Blush

Have you seen my Blush?

Paul the model

I made the flimsy as a part of the Pantone Color Quilt Challenge which included three categories - mini quilt, not a mini quilt, and flimsy. The extremely limited guidelines are a double-edge sword. As participants we can make anything we want - no limits to creativity. Since we don't know the judging criteria we cannot make a quilt to win the challenge. 

All the peaches

I chose to participate because I had plenty of gorgeous peachy goodness in my stash. I was in between projects. But most importantly, I wanted to play with peachy fabrics, which turned out to be a nice change of pace from Island Batik fabrics, which I absolutely love.

Making the Blocks

The block is super simple. One 2.5" square framed by 2.5" strips for a finished block of 6" square. But Blush isn't about block construction or piecing details.

Peach by Peach

Blush is about having a single-minded commitment to one color. Choosing one hue and giving it your all. Blush is about gathering every single fabric (in your stash) in one color and arranging them by value.

Value Gradation

Even if it requires you to use the same fabric from both sides, wrong side up for a slightly lighter value, as in the picture below. I did that more than once :-)

Two different blocks from one fabric - can you spot them?

Cute fabrics

Lots of arranging and rearranging.

It was a laborious task, getting that gradation from "caught in the act crimson" in the center to "the thought makes me blush" at the corners. I could not have done it without my design wall.

Design Wall

Oh, but when she was done, she took my breath away...

Blush is beautiful and she is gorgeous. Blush is my love letter to Peach Fuzz, the Pantone Color of the Year. 

Completed Flimsy

Such a show-off!

Blush makes me very happy. It was time to turn the flimsy into a quilt.

Basting

The truth is this - I LOVE to play with value.  I love gradation quilts. So who cares if Blush did not make it to the winning circle in the Peach Buzz Pantomime Challenge Whatever...

I am in love with Blush!

Reflection!

And also with Paul. 

Blush finished at 60" square and she happily rode the wooden horse.

Happiness

For backing I chose this cute cat print.  I quilted using my walking foot with my usual squiggly stitch. The binding is peach.

Labelled

From one childless lady who cannot have enough fabric cats, I wish you happy stitching!

Never too many cats :-)

And one last look. 

Bob and Blush

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Angela chose Orange as the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for August.  I had a difficult time finding orange in nature, until I looked closely.

Not quite the orange I was hoping to find...

Wait a minute...

Blanketflower

Marigold

Moss-rose Purslane

I had no problem finding orange in my stash. Here are my sunshine blocks.

Sunny Vibes

Feeling the Burn yet?

All fabric scraps came from Island Batik. It is good to be an ambassador :-)

I have now completed 63 Hexie Blocks, which will make a 70" by 90" quilt. I am contemplating 5" borders to get to a final size of 80" by 100" although that quilt may not happen for a while. 

I am working on a new quilt pattern. That blogpost is next!

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties including Angela's. See full list on the sidebar.