Here is my November entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 monthly color challenge. That means that there is only one month to go! I can’t believe it. I also can’t wait for December to get here so I can see the final block.
This challenge has been a joy, and the emphasis on colors has really made me think about my fabric choices and placement.
When I started this project way back in January, I decided to use batik fabrics, and this month was no exception. Yellow was the color prompt, and it was a bit of stretch for me fabric-wise. I don’t have a lot of yellow batiks on hand, so I had to use two different ones for the darker parts of the block.
I have always been a
huge fan of scrap quilts and the majority of my pieces are done this
way. My scrappy swimming fish quilt block is no exception. It is a
whimsical block that is fairly easy to make.
I came up with this block while I was designing the quilt “Swimming Upstream”. I had a large stash of coral fabrics and, for some reason, they reminded me of salmon. The fish has a long body and I added background sashing around it to make it look like the fish was swimming in water.
In the quilt I made
using this block, each fish is made up of one coral fabric and the
beige sashing is from various fabrics. For a different look, you can
easily make the fish out of various fabrics and keep the sashing one
fabric, or you can change it any other way you would like to.
A couple of months ago a post on Instagram caught my attention. The hashtag used was Quilts for Ocracoke. That really hit home for me because my family has been visiting this special place for many years.
Best know for its’ pristine beaches and pirate lore, Ocracoke is a tiny island on the southern end of the Outer Banks. It’s only accessible by ferry and, once you’ve arrived, you never want to leave.
Sadly, in early September 2019, it was devastated by Hurricane Dorian. Many of the businesses and homes were damaged or destroyed by the high waters that flooded the island.
Through it all, the locals, and those who love the island, have rallied, and are working hard to bring Ocracoke back.
The Ocracoke lighthouse at sunset
Quilts for Ocracoke
When I saw the hash tag, I had to see what it was all about. Lori Millsap from Island Time Quilting came up with the idea for Quilts for Ocracoke, an event to make comfort quilts for the island residents.
She accepts blocks, backing and finished quilts for the project. From the results she’s been posting, it looks like it has been a big success so far.
Here are a couple of the blocks that I made. It was an easy block to make, a great scrap buster, and it was for a good cause. That is my kind of block.
#OcracokeStrong
I have been following Ocracoke’s road to recovery via social media and news reports. Their sense of community is inspiring, and I have faith that this beautiful gem along the Outer Banks of North Carolina will come back stronger than ever.
Hopefully many of the residents will be comforted by a special quilt too.
The prompt for the October entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 monthly color challenge was red, like a red rose. I’ll be honest here. I was not sure I was going to love this block, and it is not because of the pattern, but because of the color.
I love reds, but I do not have a lot of them, especially in batik. Since I’m only using batiks, and I have been trying hard not to buy any new fabric for this project, I was skeptical.
However, I don’t think I needed to be. I paired these two fabrics and they work. In fact, they work really well. I’m not sure if it is because of the movement in the lighter red, or because of the black in the darker fabric, but this has ended up being one of my favorite blocks of this challenge.
It’s all about the color lilac for the September entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 monthly color challenge. That is such a pretty color and, since I have a fair amount of it in my stash, I didn’t need to go out and buy any new fabric.
Depending on who you talk to, that could be considered a good or a bad thing. It’s not a problem though, I’ll still find an excuse to go to the fabric store.
This month’s block was fairly simple to put together, but I definitely had to work on my points for the pinwheel center.
I find that it’s easier to get sharp points when I work with batik fabric, but that might be because I love working with it so much. Because it is a little bit stiffer, I think my points come out sharper.
Picking out the fabrics for this month was fun, especially the lighter lilac. The darker purple was a different story. With a fair amount of fabric to choose from, I couldn’t decide if it was too dark or not.
Ultimately, I’m really happy with the results. The block fits in well with the others.
I just can’t believe that there are only three months left for this challenge. It’s gone by so quickly.
I keep pulling out all of my blocks and trying to come up with a layout I like. One option in particular draws me in, but I have to wait until the last blocks are done before I make my final decision.
If you want to join in the fun, head over to the Pattern by Jen blog and check out all of the details.
So far it’s been a lovely challenge, with every color of the rainbow represented.
Here’s what I’ve done so far. Three more blocks to go, and I’m ready for them!
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