Penny Patch - Part 1

So I may have slipped in a mention the other day, that I have signed up to do another quilt a long. 

Seeing as how I finally finished my last one, I think I'm totally sweet to join another, right!!  Please note that I am still supposed to be making my Skill Builder blocks, and said I was going to do Swoon 2013 (that's standard size swoon blocks - yeah I haven't started that one yet...).

So yeah, a Penny Patch.  I have to say, one of the reasons I signed up is because it's a pretty simple pattern.  In fact, the pattern is downright basic. But the colours!!!!  I am in love with the colours.  And it is a proper patchwork - no fancy schamncy "design". Just beauty in the simplicity.  Ok, so clearly I like the plan for this quilt.

And because part of what I loved was the citrusy, vibrant colours, I, of course, went with the exact same colour scheme as Rachel. Just count me out as unoriginal.
 
Orange, blue and love volume fabric
 
But seriously... Yum!!!
 
Since these arrived on my doorstep, I have become addicted to buying these colours. And I mean that literally.  I just put in another fabric order and it is all bright, light blue and crisp perfect orange.
 
One of the things I like about this big pile of fabric is - I actually want to cut into it. Normally I sit and stroke the pretty, but can't bear to start slicing, for fear of ruining it.  Or I second guess myself, over and over for the fabric choices and whether they actually go together.  Not this pile.  I love it!! I love the thousand different textures.  The multitude of shades of colours.  The unexpectedness of some of the choices.

I am usually so scared of that, but for this, I'm so happy with it!!!  And I think the reason I'm less scared, is it's all going to go together in such the simple style . I have faith that this will meld into a harmonious whole. It also doesn't hurt that there are a couple of different text fabrics in there. I do love me some texty goodness :-)


Low Volume Fabric
Low Volume love <3
I think I need to add some more "neutral" to my low volume.  I love all the fabrics in there, but they all have a little too much personality.  I think I want to add some more white on white and cream on white to bring the business down. Yeas, this is yet another excuse for me to buy fabric. :-)


And to prove that I'm really not scared at all, I have started cutting.

 

I have to admit that I did stress a little about some of these fabrics as I was cutting them.  I the pile they looked perfect but one by one my anxiety went up.  I added an extra bluey blue (those hexagons on top) to try to blend that blue Flea Market Fancy in a bit more.  I admit that if I hadn't already cut it up, I probably would have pulled it. I'm not sure it's the right shade of blue... No!! I am not second guessing myself until I can see it all laid out and then I'll reassess.

Now to convince Ashley to put up a design wall so I can see everything at once and shuffle the pieces around as the spirit moves me, and I'll be the happiest little quilter in the world :-)


E xx

Oh! And I changed the blade on my rotary cutter, and I am in love. I didn't realise how unnecessary it was to be using so much pressure to do my cutting. This new blade glides through fabric like a hot knife through butter. I think I might have to start stock piling new blades and change them every week! That may be a slight exaggeration. But I will remember this and not let my blade get that blunt ever again. Cross my heart!
 

Comments

  1. Pretty fabrics, Erin. I have faith in you and your choices - it will be colour amazing!!! I totally did that to myself last time too - let my blade get soooo dull, that I was literally having to muscle it through fabric. I was so happy when I changed the blade and was reminded how easy cutting could/should be. I promise never again too!!!

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    1. I honestly hadn't even thoguht about the blade!! I was literrally pushing my way throguh the fabric. And constaly had spots that needed me to go over a second time. I was absolutley stunned when I made my fist cut with the new blade - firts time, no puching, no missed spots, no rough edges. I am NEVER goign to let my blade get that bad again.
      ANd thank you for your faith in my colour choices. I have already started second guessing myself. I have added a couple and put a couple aside. Not away, because I might decide they really do go, but I wasn't feeling them, so didn't cut them. Fingers crossed for colour amazing :-)!
      E xx

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  2. I love orange and aqua together, so much!! And adding the pops of red in there will be gorgeous. :) Also, no bad talking yourself about not being original. ^_^ Even if you used the same exact fabrics, you'd still end up with something different. Your creative journey, stop comparing. ;) Okay, sorry. <3
    Oh, and yes. changing blades. SO GOOD. Wish the blades weren't so stinkin' expensive!
    I sort of want to start a service that sends people monthly things that no one wants to buy but it's awesome when you have. More thread, new needles, new rotary blades. That sorta thing. :)

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    1. Anne - you love everything together!!! I've never been a big orange fan, but I am loving it with the blue. It feels really fresh and light.
      And I told you we all have the little comparison bunny on our shoulders. Some of us are just more vocal about it :-) honestly, I don't mind that it's not "original" it will still be uniquely mine. Because even if 30 other people do the same quilt, and 20 of them use the same colour scheme, no one else will have my exact fabrics, and even if they do, no one else will lay them out the exact same way. So I will still compare, but I won't feel bad about it. Ok? :-)
      Oh my god, another business idea from you!! You could totally start a monthly service. I saw somehwere the "Happy Mommy Box" which is a monthly service sending out random packages of joy. You could do the same for sewing!!! I know I'd have joy getting a monthly sewing box top up. It'd be like a stash club but for all the sewing accessories!! And it could coordinate with the stash cubs that are going around!! So it'd be colour wheel coordinated - month one is pink, so you get thread, and pink embroidery scissors ad some pink pearl cotton and of course, a new blade. And month two is blue so you get the blue cotton and thread and maybe some floss and some paper peiceing templates - just an extra soemthing, something!! I love it!!! I totally want to email all my online fabric shops and ask them to do it right now!!! I would SO sign up for that.
      I genuinely want this service. I promise to buy it.

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  3. This looks lovely! Just watch your fingers with that sharp blade!

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    1. lol! I was thinking that too!! Is it bad that I wanted to test how blunt my old blade was and had to conciously stop myself from running a finger across it?? I didn't do it, but I was so shocked at the difference that I felt that old blade must have been as sharp as a butter knife.
      Thank you for thinking it's pretty. We'll see what it looks like when it's done!
      E xx

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  4. Great fabric choices! And don't fret about the truer blue FMF print, having it be different will help highlight your aquas and give interest. It's going to look fantastic!

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    1. Thanks. Do you think? I'm hopeful (and I'm sure it'll be fine) but I can't help but feel woogaly over it. (not that that's a word, but yu know that combination of anxiety and anticipation. That's how I feel).
      E xx

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  5. The fabrics are gorgeous! I think you're right to pull in that other blue - not just because it'll tie in that other fabric, but because it'll provide some depth in the colour. It's always good to have a bit of variation. (And once it's all cut up and sewn into place you probably won't notice it at all. Of course, if you do, then maybe you'll need to take it out! I don't think you will, but wait until you've sewn more than one element and then reassess. That first block might feel strange or out of place, but I bet once it's in use in a few places, it'll stop being something to stress about.)

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    1. Thanks! I think it;'s pretty standard to be overthinking at this stage. The whole idea with this quilt is to throw it all on a wall/floor/table and just move things around until they feel right. So I can see myself adding and taking away a lot as I go. Hopefully just seeing it all laid out will make me feel more confident. And I hate unpicking so once it's sewn, that's what it'll look like! lol.
      E xx

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  6. You are a girl after my own heart! This is one of my favourite colour palette! Don't stress over having fabric which isn't all an exact match! I had bee buddies make blocks for me in this colour combo, from their stash, and even though there were many variations, it all worked out in the end!

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    1. I have never really seen this combo before Rachel did it, and I fell in love. Now everywhere I see it, I just want more. Anne @ Play-Crafts did a tutorial about colour and context, and I feel a lot more conifdent about the mix of fabrics now. I think it's all going to be about placement. I'm pretty excited to start sewing!
      E xx

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  7. Lovely colors! I'm going with this QAL because for the colors! Had been hording aqua/yellow/orange/turquoise for a long time and when I saw Rachels quilt I knew what to do with it.
    Have fun!

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    1. I know, right! I saw the proposal and thoguht "i get to make my own vintage tangerine!! I'm in"
      E xx

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  8. These are my favorite colors and my business colors, your quilt will be gorgeous. This is my very first quilt so I am terrified. Since I am doing a yearlong friendship quilt project in these colors, I am doing this as a Christmas quilt .... I think!

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    1. Wow! Your first quilt! That's super exciting. Good choice as well, because Rachel's instructions are easy to follow and the peicing is simple but effective. I'll be following along your progress. Good luck!!
      E xx

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  9. I agree! Those colors are addicting. I'm finding myself adding more and more to my stash, too...

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    1. But Liz, I need to stop buying fabric. This fun hobby has become a terrible addiction. But they're all so pretty!!! :-D
      E

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  10. It is going to look so lovely. The colours are scrumptious. I'm now just trying to ignore your "I just put in another fabric order...". ;)

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    1. But Erin!!!! I neeeeeded the fabric!! I swear!!!! :-D

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E xx