parts we added those to the design wall. Excitement ensued.

 I assembled the fabrics we would be using in coordinating solids, dots and stripes and had some smaller pieces that had been leftovers and those were also placed on the design wall.  When you are working with a limited palette, everything almost automatically goes together. Such was the case with these bits. Designing is easy when the patchwork parts are made first and the next bits just have to be cut to size to be added. If it is too small, add another fabric, or if it is too big, trim it to fit. The design began to take shape almost instantly. 

It was decided (by me) that we would make panels that could be quilted in the famous quilt-as-you-go technique, so we didn't sew the larger composed parts to each other, yet. Plus we have more to make, and decide on placement and what goes and what stays. It's a very forgiving process. I like that.

 Along those lines, I had a small collection of trial blocks and sample patches that have just been waiting in the wings, and now have been added to, as a way of making 'sourdough patches'. These are ingredients that grow as needed and could some day become jumping off blocks for new quilt tops. It's a way of using up more from the scraps that have accumulated in our mad sewing sessions. Just looking at them daily is an encouragement that nothing (hardly) is going to waste. Those long panels of twisty patches were donated to my collection. Thankfully, I didn't have to figure out how to make them myself.

In the evening, I have been trying to design a new hat. Here's my latest attempt. I managed to finish it, but it required SEWING, which is against my knitting religion. So while I do like the finished product, I didn't like the process, which means it is a one of a kind item. You win a few, you lose a few. The best part is using the leftover yarn. Hey, there's a theme here...