As a traditional quilter who was slightly bored, I joined
Naptime Quilter's quilt Along for a modern version of a rail fence. Cheryl has since given up naps and has started a Dining room Empire. I can't seem to locate the finished quilt but it was finished and gifted to my niece. I learned I don't like
high contrast but I did enjoy the improvisational aspect of making it.
And sew began my journey to explore the fields that grow alongside the tracks. I wouldn't stay fenced in. I started sticking my neck through the fence so I could better see those wide, more open spaces.
I made a smaller quilt in modern fabrics a few years ago and this quilt is seldom put away.
The lower contrast stripe is much more to my liking! And I off set the blocks.
How can I go back to the old rail fence????
It was in me to want to row over the wide world. I tried quilt as you go early on in my quilt history and I made this quilt up one winter as a Christmas present for my parents. It helped use up a lot of blue fabrics that I had accumulated. Again, I enjoyed this process. And I definitely want to do more quilt as you go!
Seems like I jumped the tracks. Those two parallel lines were too confining. I needed this quilt a bit bigger so I added the borders.
I machine quilted it using the wavy serpentine stitch on my sewing machine. This is another older quilt. The peach period! It isn't this puckery in real life. I must have just washed it! :O
When I needed two quilts for the
bunk beds I again picked this easy approach. I just stitched in the ditch between strips. I think I'm ready to try some fancy MQing all over rather than fall into those ditches again though.
Another quick spring table runner. I luv this minimalist look!
I did a workshop with Marilyn Stothers, a Manitoba teacher, gosh a decade or so ago. I enjoyed her curved strip piecing. I made
place mats and I expect these curves will show up on a larger quilt some day.
I'm not sure whether rail fences were influenced by the row idea or if strippy quilts played a part. Next week I'll do more stripping as I unravel the mystery of how I got where I am since I did jump those tracks! LOL
I'm linking this to
Throwback Thursday on A Quarter Inch From the Edge.
11 comments:
Try not to catch cold while you are stripping! How fun to see lots of your earlier quilts and how you would change them up a bit since you have jumped the tracks. There is sew much creativity in fabric and piecing bits and strips together.
My very first quilt was a fence rail! http://www.nitadances.com/index.php/2012/05/18/my-favourite-quilt-michaels-sky-at-night/
I love those low contrast ones you made. ��
Ummm...elle...have you figured out by now that you don't always need a pattern? ;-)
There are NO Quilt Police! Go for it!
Hugs!
They're all beautiful.
I love a good Rail Fence (even though I've yet to make one!). The yellow one at the top of the post is right up my alley... though my stash doesn't contain near enough lovely yellows to imitate yours. Thanks for linking up with Throwback Thursday @ A Quarter in from the Edge!
I find that gentle improv like your rail fence quilt is a great introduction to improv and a fun way to try something new. I really like the bright blue / aqua that you added into it.
I love the yellow with the added blue! I've never made a rail fence, but I do love Improv quilting!
I love how the first quilt in your post led to the second one. The soft yellows are so pretty. I especially like the close-up view of the second one that shows off all the patterns in the fabric. It looks like you have such fun with those strips!!
Great post! I am also attracted to low contrast, I really love your sunny yellow with the offset blocks. very pretty quilts!
Enjoyed your post, Elle. Always fun to see how we progress though we may not be aware of our motivation at the time. Love low contrast; I'm currently in my gray phase.
What a great exploration - thanks so much for sharing the development - you can clearly see how your sensibilities have changed as you have gone along. Fun.
Post a Comment