It's always so exciting starting a new project. I have wanted to make a rainbow quilt for quite a while now so took the plunge and started cutting. I bought a Sissix die cutter last year and I love it. It certainly made cutting out the rectangles far quicker than rotary cutting and because I folded the fabric I was able to cut 6 or 7 at a time so I have a nice pile of ready cut fabric for when I want to make another project.
I had already cut some red rectangles at the start of the year so up first was the yellow fabric:
Such pretty scraps - I can't bear to throw them away so they have been put aside for a rainy day!
For the first time ever I bought some fat 1/4s at the Festival of Quilts - it was wonderful to be cutting them straight away instead of stashing them on my shelves.
The oranges were next.
I finally got round to making up a design board. This one is very temporary but what a difference it made. Immediately upon putting the fabric on the board I could see that some fabrics just were not going to work whilst on the cutting mat they seemed to all tone together nicely. As you can I am short of one yellow fabric, which I think I have now rectified, and I am not entirely happy with the green column either .....
The general detritus that accumulates on a cutting table ....
A rainbow of scraps!
I started sewing the pieces together and really like the way it's coming together. There is going to be a very small white line between the two columns of the same colour with a wider sashing between the separate colours and I've then a couple of other ideas to play with.
Greens can be a tricky color to find in fabrics. There seem to be so many more muted and brown/green tones than brighter jewel town greens. I like your idea for separating the two color columns differently than between colors.
ReplyDeleteYes I have lots of green rectangles that have been rejected and still not really happy but will just have to go with it!
Deletethis is going to be a rainbow delight! Can't wait to see more!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jayne - in my head the finished quilt is great!
DeleteI know what you mean about waiting to cut into new fabrics... when I'm in the middle of a project and then have to wait to cut into them it's almost torture. It looks like a very lovely start and you just can't go wrong with so much color! Sometimes if I run into something that is not working, I just sit on it overnight and let it marinate. It happened the other day, that I was running into a roadblock with one of my projects. I left it for the evening and went to bed... the next morning I knew how to fix it!
ReplyDeleteUsually I would leave it but this is for a deadline. I also have two child free days tomorrow and Friday so really just need to get on with it!
DeleteBeautiful colours! And I am *so* jealous of your trip to Festival of Quilts! I went last year and had a blast, but was at a family wedding this year (still a blast, but much less quilty!). I smiled at you getting to cut into your new FQs already, I only just started cutting some of last year's haul up. :)
ReplyDeleteI am not very good at actually cutting fabric but when I returned from NZ a few years ago I couldn't bring all my fabric back with me ....... OK I bought 5 boxes but the rest I had to give to friends, freecycle or donate to charity shops. I learnt my lesson!
DeleteThis looks beautiful and I love your rainbow of scraps photos!
ReplyDeleteI love fabric scraps - will probably keep these on a shelf for a couple of years and then let them go ....
DeleteI agree... new projects are so much fun! Your rainbow quilt is looking fabulous up on your design wall. Can't wait to see your progress!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lorna. I am on a deadline with this so hopefully progress will be pretty speedy!
DeleteIt's looking good! Love your idea of the thin strips between each colour in the columns. Hope you're still having fun :)
ReplyDeleteIn theory the thin were wonderful but in practice they are taking a long time to iron right so that it actually looks straight - or straight'ish!
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