Process Progress!

Completed top

Backing

  
On Monday, I finished the top and backing for the Xylophone quilt.  I am very happy with the way it turned out.  I especially like the back because I incorporated a lot of the blocks that I discarded when I was working out the design for the front.  In using the leftovers for the back, I am making use of what is on hand.  I love this aspect of quilt-making and often get my best creative inspiration from trying to use up scraps or leftovers.  There's less pressure when you're using up what would otherwise be tossed out. 

Last week I did the training for the Handiquilter at my local quilt shop, A Notion to Quilt, and Xylophone will be my solo venture in using it.  Quilted in a day---unbelievable!  I will definitely post more pictures once it is quilted.

Wishing you creative inspiration.

allison

Caution! Work in process!

 I just took the 'Process Pledge' (see  Rossie's blog ) so here is a status update on what started out as Xylophone but has managed to take on it's own identity and I think now bears only a vague resemblance to its origins.  You can read more about this project in my previous entry.

Here is the fabric palette that I started out with.  I originally liked the putty solid for a background but once I started piecing, I decided on Kona Snow instead.  It is brighter and shows off the more muted prints better I think.

After I had pieced together a bunch of various sized 'xylophones', I decided that I did not want to copy the pattern verbatim and wanted to do something different.  I cut all of the xylophone strips in half lengthwise,  then I cut long strips of solid fabric.  I had an idea of something like train tracks or city scape...linear and repetitive but a bit abstract.  What I came up with was a bit too abstract.

I left the project for a couple of weeks and when I returned, I decided that I needed to make the arrangement more user friendly.  Here is what I came up with.  By grouping the colorways together and having a consistent theme of horizontal lines, I think it is more pleasing to the eye.  I still feel like the color balance is a little bit off but I definitely like this better.

I welcome your feedback!

Wishing you creative inspiration.

allison