Just looking over my last few months of posts, I realized that I've been blogging about a lot of finishes but not really doing many "in process" posts. As a blog reader, those are some of my favorite reads, so my bad for dropping the down and dirty process posts! But I've got a WIP that will be year-long, so you'll probably tire of reading about it long before I tire of sharing it....
the EPIC Technicolor Galaxy Skill Builder BOM for 2015 taught by Alyssa at Pile O Fabric!!!!
Now hold on here, my 10 faithful readers might be wondering, didn't you start a BOM a looong time ago that still remains unfinished and sitting on a shelf? Doesn't that make you feel guilty about starting a new one?
Um, no. No it doesn't.
Because you know what? I live in New England where we've had the longest, crappiest, snowiest winter in a long time. And everyone in my family got sick with an awful cold that was THISCLOSE to being a flu. And my kid's school got cancelled for a whole extra week because of snow on the roof. The week before February vacation! And everyone has been crabby and miserable! And there were weeks when the air literally hurt your face when you went outside for two minutes! And just looking at this rainbow BOM makes me happy. So is that what you really want? To give me guilt and keep me from being happy?
Yeah. That's what I thought. So let me show you Block #1 - the color wheel
I am not a sewer that is immediately drawn to solids, so I knew the major change I'd be making to this BOM was to cut out the solids and go with all prints. Plus, I wanted to add in a little more aqua and replace the reds with deeper pinks. I also decided to cut the color from the "D" ring of the wheel and replace it with low volume scraps. To audition fabrics, Alyssa suggested using the coloring pages provided in the month's instructions with little scraps of fabric. It was a really great way to audition the prints and get a decent idea of how the colors would blend together!
The main skills introduced this month were: creating your own fusible bias tape from scratch, glue basting your fabric shapes onto your muslin square, shaping your bias tape so it will cover up all the raw edges and fusing it down, then (of course) practicing your FMQ.
The only hiccup I encountered was attaching the strip of fusible to my bias tape. Some parts just would NOT stay stuck on. After attaching a few rings according to the instructions, I took my own advice and just glue basted the rest on. It turned out just fine, but at least I got to practice two different methods.
Oh, and yes I know that my FMQing leaves a lot to be desired - yeah, I'm looking at you drunken and wobbly "clamshells". But I'm not going to be ripping anything out. This project is a chance to practice, practice, practice! Hopefully by the end of the year, I'll be able to look back at this center block and see how I've improved as the rings of blocks expand.
Next month will be focused on the 12 Star Points around the color wheel - looks like the most labor intensive month of the year, so stay tuned!
Linking up:
It looks so awesome! I wish I could have done this BOM, but at least I can watch everyone else's come together! Love the changes you made, and look forward to seeing the next blocks!
ReplyDeleteI am impressed!! Those bias tape rings look so complex and your fabric choices are gorgeous! And I could not agree more with you about this winter! I found myself the other day just randomly cutting up orange and aqua fabric with no goal in mind. Weird but it felt good!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, so this is quilt as you go?! Looking great already, good call on the prints.
ReplyDeleteVery nice! I am in the same BOM and am very far behind. Hopefully I will have caught up a little by the time next month's instructions come out.
ReplyDeleteLove your changes. Makes a much happier rainbow (which we need up here. BADLY!!)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea this was a quilt as you go BOM. I was kind of freaked out when I saw it, like how do you keep all those circle parts flat when sewing together? And I figured everyone was just doing the first part then not bothering with the rest of the quilt. (I know, when you assume...)
Anyway, I might have to add this to the never-ending list of quilts to make. Can't wait until you bring this to Guild!
You are so funny. I am in the Northeast with you, this winter really sucked! Good for you, start a new project if it makes you happy. I wish my FMQ looked as good as yours!
ReplyDeleteI so wish I had time to have done this one! Everyone has such beautiful pictures! Yours is so fun and creative! Love love love!
ReplyDeleteI love this BOM project and have been debating starting it (late). Your version is wonderful! Thank you for sharing your process.
ReplyDeleteStephanie, you are doing such a fabulous job on this! I love it! I think the changes you have made are positive ones and result in a look that I like better than the original. You have a great sense of color and fabric choice. Can't wait to see this treasure in person.
ReplyDeleteIt's so beautiful, and you definitely don't have to apologize the the quilting community for starting a new project with other(s) going - I think we all do that ALL the time, even without the excellent excuse of horrid weather ;D!
ReplyDeleteThis is looking fabulous! Great job with the FMQ! Looking great!
ReplyDeleteGood, don't feel guilty, starting new things is half the fun of quilting! Beautiful work so far, so detailed!
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat idea with the bias! And the quilting looks fantastic!!!! (And time consuming.) Good for you for doing something for yourself during such a frustrating time.
ReplyDeleteI was on the fence about joining this BOM and almost jumped in to do it. But I finally decided I didn't have time. Oh, but I love the quilt! It's fun to see your experience with it. The color choices are great!
ReplyDeleteI see a lot of solid quilts and I love them, but I am like you in the fact that it's a little harder for me to pick them out to work with. Really nice printed fabric choices for your color wheel!
ReplyDeleteThe audition idea is just brillant, and I'm eyeing that fusible bias tape thinking that I'm just going to have to try making some of my own!
... and yes, your FMQing does leave a lot to be desired... desired by me! (still very much a FMQ beginner)
Greetings from Germany!
Allison
I've had my eye on that BOM, too. I do like how the prints look. Thanks for sharing. Now I'll have to ponder the possibility of joining in again.
ReplyDeleteThis is so gorgeous!!! I admit, I totally laughed out loud at your little "this winter has SUCKED" tirade, but only because I am SO right there with you. I was doing okay until our family started coming down with cold number five hundred sixty-seven of the year, and I'm SO ready to see some grass, or buds, or even mud! At the very least, a few days above 20? :) It took me a TON of willpower to resist this BOM, and the only reason I was able to is that I'll be having a new baby in the next couple months. To me, newborn + 3 yr old + 5 yr old = guaranteed failure at any year-long projects. I'm looking forward to seeing yours develop, though!
ReplyDeleteoh la-la…great work…going to be soooo stunning when finished
ReplyDeleteThis looks so awesome! I'm doing this BOM also, but...um...I haven't started yet. I really need to. Love your fabric choices too!
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