Hi all, and happy spring! It was 75 degrees and glorious here today. It's also Spring Break-- finally!-- and I finally had time to go to just about every store around in search of some Nasacort for my allergies, which are popping like crazy. I finally found some and can breathe almost normally now, thank goodness. Spring is beautiful but can really mess up the sinuses.
I have a large list of things to do this week, but I've already started playing with the purple scraps for the rainbow scrap challenge. I have been waiting for this color just to force me to do something with some long-term scraps, but first, a prettier picture:
So now the story! You may recall that I started a Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt in 2017 when she was running it on her blog. (The quilt was En Provence, and you can get the pattern HERE.) The quilt is beautiful, but it has approximately 11 billion pieces, and I gave up and never finished it. I kept all the pieces, though, and in 2021, I finally finished off a smaller version of the quilt, right HERE. But I still had millions of pieces left over, including these:
These are the last of the pieces, and I have 72 of them. Yes, 72! If you're interested, I used up many of the other pieces in THIS quilt top, and in one of the borders for THIS one. It's the failed quilt project that keeps on giving!
I decided to go ahead and make these into double 4-patches, which I think works nicely. They're easy, and don't they look good with those bright green scraps? Now I need to decide on an alternate block or something to set these with. I have these fabrics that will coordinate:
Right now I'm leaning towards Ohio stars with the lightest and darkest fabrics, but I may decide I don't want to do that much work and just go with quarter square triangles. I'd love to hear other ideas!
That's what I'm playing with right now, plus I also have the happy task of figuring out to make with these:
Aren't those lovely? I wouldn't have put those colors together, but they look great. This is the prize I got from the SAHRR, run by Quilting Gail and friends. I'm so excited to win them! Thanks guys!
Hope you are having a good week and not sneezing too much. If I can use up these purple 4-patches, I'll be finally, finally done with all the pieces from that nightmare quilt. Dance party at my house when that happens!
Sharing at Midweek Makers and soscrappy for RSC23.
Lots and lots of pretty purples! Love it mixed with the bright green. I too started a BH Mystery although it wasn't En Provence. Good luck ditching all those purples. Beautiful batiks and congratulations on winning quite a haul!
ReplyDeletePurple and green is one of my favorite color combinations. Love your double 4 patch blocks. If you want to stay simple, you could just use one or two of those fabrics as alternate squares, so no piecing required. That would make for a much faster finish. I could see a version with the white print in the center and then a set of border blocks set with the purple. Looking forward to seeing what you decide.
ReplyDeleteI just love purple and green together - how fun!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy figuring out how to use those beautiful 4 patches!!
and that fabric pile - I like it too!! What a great combo!!
LOVE the purple and green - what a dynamite color combo. And here's to using up pieces and parts from previous mystery quilts (I have stopped even starting them!).
ReplyDeleteI paired my purple 4-patches with a lime green print too. Now they're in "time out" again waiting for more inspiration. LOL
ReplyDeleteJust had a conversation with my husband about his allergies. He says "we're out of my medication." I said "you know there is an easy solution to that. We live 2 blocks from the pharmacy." He drives by it on the way to and from the gym every day.
Your double 4 patches are so pretty in the purple and green, Mari! I'll enjoy seeing what you do with them. That bunch of pretty fat quarters you won will be fun to play with, too!
ReplyDeleteThe weather has been glorious but ugh for the pollen. Hope you can continue to breathe free. Love your purples -- especially the purples with the soft green. Congrats on the beautiful reds and purple win.
ReplyDeleteI did a happy dance when you finished your version of that BH quilt and remarked that mine was still in pieces. This many years later, same story, as you begin to work on the pretty PURPLE leftovers! Best of luck deciding on how to make them into a quilt. Have fun stepping outside your comfort zone with your SAHRR fabric win, Mari!
ReplyDeleteThose Bonnie Hunter patterns do have billions of pieces 🤣 Working on one now (Rivanna), it may be my leader and ender project for more than a year, but everytime I get another large block finished (there are 16), I get excited and motivated to keep at it . Your completed blocks are great!
ReplyDeleteThe brilliant green is the perfect alternate square to your purple 4 patch unit. So cheerful. Have you thought of doing an Irish Chain block with your prize winnings? There are a few simple blocks in this genre and they only use squares and rectangles - no fiddly cutting or sewing. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on winning. Lucky You!!! That is a gorgeous collection of fabrics - the deep purples and the ruby reds are so beautiful. Love the jewel tones.
ReplyDeleteYour purple 4-patches paired with the green are so pretty. I can’t think of any suggestions but congratulate you on turning the orphans into such wonderful quilts. I have a bunch of 9-patches from a mystery quilt I started and decided I didn’t want to finish after I saw the reveal, so I am on the lookout for a pattern or block that inspires me, too. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI am partial to purple and lime. Or purple and olive. (Green with a yellow undertone.) I enjoyed seeing all the ways you've used the En Provence leftovers! You might consider the Carrie Nation block.
ReplyDelete