Friday, April 1, 2016

Wins, Waters and Wisdom (Math)

Let's start with the good news. Shall we?  Here are the winners of the American Hustle? Orphan Adoption Event.

American Hustle Top - Cindy
Pigma Micron Pens - PK_Sews
Mini Wacky Web Template - Shelley

I will send you emails asking for your postal address, so that I can ship your items to you.
Karen, even though you did not win the quilt top, I will send you another quilt top to finish.  The cause of Marine mothers giving up their babies for adoption touched my heart.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The theme of the 2016 Quilt Show challenge is "Virginia's Beautiful Waters".  
Here is my entry.
Skipped a Stone
The challenge - Create a quilt that best expresses your idea of the theme - Virginia's Beautiful Waters.  It can be an art, pictorial quilt or a quilt in "theme related" colors such as blues for ocean, white & green for waterfalls in the woods, green & brown for "Dismal Swamp", etc. 
Texture in the Sun (Wood Grain quilting near the bottom right)
The quilt uses 2.5" strips of blues/teals/aqua with white strips.  The blocks were created using the 
Missouri Star Quilt Company's tutorial - Summer in the Park.  


Walking Foot Quilting

I loved the blocks and the various possibilities of arranging them.  I started with placing four blocks making a colored square (at 45 degrees) in the middle.  That became the focal point. After that, I placed blocks all around as if they were rippling out from the center.


Gentle Curves

It did take a few iterations to get it right here.  In the end, everyone who saw it said nice things about it.  Either they really liked it, or they are being incredibly kind :-)


Sunny & Rippled (May favorite picture)

I believe that the slightly off-center design creates more interest.  The layout of the blocks creates concentric waves, but more angular than circular.  When it came to naming the quilt, I did not want to go with the obvious - Ripples or Waves.



Radiating outwards

Fortunately, that night Paul was watching the French movie "Amelie". When I saw Amelie skipping stones, I found the name - Skipped a Stone.

Blue, Aqua, Teal & Navy = YAY!!!
The choice of the border was definitely tricky.  Wanted to make sure that it was neither blue nor white, so as to keep the focus in the main quilt.  Any color from the warm side of the color wheel would be too distracting. A medium gray (thin) and a wide batik (navy+aqua) worked just perfectly.  Did you notice that the batik print looks like aqua droplets on navy background.


Off Center Focus

I love the navy and aqua grouping. I am sure you will be seeing it a lot more :-D right here.
The quilt top finished at about 57" by 70".  A wide backing acquired from Connecting Threads (on the 40% off sale day YIPPEE), was my choice. Yes it is very Christmassy.


Winter/Christmas Backing

This way it is Summer in the front and Winter in the back.
The batting is Warm & Natural.  Quilted in gently waving lines, with a few wood grain like curves.  Someday, I will learn FMQ. For now, thanks to Jacquie Gering, I do not have to send my quilts to a longarmer.  I can do this.


Finished!!!
The binding is aqua solid which works beautifully with the front and does fine with the backing.


You make me happy!

One more picture.  When I was piecing and squaring, while trimming the pinked edges, I noticed a tiny heart shaped bit of fabric.  Had to capture that picture :-)

Yes, I love this one.


I heart YOU!!!

The Quilt Show is June 3 - 5, 2016 in Chantilly, VA.  I will be volunteering a couple of the days, just so that I can stand near my quilt and watch folks react to it.  Is that too self-absorbed?  Please let me know.

I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties!!!
 
Here is a peek into my loot.  Acquired these Good Neighbors (Amanda Jean Nyberg) fat quarters and the supercute cows fabric yardage from Connecting Threads when it was a whopping 40% off.




This blogpost contains affiliate links.


31 comments:

  1. Lovely quilt, reminds of ripples in water after throwing a stone. Those sale prices are great, especially comparing prices in the UK, even with postage.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Preeti, Love your quilt! Good luck with the show. I really love the gentle waving lines you use when quilting. This will be my "go to style" when I get to that stage in my quilt making journey. I've only just begun.....and I am having loads of fun! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your entry quilt is amazing! After I read the requirements and saw your title, I knew exactly the water ripple effect you were going for. It's perfect! Also, I'm definitely going to have to read your blog regularly. I love a good enabler! Heeheehee!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love this quilt. The colors so perfectly reflect the title.. (or vice versa..:),, Really nice job:))

    ReplyDelete
  5. WOW! I love your Skipped a Stone! Just really cool! I love how the blocks seem to make refractions in the water! Really awesome!!! Good luck at the show and please let us know how you do!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your quilt and quilting match perfectly! I love the wavy lines you used and the off centered focus. Also, the little heart is too cute. Thanks for doing all the math on those kits, very helpful.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yay you are coming over to the blue side! Navy and aqua, yum! Totally did NOT surprise me, you setting it off-centre. :-) I love that you used batiks...they are definitely fabrics I love, and I may have a good stash of them, but I also have used them in a TON of various quilts and quilt-related projects. Very subtle enabling you are up to, but very intelligent too, which is very important for our bank accounts!

    ReplyDelete
  8. You so inspire me always. I ould say good luck, but you are such an artist, no luck required. Love the theme and direction of the quilt. Beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Preeti, this quilt is absolutely gorgeous!! Your creativity in finding alternative layouts never ceases to amaze! Beautifully done and perfect for the theme! YES do hang out by your quilt! I have done exactly that and I have spoken to others who have done so as well. So fun to see and hear what 'strangers' have to say. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Preeti, no on has to exercise kindness to say they love your quilt, because it is very beautiful! I love how you captured the rippling effect of water. Every detail is perfect, from fabrics to pattern to quilting! Naming it after skipping stones is perfect too. Good luck in the contest!
    You are a really good enabler, LOL. I am on a stash adding ban for now, or I'd hop right over and buy that hexagon quilt kit.
    That is so great that you are sending a quilt top to Karen for her charity. What a good heart you have.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Amazing quilt! It realy looks like waves moving!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hey, don't tell the world how to buy cheap fabric! I want only a few of us to know how to buy a good fabric deal. I love your Skipped a Stone. I've been talking to a friend of mine to see if we would be able to meet at the Quilters Unlimited show in early June. I'll try to remember to look at your quilt in person. It is fabulous in photos.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love the quilt, no lie - it's beautiful! :) Good cost analysis on the Craftsy kits too. I sometimes buy yardage and FQ bundles from there if the discount is right 'cos even when tax and postage are added it's *still* cheaper than buying it here in the UK! (Although I'd wager that the price I pay would still make US-based shoppers come over a bit faint...)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love your quilt! I've made these blocks, too, from the MSQC tutorial, but put them together completely differently! It's amazing how versatile they are.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Preeti you've nailed it - this quilt is without question rippling from a thrown stone, gorgeous - Chris :D

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love the name Skipped a Stone that you chose for your quilt. The blues and blue greens are beautiful. The pattern of the strips really do give the impression of the ripples created when stones skip across the surface of a pond. Good luck at the quilt show. I have been known to lurk around to observe peoples reactions to my quilts. It's a good way to get honest feed back :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I think it's gorgeous...and I'm not just saying that!! Love the blues, it makes me want to skip stones! Or maybe dip my toes in!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Preeti: LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your "Skipped a Stone"! One of the elements of your quilt I really love is the corner hour glass shapes which were made simply from the arrangement you used.
    Thank you for your info on the quilt kits. I also do the math when looking, but 99% of the time a color or material is not to my liking enough to purchase the entire kit - especially when I know I would replace one or more colors or fabric patterns. I enjoy choosing my own material too much to purchase a kit which has a pattern or color fabric I would be unhappy using. I hear you - Picky, Picky, picky! Just one of my quirks.
    Thank you for sharing. You never fail to enlighten with your wealth of knowledge. Namaste.

    ReplyDelete
  19. So many blues in one place make my heart sing. It's beautiful and makes me think of water, so your job is done!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Beautiful colors and beautiful quilt Preeti! I so want to do an aqua/navy/lime green quilt-oh for some extra time, LOL

    ReplyDelete
  21. A real stunner! I just love it!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your quilt is gorgeous! Skipped a Stone is the perfect name. And good for you for volunteering! It's not self-absorbed, it's community! Also, don't think of it as enabling, think of it as money-saving. You're just helping people who don't have time to scrounge the sales! have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  23. That is one beautiful quilt, Preeti! I love the offset design and of course this is my favourite colour palette with all the blues and greens. I admire your honesty and how you have given the breakdown of the kit sales from Craftsy. Love the Good Neighbors!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Your Virginia quilt is beautiful! I live right by the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk, VA! Great job! :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Love your 'skipped a stone' quilt. I looked for the pattern at Missouri star company but couldn't find it. Bummer. micki@2dogsstudio.us

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Micki,
      The tutorial is here-
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5WgTyqB8Pc&nohtml5=False

      Delete
  26. Love that quilt, and you are so funny! Not a pusher, indeed! Ha ha!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Skipped a Stone is beautiful! It fits the theme very well. I love how you quilt your quilts. FMQ can come when you are ready, For now, just keep making your beautiful quilts however you enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
  28. So many of your quilts are just beautiful!
    I just LOVE "Virginia's Beautiful Waters".. Wow..

    ReplyDelete