Lisa (Stashmaster), Perry (Okperisplace) and Cindy (Too Much Fabric So Little Time) and I are beginning a new Quilting Challenge! Please join us as the four of us launch ourselves into a brand new project. This challenge charges us to make a Blended Quilt using one of the four following blended quilt books:
Blended Quilts I by Marsha McCLoskey, Blended Quilts II by Marsha McCloskey, Floral Bouquet Quilts by Sharon Evans Yenter from In The Beginning, or Blended Wall Quilts by Sharon Evans Yenter from In The Beginning. Please check each of our blogs for a post today on which pattern we have individually selected.
As I mentioned in a recent post, I have been having a heck of a time trying to decide what to make and what fabric to use. I have at least a dozen patterns from those four books that I want to make, and already have the fabric on hand for four or more different blended quilt projects. This is the one I really wanted to do, but changed my mind about it because it isn’t really as blended a look as I want to get with this project. It is from the Floral Bouquet book. Pretty though, don’t you think? I promise I will make it one day.
The pattern and project I have finally decided upon after days of deliberating is Gypsy Rondo from Blended Quilts II. I was inspired by both the richness of the colors in the pictured quilt in the book, and also by the fact that in my stash I already owned a gorgeous group of black and rose florals fabrics from the Dominque collection by Moda. The look I am going for will be more Victorian than Gypsy, but I hope the finished results will be just as dramatic and pretty as the featured quilt in the book.
After writing the paragraph above, I have yet again changed my mind. My final, final decision is Memories of Versailles in the Blended Quilt II book. I can’t show you a picture of the fabric, because I don’t have it yet. Great. The challenge begins today and I am already behind. I asked for my fabric to be shipped to me by Fed Ex, so with luck, I should be able to catch up if I work hard.
My color choice will be chocolate brown, soft sage green, caramel, and deep red.
In my experience, it takes longer to pick out the fabrics and to decide on the color placement of each block than it does to construct the quilt. (Major understatement in my case.) Blended quilts always seem to work, so I don’t know why I agonize so over the fabric! These quilts greatly benefit from the use of a design wall during the process. Making a blended quilt seems to me to involve more artistry than following a normal pattern, because the quiltmaker has to make so many decisions on value and pattern and fabric transitions. Blended quilts are characterized by the use of fabrics that have colors and motifs that blend from one patch to the next, so that you effectively lose the line where the two fabrics are joined. Lots of soothing visual ambiguity goes on in this style of quilt. Typical fabrics used would be large scale floral prints, stripes and border prints, toiles, paisleys, medium floral prints, and scenic prints of all kinds.
I have made several blended quilts so far in my life, and will share some photos with you in later posts.
I hope you will all check in with us each Monday as we post about our progress on this joint project. Our Big Reveal is scheduled for January 28. The end result should be four completely unique blended quilts which will reflect our individual tastes and personalities!
22 responses to “Blended Quilt Challenge”
LOL! Didn’t I see several fabric choices here a few days back? I love the blue and white fabrics! Hope you find the perfect thing for them soon. I like the pattern you’ve chosen for your quilt, too. It’s blended, but not mushy.
LOL! Didn’t I see several fabric choices here a few days back? I love the blue and white fabrics! Hope you find the perfect thing for them soon. I like the pattern you’ve chosen for your quilt, too. It’s blended, but not mushy.
Wow, challenge sounds like an understatement! tried the blended thing. Once.
Can’t wait to see the progress on this quilt Nicole.
Wow, challenge sounds like an understatement! tried the blended thing. Once.
Can’t wait to see the progress on this quilt Nicole.
Lovely fabrics, Nichole. I was not familiar with Marsha’s Blended Quilts books and was interested. So I looked them up on Amazon. Can you explain why these paperback books are so expensive? The list on Amazon for almost $60. That seems right pricey to me. What’s up with that?
Anyway, can’t wait to see everyone’s quilts.
Lovely fabrics, Nichole. I was not familiar with Marsha’s Blended Quilts books and was interested. So I looked them up on Amazon. Can you explain why these paperback books are so expensive? The list on Amazon for almost $60. That seems right pricey to me. What’s up with that?
Anyway, can’t wait to see everyone’s quilts.
I love those blue and white fabrics too. We will just have to do another one when we finish this one. I like your choice of patterns, you must have chosen the fabric that you liked that you had to add to, right? lol….
I love those blue and white fabrics too. We will just have to do another one when we finish this one. I like your choice of patterns, you must have chosen the fabric that you liked that you had to add to, right? lol….
Is that your “Final Answer” Nicole? LOL The Versailles quilt is gorgeous, will you use a great toile print like they’ve used to set off the center medallion? I think it will be so pretty, I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Oh and the blue and white are just gorgeous, too, but like you said, not really “blended.” I have a kit for the Gingersnap 9 Patch out of the Floral Bouquet Quilts book, maybe we’ll have to that challenge next! 😉
Is that your “Final Answer” Nicole? LOL The Versailles quilt is gorgeous, will you use a great toile print like they’ve used to set off the center medallion? I think it will be so pretty, I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Oh and the blue and white are just gorgeous, too, but like you said, not really “blended.” I have a kit for the Gingersnap 9 Patch out of the Floral Bouquet Quilts book, maybe we’ll have to that challenge next! 😉
Oooh, this looks like it will be fun — can’t wait to see the results! Love, love, love those blue and white fabrics!
Oooh, this looks like it will be fun — can’t wait to see the results! Love, love, love those blue and white fabrics!
Congrats on the decision…..I think. LOL!!! Cause who knows you just might change your mind in a second or two. LOL!!
Congrats on the decision…..I think. LOL!!! Cause who knows you just might change your mind in a second or two. LOL!!
Nicole, what happened to the black? Like your final deciosn. Love those blue & white fabrics. Where did you get that pattern from. I think that is something I need to get.
Nicole, what happened to the black? Like your final deciosn. Love those blue & white fabrics. Where did you get that pattern from. I think that is something I need to get.
Ok, I am seriously laughing here about the fact that while you have fabrics to make at least 3 other blended quilts, you bought new fabric for your challenge. A woman after my own heart!
Ok, I am seriously laughing here about the fact that while you have fabrics to make at least 3 other blended quilts, you bought new fabric for your challenge. A woman after my own heart!
It sounds like you all will have such a wonderful time doing this challenge! I am definitely looking forward to seeing what each of you have chosen to do and your progress each week. What a lovely pattern you have chosen, and your color choices sound beautiful! I can’t wait!
Those blues are just too beautiful – I have to see them made up now! LOL
It sounds like you all will have such a wonderful time doing this challenge! I am definitely looking forward to seeing what each of you have chosen to do and your progress each week. What a lovely pattern you have chosen, and your color choices sound beautiful! I can’t wait!
Those blues are just too beautiful – I have to see them made up now! LOL
Just saw your 12/1/2007 post and love the blue fabrics-that quilt is so beautiful. The Yenter book is my very FAVORITE book–I too have at least a dozen projects I want/plan to make. For now I am content to just pore over the book–and actually the other McCloskey books and Yenter’s Blended Wall Quilts are also full of lovely lovely quilts. So much fabric…..Your choices are beautiful.
Just saw your 12/1/2007 post and love the blue fabrics-that quilt is so beautiful. The Yenter book is my very FAVORITE book–I too have at least a dozen projects I want/plan to make. For now I am content to just pore over the book–and actually the other McCloskey books and Yenter’s Blended Wall Quilts are also full of lovely lovely quilts. So much fabric…..Your choices are beautiful.