top of page
Search
Writer's pictureTodd DuBay

I'M A HOT ROD QUILTER AND I NEVER SEW SLOW

Updated: Nov 20, 2023

RED . . . Ready

AMBER . . . Set

GREEN . . . Let's GO!

The first 'challenge' with Chip has begun! First up . . . "PILLOW TALK". We're making pillows. But since I'm always up to challenging myself with something I've never tried before, I took it up a few notches and am creating something a little different. It's a quilt that folds in on itself and tucks neatly away in a pocket to transform into a pillow. A 'quillow'!


To create the quilt, I'm repeating myself with the One Block Wonder technique I learned when making "The Complicated Queen". It was such a blast to make, and I loved the end result!! This time around, I'm keeping it, so I'm making it in the color pallet based on this gorgeous Halloween panel;

(*the subject was a little too . . . 'charming' for my own taste,

but I LOVE these colors and knew it would make a good One Block Wonder quilt.)



The technique is still the same;


Line up 6 exact pieces of fabric, aligning all repeats in the pattern (this is my first panel which makes the process a tad bit easier) and cut it up into 3.5" strips.


Cut the 6-layer strips into equilateral triangles.


Make hexagons from the 6 triangles,


And let the fun begin!


This is the part of the process that is very improvisational. Very playful. Very personal. You can give 100 people the same fabric, cut it up the same way, and you'll get 100 different OBW quilts! And that's what I love about this technique. No two are ever alike!


I wanted to play around with design and employ similar ideas I used in "The Complicated Queen", (separated 'frames' and flanges). To see what kind of colors, patterns, textures and color flows I had to work with, I laid out the triangles on my new design wall for a couple of weeks, changing the layout day after day . . . and eventually the treasure slowly revealed itself.


After I knew what I had, I laid out a simple, dark brown fabric, 5 compartment 'frame' to contain all that color!


I wanted to achieve a sort of swirly, galaxy feel to the color flow. It would eventually be emphasized with a big, ol' super spiral of quilting from the center on out. Not as easy to achieve as you might think. Sometimes you have to let the fabric tell you where to go . . .


In the end, I'm hoping it will end up looking something like this.


The sewing begins tomorrow!

420 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page