Saturday, July 27, 2013

Pen Pals

 FANE (Fiber Artists of the North East) is having another challenge, this one called Pen Pals.  We were randomly paired with another member and we each are to make a quilt using something in our studio that we purchased and never used.  We are to consult each other by email (thus the pen pal title) and keep some sort of journal noting our progress.  The quilts can be any size and we get to keep our quilt after the reveals in September.  Jamie, my pen pal, is using a Day of the Dead fabric by Alexander Henry that's been in her stash for a long time.


I decided to use these five copper three-inch squares that I bought in Houston a couple of years ago, The copper was treated with some kind of chemicals to give this effect. I thought they were very cool but never found the opportunity to use them.  At first I though I would pair them with some blue rust-dyed fabric I made a few years ago, but I couldn't find it and now I think that I had used it all up.




So I pulled out the fabrics I had made in the Jan Meyers-Newbury workshop I attended last year.  I thought that these rust colored fabrics would work. I auditioned many different fabrics and combinations and let it simmer on my design wall before I finally came up with this,

I  will attach the copper squares after it is quilted.  Right now they are just taped on. It also looks a little wonky right now because it is not all sewn together. I may also attach some other copper things like washers or coins, but that will be decided later. I'm also thinking of using some copper colored thread for some of the quilting.  What do you think?

I am linking up with Nina-Marie Sayer's "Off the Wall Friday".  Hop and on over and see what everyone is doing.

7 comments:

MulticoloredPieces said...

Hi, Norma. You've gotten interesting depth on this piece and the copper is particularly attractive. Sounds like a fun challenge, too. Hope you're keeping cool--I'm glued to the AC. Good opportunity to stitch!
best, nadia

The Inside Stori said...

Wow....I'm loving the use of the copper squares....bright shiny objects.......you can't go wrong, esp. paired with your eye-catching design!

Linda M said...

What a perfect place for those wonderful copper square. I can see why you bought them.

Cindy Green said...

You've gotten a great start - looks gorgeous so far! Giving me a little inspiration to get cutting, laying out, and maybe even stitching...!

Quilt Rat said...

I agree....you are definitely off to a great start. The colour is beautiful.....love the way all of the various shapes in the fabrics are playing together

Cathy Perlmutter said...

I like all the colors and textures. You can't go wrong!

Carol R. Eaton Designs said...

What a cool concept! looking forward to more design peeks!