A Walk-back Through My Process

My latest quilting effort.  I really wanted to make more of an effort to explain 'The Process' which of course is why I joined 'The Process Pledge' awhile back.  Let's just say that sometimes it aint gonna happen while it's happening if you know what I mean.  Some brains are not meant to be pulled open and intently examined.  Nonetheless, I will try to give a walk-back through this particular project.  Naturally, it will be the edited version.*wink

Way back in Spring, I bought some yellow fabric, brought it home and drooled over it.  I placed it in a little stack and every now and then I added in some other fabrics from my stash--reds, coral, salmon and a very few pinks just because.

While my pile of drool-worthy fabrics grew (thank you my dear stash), various patterns buzzed through my brain, only to be rapidly dismissed .   The floral fabrics demanded something that I couldn't quite get ahold of and pin down.

Then came the long 'change-of-plans' 4th of July weekend.  Time  to settle on a pattern!  Both of these patterns are from  2006 American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine--my subscription that has more than paid for itself all these years.  I decided on old fashioned, beachy--cottage, blendy, & somewhat traditional & structured, plus EASY, did I mention EASY?

While I loved the applique look of the first pattern, I wanted (really needed) instant gratification.   Sometimes you know the only thing to do is start cutting and sewing.  Everything else will fall into place later--you hope.

Thus, my hybridized quilt began to take shape.  It's all so difficult to explain 'during' the process.  Hindsight makes it all sound and look more rational than it ever really is.  Ideas can be so wispy and terribly hard to put into action--for me.

My trusty binder of applique patterns.  This has been a life-saver.  All my applique patterns from every magazine I've ever bought all organized into one big binder--it's the bomb.

Prep work for the applique.  I decided not to use template plastic this time for some reason only I know or understand.  Probably because I only intended to do one block?

The centerpiece of my new quilt.  (I tweaked the pattern of course.)  Oh the joy of getting the look and style of a certain quilt without having to do ALL the applique work that goes with it.  Hey!  It used to be stylish to do the one-applique block quilts way back a hundred years ago or so.