Pantone Emerald Challenge 2013

Up until now I've posted no more than once a month - a few posts about some of my quilts and blankets - and shared within a small, cosy circle of family and friends.  

Until a few weeks ago - whilst indulging in one of my favourite pastimes, browsing all the yummy quilting blogs out there, I came across the  Pantone Emerald Quilt Challenge 2013, being hosted by Ali at a(squared)w .  I love the colour, I love the challenge - it presented a deadline which, true to form, I maximised to the hilt.  More importantly, it also challenged me to take the scary step of putting me and my quilts "out there".  So here I am, quilt top in hand.  Actually, it's my eldest son holding up the top.

I'd never sewn kaleidoscope blocks before and when my search for a template produced "foundation by the yard", I thought it seemed a great, time-saving idea.  Next time I'll paper piece, the layers of fabric all moved around a lot. 

 

Truffle helped with choosing colours, fabric placement etc.  I had such fun with my son's coloured pencils - and I spent hours colouring in! 

Slowly (it's always slowly with me - I ignore my own rules - don't sew after 10pm, you'll only have to unpick the next day - or I unpick the wrong block!) it's started to come together.  

And then, with hours to go, a quilt top.  (Photographs not so great, indoors, evening, phone camera).  

 I was going to use many more fabrics than this, but somehow they all ended up being Lizzy House (whose fabrics I adore).   The neutral is Kona white and the accent is a Lizzy House Jewel print - the detail not so easily visible in this pic. 

The quilt top measures 40.5 x 48.  

Thank you Ali for hosting this competition.   Now I'm off to learn Flickr!