Quandary?

Lynn is hosting a new quilt along called the Dead Simple Quilt Along.  The purpose is to explore colors outside of your normal palette while sewing a very simple quilt.  In other words the challenge is in the fabric selections and not the concept of the quilt.  I've been avoiding this quilt along because honestly I just don't need another project right now.  I'm already feeling more than a little overwhelmed with all the things in my sewing room already and adding something else just doesn't feel like a good idea.  But today my good friend Corey posted about the quilt along and I was struck by her choices of inspiration and the solids she pulled to go with them.  I could see some of my favorite prints playing nicely in that palette as well.  And of course her inspiration made me go start looking at colors and inspiration.  I was immediately drawn to this photo with the cool blues and warm browns.

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But then I started thinking about the fact that if I was going to commit to making another project that while this is lovely it would be just another project.  BUT Rachel is also hosting Celebrate Color right now and I've been toying with the idea of making something which incorporates purples for this.  I rarely ever use purple in anything.  It's just not a color I am very comfortable with.  But since Rachel posted such a great set of inspiration photos for Celebrate Color in eggplants, figs, and rich purples I though it must be okay to use purple as a fall color and why not mix the two things together into one project and knock out two personal goals in one.  I can always donate the quilt to a worthy cause when I'm done.  Kate is hosting 100 Quilts for Kids so maybe if I make something in purple hues it will be like checking three things off the quilting goal list.  I saw this inspiration photo and I really dig it.  I'm not sold on the tan and green in the photo but after all it is just inspiration so I could go with something a little richer if I wanted, right?

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 But when I think of fall colors I don't really think of the cooler colors of fall like the silvers and purples.  I think of the rich warm colors.  I was telling Corey about my ideas and she sent me this inspiration photo which I love!  So my quandary is really this, do I go with something I'm comfortable with and make something I know I will love?  Do I go with inspiration that I like that just because I like it?  Or do I go with something that will push my normal limits and allow me to check a few things off the quilting list?

These last two are just some inspiration that I love and are really just for fun.  Although I have to be honest the more I look at the oranges, peaches, and grays in this one the more I am drawn to it.  Can't you just see that as an amazing little quilt.  I'm thinking some nice solids with a little Fresh Cuts thrown in, Dreamy!

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But then again this last one does work well as a inspired palette for boys.  And of course if I'm going to be donating it we all know there aren't that many quilts for boys out there.  It's just so easy and fun to make something pink and frilly.

Freshcut Square Dance

Freshcut Square Dance is finally done!  I'm so thrilled to have this quilt finished.  I started it what seems like forever ago as part of Amanda Jean's Round and Round Quilt Along.  I had so much help with this quilt from L tracking down the jelly rolls of Freshcuts to my mom finding the backing fabric.  This one is staying with me as long as possible. 

I did make mine with a Jelly Roll of Snow and a Jelly Roll of Freshcuts that was cut by a local quilt store (for L) from yardage of Freshcuts.  I used yardage of snow later in the quilt for the larger pieces so that I did not have seams in my sections of white.  I did not have any of the problems Amanda Jean mentioned about the strips being to long.  I did sew it all with my 1/4 inch foot shortly after receiving it from my parents.  I will say that if you can afford the investment that is one sewing machine foot that I would invest in as a quilter.  It really has made a huge difference for me.

For the backing I used Elizabeth's technique to match the pattern repeat (I couldn't find it on her blog today)  and the seam together two pieces of the same fabric.  Because it was such a large seam it's not perfect but even I had a hard time spotting the seam.  I'll give you a hint it's not any of those folds you can see in the photo and it actually runs the opposite direction of those.

And just because this is such a better picture here is one of Freshcut Square Dance's beauty marks and a close up of the quilting.  I don't know maybe they will grow on me.

Freshcut Square Dance

For the last few weeks I've been feeling this need to actually finish something.  I realize that a finished top is not the same as a finished quilt but it is one step closer.  Bertha is going into the shop tomorrow for her annual cleaning and check up and since I don't know how long that will take I wanted to get in a little sewing time today.  The hubs and I have both been battling a case of the yuckies this weekend and so it has taken me a lot longer to sew together the last few steps but I'm happy with the way it turned out.  We are having rainy yucky weather here so I wasn't able to get any good outdoor shots of the finished quilt top but here's a look at the top and a close up of the center.

Fabric: Freshcuts by Heather Bailey

Pattern: Amanda Jean's Round and Round Quilt A Long 

If you are looking for the giveaway post you can find it here.