Another Saga of Similar But Different Quilts

I don't always know when walking into the quilt room, exactly which project will be seeing some forward progress. Bullseye Medallion is one that usually gets the side eye and then unfortunately, a serious lack of interest. Some quilts demand so much from us that it's easier to avoid dealing with them altogether. Or at least until their moodiness is firmly under control.

Bullseye Medallion quilt gets another border!

Lately I found myself expending the absolute minimum amount of effort required {to gain some ground} on another project and then, wallah! the Bullseye Medallion suddenly looked quite attractive. Funny how that happens. As this project has had built in expectations from the very start, I'm always working at it from a set of controlled factors. These constraints are entirely self manufactured and could even possibly be changed at a moments notice. Ha! The fact that it even has any 'built-in perimeters' {possibly} makes me more stubborn than ever about working on it. If there are any hard and fast rules around here, it's that 'Quilting Rules are Made to be Broken'. Right?

Nevertheless, at the moment, the control factors are thus: Each border is to be 5" finished, sewn together in similar color family fabrics {very broad interpretation there}, and also include some form of pieced sewing elements--though not for the entire border surround. It would be nice if every border introduced a new pieced element, but don't think that part is set in concrete. We shall see. It was pretty touch and go as to whether or not I was going to break the 5" rule even this early in the project. Those Ohio Stars were not cooperating!

Adding a few little Ohio Stars

In a nutshell, I'm trying to focus on the fabric with this particular quilt. Since this is the second border, I'm still muddling along and it feels very pie in the sky as to whether or not the end results will be wonderfully exciting. As per usual when working this way, I like to get the main part of the quilt on the floor {or wall} and then start throwing fabrics around. Does this one look good? Hmm... what about that one? Can I get away with this? Ahh.. yes, definitely that piece needs to stay. And so on and so forth....

Playing with the layout and auditioning fabrics

Often, I have to walk away for a few hours or a day. Perhaps two. Then I can come back with relatively fresh eyes. At that point I can either sweep it all up and start from scratch, move a couple pieces around, exchange fabrics out. Whatever seems to make sense. All options are on the table! Once I have a clear plan for how it needs to look, then its time to puzzle out the cutting and sewing it together. And then it's back into the tote for another day and yet another round, next potential stack of fabrics grouped together in a gallon ziploc bag. Medallion quilts are really one of my favorite ways to work and I never completely tire of them, self-induced rules notwithstanding....

Putting it away until next time

So yeah, the quilt below is the one tat seemed to take an enormous amount of energy just to get this rinky-dink little border decided on. And I'm still a little indecisive about the ultimate benefits of making every border side the same exact fabric, much less the same exact color. I won't be surprised if some unsewing happens eventually, but for some reason, it felt important to get to HERE, even if it might be wrong. 'Wrong' can be fixed later. Limbo land is just another excuse for procrastination.

Seedpod Flower 

This old quilt pictured below is the inspiration pic for the rest of the quilt. That part that is only being imagined in my head so far! I have searched high and low for ideas to complete the Seedpod Flower and finally decided on something fairly scrappy and informal. Wow. What a shock.

Inspiration pic

The centerpiece flower will probably be offset in this particular quilt, with rows of these square-in-a-square blocks surrounding it. I want to make the blocks all the same size {so no improv. cutting and sewing}, but will then add the alternate rectangle pieces of fabric in random widths.

Gathering fabrics

The original fabric pull kept nagging at me, though part of me thought it pretty fantastic. Finally a couple of days ago, I went and dug through the stash totes and found quite a few darker tones to properly flesh out the values. Wincing a little here, but you can probably see that brown has even found its way back into the quilt. Which shouldn't be a huge problem as it's in the centerpiece too! Not that I don't love brown, but there was something about this fabric mix that felt a bit joyful. Wouldn't want to dumb that down in my zeal to expand the fabric/color range.

It might feel that these quilts are very similar in style right now, but I think you'll find them to be very different in the end. It's true that I often play with several quilt projects in very similar color palettes--all at the same time. It happens over and over. But remember, the Seedpod Flower only came about because of the abandoned bits from the Bullseye Medallion in the first place!  Yep, a never-ending cycle! It's a compulsion that doesn't trouble me and I don't even bother to question it anymore. Who cares? The quilts love telling me what to do and obviously, I'm just along for the ride.*wink

Linking to Wendy's Peacock Party.