Design a wall Monday -June 8, 2015

Some time ago I pulled out a jelly roll that was languishing in my sewing room.  There may even be two here.  One from my stash and one from my mothers.  I had seen a video from Missouri Star Quilt Company.  They had you sew 4 strips together then cut squares from the strip set then cut those on the diagonal and put them together.  I made one block and thought what a muddled mess.  I like the colors well enough but there is not enough contrast for my eye.  

This project has been sitting and sitting.  When I tidied my sewing room I put it in its own project box.  As I topped other projects I began thinking about what's next.  This one bubbled to the top enough for me to want to unpick all the strips.  That in itself took 5 or 6 hours.  I pressed and sorted them all and started searching jelly roll patterns.  I found several but decided on Avignon Picnic at Moda Bake Shop.

The pattern doesn't really say how many strips are needed.  I pulled a neutral from my stash and cut as many strips from it as I could.  I also pulled a blue from my stash to brighten things up a little.  Below is a practice layout.  The brown blends in with my ironing pad.  I think it will look good.  Better than the blob in the top picture!

Another project that I resurrected was this denim and flannel project.  I bought 4 100% cotton shirts from a garage sale just because.  That spurred me on to get this quilt top together.  My boyfriend also had a flannel shirt that somehow got bleach on it.  That and the garage sale finds all got cut up and used.  I had already made 18 blocks.  I had a pair of jeans already set aside.  I cut those up and went and snagged another pair from my boyfriends closet.  They were a pair that I gave to him at least two years ago and he never wore them.  They were patched and intended for him to work in.  It's ok.  They are perfect in this top!  63 blocks in a 7 x 9 layout.

I have the first two rows assembled and intend to get more of them done today (Sunday).  Then I have to decide on a border.  It will be just a small one to stabilize the denim against the flannel and shirtings.  I'll post again when these are nearer the top stage..

Head on over to Judy's to see what others have on their design walls.