Tuesday, May 23, 2017

It's a Top! : A Snowball's Chance

A Snowball's Chance

It's just a top for now. There's still work to be done. 
56 x 77

It was supposed to be 59.5 wide instead of 56 because I was thinking I would cut those sashing strips at 3 inches but accidentally cut them at 2.5 instead.  Too bad...so sad...

Anyway...
Way back in July 2014 Sophie (of Block Lotto) introduced us to what she called a Spoke block. It finished at 7 inches.  (Coincidentally it is also this month's block of the month at Block Lotto but in a different size and color way). 

Anyway...
I really didn't like making the block...don't exactly know why...but I thought it looked like a snowflake and happened to have some snowflake fabrics leftover from making my daughter a snowball (and snowman) and nine patch quilt using what else? Snowflake and snowmen fabrics.  So I kept the Spoke that looked like Snowflake in mind for those snowflake fabrics someday. 

And...
One of my old Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects from a few years ago was a Dresden quilt on different gray backgrounds that I recently finished.   I had some bits and pieces and odds and ends of some gray solids left over from that quilt.   Feeling flaky in November 2015 I started making some Snowflake blocks using those snowflake fabrics and the gray background.    (note: 2015!!!! ) You know...gray skies...snowflakes...they go together, don't they?  Now remember when I said I really didn't like making the block? (if not see previous paragraph) ...well, I didn't make any more Snowflakes until a year later in December 2016 (time flies).  Off and on I made a few more here and there until one day I had a little box of them on a shelf along with a few snowflake strips and some gray odds and ends....a UFO.    And like Horton on the lazy Maisie bird's nest...it sat and it sat and it sat.


Anyway...
The last couple of years I've been trying to finish up UFOs and fabric scraps and strings and such and the Snowflakes moved to my second quarter Finish-A-Long list (#18).  (I know what you are thinking now...there's not a snowball's chance in hell she will finish everything on that list).   Ok. What to do? What to do? 

In the meantime...
I was looking at different free motion quilting ideas at Lori Kennedy's blog Inbox Jaunt and happened to see The Snowflake - a free motion quilting tutorial.  Hey, isn't that cool? Wouldn't that be cool on a Snowflake quilt?  Columns of snowflakes. Hmmmm...

And for all you who think that snowballs don't ever have a chance in hell...have hope!  Miracles sometimes do happen! 

Ad Hoc Improv Quilting with 





17 comments:

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I love how you put the leftover pieces and parts of some other quilts together, and made this pretty one! The gray background really makes your snowflakes pop! Looking forward to seeing how you quilt it.

Ann said...

This may be one of my favorites. Love the understated colors, the offset blocking, the vertical sashing, the repeats of theme in fabric, layout, quilting, and title. The cute snowball at the bottom is so you.
It's also interesting to realize you set each UFO in it's own box with added fabrics. What a great way to keep them moving - as opposed to setting them all in the same box to be mixed together and forgotten.
Thanks for linking this beauty with AHIQ.

Quiltdivajulie said...

Oh, Cathy - you had me at "And like Horton on the lazy Maisie bird's nest...it sat and it sat and it sat" but then your post just kept getting better and better, like your quilt top. LOVE this and how it all came together.

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

Love how this all came together - its so great!

Monica said...

I really like that you filled in with the solid squares, it's so much more interesting this way. The quilting plan sounds excellent!

---"Love" said...

Your Dresden Plate quilt is beautiful. About 12-15 years ago at a guild garage sale, I bought a pretty pink Dresden Plate kit (everything cut and ready to sew), and it is still sitting in my sewing closet, the plastic covering still around it. I'm asking myself why is that? (I think I know the answer!) Maybe I'll get started on it "this year" with your blog's encouragement. ---"Love"

gayle said...

This quilt could also be named "Springtime in Vermont" . (Gray skies and snow flurries? Yep, that about sums it up..)
Love the top and the Horton reference, too!

Julierose said...

Funny how a block can make you itchy to get it over with and you end up shoving it in a drawer (ummm, at least I do!!;000)
I love the way a lot of blocks "look" but puttin em together--I find they just irritate me--so, that's no fun--at my time of life fun is the the main thing...
I wonder what my "Parts" quilt will look like...maybe not a good visual..hahaha hugs at any rate, it looks fine to me, but what the hay do I know...
Julierose

Quilter Kathy said...

I absolutely adore the story and creativity of this quilt!
Love the Horton reference!
And you have created such a fun quilt!

Linda said...

I enjoyed the story of your quilt. Again you are proving that adding blocks to your stash whenever you feel "in the mood" eventually creates a lovely quilt finish. Well done!

Sharon said...

I'm glad you persevered with this one - it's beautiful! I love the way you interspersed the snowflakes with the solid blocks, and your layout is very fun. Sounds like you have a fun quilting plan in mind too. Congrats!

margaret said...

looks great happy quilting

Kaja said...

I was going to say this was a slow burner, but I guess that's not quite right for a snowflake quilt. In any case I love it - like the quiet greys with snowflakes glowing in their midst, like the inclusion of the snowball and now I'm excited to see snowflake quilting. Thanks for linking up with AHIQ.

audrey said...

Love the random placement of your blocks & the sashing size is perfect! This is such a great quilt!

Dorothy said...

I did this in 2013--"snowflakes" are all blue-scrappy as in 42 snowflakes, 42 blues. Background was white on white circles to infer the snow that comes as small balls instead of flakes. One of my favorite quilts. One snowflake even has a smiley face. Talk about happy :-)

PaulaB quilts said...

It was worth the wait, so delicate floating in the grey sky.

Emily said...

Love these! It could even be a Frozen quilt. That's a great block, and I love how you have laid out the snowflakes.