My quilting thoughts and inspirations sprinkled with a glimpse of life down on the farm

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Red and White Quilt Challenge


Earlier this year I decided to commit myself to the SewCalGal 'A Year of Red and White Quilt Challenges'. The year started with an EQ (Electric Quilt) Bloghop which I took part in. After having no idea where to start with that post, I had a lot of fun with the Serendipity function and the coolest discovery was transforming this Bear's Paw block —

to this — (Serendipity>Kaleidoscope) —
Then in March there was the Design it! Challenge. I decided to play with EQ7 again and came up with several ideas I thought would look great as a quilt. This was my favourite —

At our annual retreat in May I started sewing up this quilt, and made another major EQ7 learning....look at the block below, the way I put the chains together while designing meant that the centre of this block was rather stupid.... 4 small squares joined together to make one big one - duh! I've always known that you cant just design off EQ7, you also need a working and practical knowledge of quilting and how blocks go together. Back to the drawing board and replacing that tedious centre of the block with one simple square!
 Fast forward a few months and all of a sudden the deadline for entering the SewCalGal Make It challenge was rapidly approaching..time to get busy and concentrate on a little red and white sewing!
First this emerged —
Then this —
 This area is foundation paper pieced. Rather daunting at first but broken down into all its parts it wasn't so bad! (Hehe, when I opened up this block to play with it, EQ7 took great delight in telling me something like Serendipity blocks are not really designed to be sewn and played with. I ignored the warning, so pleased I did!)
Put them together and below we have the result - Choice!! I must admit I raced home from work this afternoon to do the last few seams.... and it still needs a jolly good press, some de-threading, some papers removed and the odd seam resewn (whew) but yaay, I'm pleased to have got to this stage.
And I'm in time to link up with the SewCalGal Make It! Challenge... with an hour or so to spare! Go *here* if you want to see what others have made. It didn't have to be our own design and thank goodness unquilted tops are permitted!
EDIT - I'm also linking up with SewCalGal's Show It! Made It! Designed It! Challenge. To see more original designs go *here* and scroll down a little.
Thanks for reading along and letting me share my quilt (top). It feels great to be able to do that!
Happy creating,

50 comments:

  1. your skills are amazing all a bit beyond me the EQ7 but it certainly allows you to make the most amazing quilts. Expect it is getting nice and warm for you now, we are still enjoying warm weather but no doubt it will not last long

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  2. Well done you ... catch your breath now, before moving on to the next challenge.
    PS Lovely corners!!

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  3. wow your top is amazing!!!
    glad you didn't listen to /EQ7 telling you it couldn't be done
    very well done!

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  4. Gorgeous! What's not to love about such a stunning red and white quilt?

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  5. Dear Raewyn,
    what a beautiful Quilt-TOP!!! Just lovely. It´s traditional, classic, but also very fresh. I like it very much!!!
    Enjoy it (I always do, when a TOP is completed).
    Many hugs
    sigisart

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  6. *L*O*V*E*.........stunning work!

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  7. the quilt is amazing I just love it! good for you to keep going with it and following thru to make this quilt, I am still learning eq7 for the mac now , its not as easy and direct as I thought it would be!
    Kathie

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  8. wow Raewyn its gorgeous.xx

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  9. Holy Smokes Raewyn, that is a beautiful quilt top. Just the fact that you attempted the center part blows me away.
    blessings, jill

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  10. Great work Raewyn. I love your design and the completed quilt top

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  11. This is stunning. And such a lot of work.
    Love the centre and admire your patience in making it.
    And of course i love red and white.

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  12. Raewyn.....this is one stunning quilt. Nothing the a stark 2 color quilt!!!

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  13. Gorgeous! If there is a prize, I hope you win!

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  14. Looks fantastic! I like it as much as when I borrowed and messed up that center block ;)

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  15. Absolutely wonderful!!! I think two color quilts are some of favorite and this one is right at the top of the list!! What a great accomplishment - I know you work best under pressure of a deadline!! LOL

    Hugs from Texas!

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  16. Oh wow Raewyn! This is absolutely stunning!

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  17. Whooopppeeee! it looks just amazing Raewyn... you really met your challenge with flair... Congrats, I'm so pleased for you...

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  18. Take a well-deserved bow, girl! This is so beautiful. That center block just shines and the chains provide a wonderful framework. I love the bear paw blocks in the corner in homage to the origins of the center. Serendipity happens, even if EQ thinks it can't! : )

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  19. Just beautiful! Love how your serendipity block has bear paws in it and then that gets echoed in corner blocks!

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  20. Beautiful . . . I love red and white quilts and your's is amazing!

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  21. Simply stunning Raewyn , wow , I am amazed at your talents !

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  22. Beautiful!!
    You are an amazingly talented lady, Raewyn.
    Cheers!

    Jeanneke.

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  23. Wow, it's stunning! absolutely striking in all the right ways - beautiful work Raewyn :)

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  24. Amazing Raewyn, it is just gorgeous! You are very talented! I love it, couldn't tackle anything like that myself.
    Michelle

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  25. it's stunning Raewyn... beautiful...
    Hugz

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  26. Fabulous raewyn , you have made an amazing job of this just love the centre good on you for keeping going love to see it when it's quilted

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  27. Its stunning Raewyn, & my favourite colours too :-) You have done a fantastic job of it, do post when its all finished.

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  28. Congratulations Raewyn, your work is fantastic. Hugs.....

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  29. Knew you would get it done!!! Good on you and the corners are lovely.......xxx
    P.S hope you got some dinner

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  30. Fabulous Raewyn. I have been thinking about getting and trying EQ7. Very interesting to hear how you use this and to hear of some tips and pit falls of course.

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  31. Wow Raewyn, you are so clever, your quilt block is gorgeous. I am in awe that you designed it yourself!!

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  32. .Oh my .... your quilt is truly amazing! I will have to try out that feature on EQ7

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  33. I love the center and the criss crossing really shows it off.

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  34. It's just Beautiful! I've not tried the Serendipity function in EQ. You did a great job with it. How will you quilt it now???

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  35. Oh, my goodness!! Your red and white quilt is absolutely stunning!! I think, perhaps, you should stand up and take a bow!!

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  36. Wow! That's quite a transformation from the bear paw--stunning!

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  37. Wow this is stunning! I love red and white quilts

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  38. Thanks for showing your design process-- it's amazing that the bear paw turned into that fabulous star block!!! Beautiful!

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  39. Amazing...Your quilt looks stunning. I should really look into the EQ7

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  40. Wow - I missed this while I was on vacation. It's beautiful! job well done, my friend.

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  41. This is a lovely quilt, and I really appreciate the way you described the design process as well. Well done!

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  42. So, so gorgeous! I love red and white quilts and this one is another one that fuels my thoughts on making one ...... one day. Love the centre. and your thoughts on EQ7 are interesting and make sense.

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  43. This is an amazing quilt! You did a stunning job, and the red and white contrast really shows off all that piecing you did. Beautiful! I'm voting for this quilt in SoCalGal's challenge!

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  44. This is such a beautiful quilt, I'm so glad I came across it! Good luck in the challenge!
    ~Brandy
    pamperedpettit.blogspot.com

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  45. Beautiful quilt Raewyn...took me a long time to get here I know..but glad I have...your design is amazing..fantastic work..hope to catch you some time

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  46. This quilt design is brilliant and it turned out so beautiful Raewyn! Love, love, love it!

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