Same Pattern, Different Fabrics...

The other project that has been sitting in time out for the last few months is Sarah Fileke's 'Simple Folk'  you may remember how much I enjoyed stitching Happy Days and Down the Rabbit Hole, both BOM patterns from Sarah.  You can see those posts by clicking below.

Happy Days
Down the Rabbit Hole

When Sarah showed the sketch of her 2018 BOM Simple Folk I immediately signed up, I loved the Folk Art feel and was really looking forward to stitching another of her designs. I didn't have a colour scheme in mind, but I was keen to start and was persuaded by a 1/2 price deal on a FQ bundle of Nordic inspired red, white and blue fabrics.

Almost as soon as I started I knew I had made a mistake! I tried adding some other fabrics to the mix and stitched the first few appliqué blocks.

These are really not my colours and while I like these blocks, I knew I didn't want a whole quilt.  I put these in the orphan box and I will use them for something, the fabrics have gone into stash (I never cut a whole project at the start as I often change my mind!)  I already have a plan for the blues - a charity quilt for a late teen/young man so they won't be wasted.

I thought about starting over a few times, especially as I started to see finished quilts popping up online, but I wanted to be sure of my choices.  This week I finally started again.  One of the things that draws me to Sarah's quilts is the chance to use fun modern fabrics and bright colours.

I had several yards of this small pink pindot fabric and some of this aqua green, so I decided to start with these.  I then pulled scraps and leftovers from stash and I think I have enough to make a start.

I have made a few 9 patches and prepped the first couple of appliqué blocks - yes I think this will work!

Startitis!

I am still finding it hard to settle on a particular project 🙁I have started no less than 3 BOM's this year already and it's only April! I have justified each as they are pattern only and I am using stash only for 2 of them 😀

Two are by Sarah Fielke

In January I started  Simple Folk, a mix of piecing and appliqué

I started with a Nordic inspired Red, White & Blue FQ bundle and then added some Dutch Chintz scraps I had to the mix, I have the first 3 blocks appliquéd and the 4th prepared. After a lot of indecision I am really happy with my colours for this one.

The pieced blocks will stay as Red, White & Blue I think, lots more machine piecing to do!

In February I started Grasshopper, all hand work "It's all about the journey Grasshopper" again a BOM by Sarah Fielke

I bought a gorgeous fabric for the back, the rest is mostly stash

No stitching, but I have prepared some of the border blocks for hand piecing

Finally, in March I started Jen Kingwell's Template only BOM 'Golden Days'

This is her quilt so far

It is a very busy quilt and I love it, but I don't think I have the confidence or experience to mix so many different colours together, so for my version I plan on a limited colour palette inspired by the 100th anniversary of Women's Suffrage here in the UK of Ivory, purples and greens. (with a sparkle of yellow 😀)

I am almost finished the first block

No new starts in April yet 🤣

Several Cups of Tea later ...

I mentioned in my last post that I have started a new quilt; this is one of Sarah Fileke's 2018 BOMs 'Simple Folk'  you can find details from Sarah HERE

I had originally decided on a Nordic inspired Red, White and Blue scheme

I love these colours and the fabrics I bought, however when it came to choosing the fabrics for the first appliqué tulip block, I really wasn't happy with my limited fabric palette, it's a bit boring!

After much head scratching and discussion, I realised that I could add to my original fabrics, Sarah helpfully pointed out that red could also mean pink - why didn't I think of that ?!?

I decided to go back to basics and pull out my colour wheel tool, I find this incredibly useful when choosing fabrics for a new quilt.  It was obvious that my main colours were red and blue

I rummaged through my several bins of scraps, and pulled more reds, pinks and blues that would play nicely, but it still wasn't right, another cup of tea and another colour were called for 😀 Using the colour wheel again, I found that yellow-green sits equally between red and blue, these three colours play nicely in a triadic colour scheme.

Yes, I like this! more tea and more scrap shopping...

I have always kept anything larger than 2" square in bins by colour, but I rarely think of my scraps when it comes to pulling fabrics for a quilt (note to self - use more scraps!) They are perfect for appliqué when sometimes you need the smallest piece.

I have a lot of Dutch chintz leftovers which I think will work wonderfully for the appliqué in this quilt. Happy finally with the fabrics for the tulip, I decided that my initial thoughts on pale blue for the corner triangles was now too insipid, so I switched to the Navy

Yes, I like this much better 😀 Swapping Navy for pale blue also meant changing the colour of the nine patches in the pieced blocks from navy/white to red/white

I am happy with how this is going, using the original fabrics for the pieced blocks and adding in lots of scraps for the appliqué will hopefully hold my interest for the rest of the year.

I am tempted to quilt as you go on this one as it is made up of simple blocks, has anyone tried this? thoughts, tips? please!

Simple Folk

I have started a new quilt (!) I am allowed as per the rules of Meredith's 6 and 6 in 2018 challenge, to start 6 new projects this year if I also work on 6 old ones...

I have made great progress on a couple of my old projects ...

Another block completed for Lucy's River Terrace, making 2 so far

and I met my end of January deadline - Down the Rabbit Hole is a quilt top!! I need some help to take photos and it deserves a post of it's own :) but the top is done!

I was going to just back this and make it a coverlet, but now I am thinking it needs to be quilted?

Can anyone recommend a good lightweight wadding/batting for a summer quilt?

Just in time as the first part of Sarah's new 2018 BOM 'Simple Folk' was released today.  I have all my fabrics washed and pressed and I have started making templates for this first appliqué block.

I want to make a Nordic inspired quilt, as I lived in Stavanger Norway for nearly 3 years and love all things Scandinavian, especially the painted Swedish Dale Horses

I did a quick colour sketch when Sarah released  the fabric requirements.

My background is an off white on white hearts fabric (9109 Essential Hearts by Makower)

The rest of the red, white & Blue fabrics are from a FQ bundle of Nordic Stitches by Wenche Wolff Hatling for Moda Fabrics that I got in the Black Friday Sales.  The appliqué blocks have triangle corners, to form a second design with the pieced blocks. I want to use this iced blue.

I have started thinking about the fabrics I want for the appliqué Tulip

I like it but it is a little dull?

 I am now thinking that I need to add a little yellow/green like the painted horses - what do you think? just a little on some of the appliqué blocks to avoid everything being too matchy matchy?

I think I like this a lot more :) I will think about it for a day or two, in the meantime I will pull out  another oldie - 'Happy Days' and carry on with my hand quilting (Can you see my halo shining 🤣)