Encouragement

What an appropriate word for the first challenge.  This challenge encouraged me to make a commitment to try to make something each month as quilting has just about been nonexistent the past year.  What I have done has been very frustrating and even my machine was against me.  I cut up a couple of projects and promptly threw them in the deepest part of dumpster so I would not be tempted to retrieve them.  Normally, I enjoy cutting and repiecing but I do not think those projects were meant to be.

Building the house has taken most of our time and energy.  When the challenge was issued I was busy painting all the walls/ceilings with three coats of paint so I decided that my first Journal page would reflect my current activity…PAINT. I had some batting samples from the May guild meeting and my first attempt for Rena’s President quilt block which did not have enough contrast.

I painted two of the batting samples and got two different results.  One is muted and has more of a felt look.  I had seen where someone had painted a quilt top because they did not like the colors.  I cut the block in half and painted one side on the front, the other on the back.  I really like the texture of the back side.  A friend always said, we own both sides of the fabric and I assume that goes for quilt blocks as well.  I do wish I had used a small foam roller and just hit the high spots.  Something to try next time!

I have decided that my Journal pages will be 8.5 X 11 and I would mount the month’s project within that space.  I suspect most of my pages will be unfinished objects as I hope to use this challenge as a collection of ideas or techniques to further explore.

Thank you for including me in this challenge.  I look forward to seeing a great variety of projects.