Random is more difficult than it looks

I have been trying to compose a quilt using a bunch of squares. I saw the marvellous lesson by Elizabeth Hartmann on Craftsy about modern quilting and decided to have a go. The theory is that you cut 40 squares background fabrics and 10 squares of four different prints (the squares are cut 3.5 inches).  You haphazardly put them up on a design wall until you have a pleasing combination.

Well....................  I am not at all sure that I do random!

Here are some of the trials so far:

It's all about making sure that the colours are dispersed evenly throughout the quilt top.  Honestly after an hour and a half and many more combinations than these I am still unsure and confused. I keep on finding pathways of background fabric that need to be blocked I think.

Think I need to leave it up on the design wall for a while and go and chill somewhere else.  Will let you know what I finally decide on later in the week.

Happy quilting.

New Year - New challenge

Well I am writing this feeling very guilty. It is ages since I last blogged and I really have absolutely no excuse for not doing so. I watched Julie and Julia on the TV last night and thought I would start writing again.  Does anyone else use their blog as a sort of diary - more working things through by writing them down?

But 2012 is gone and now I have to set myself new challenges for the new year. 

The first will be to sew for 15 minutes a day - OK some days I sew much more but there are days on end when I do nothing and that needs to change.  One of my groups have made a quilt of heartstring quilts for charity (well at least the flimsie is finished) and I have decided that I am going to try and make a block of these every day this year. It should produce about six quilts at the end which I will be giving away and my stash of  strips will be greatly reduced.

The second is to complete the flimsie for the Glorious Applique Roseville Album quilt. I have completed one of the side panels and have all the applique pieces really to sew down for the second.

I am returning to Committed to Cloth for one day a month to do the stitch course and hopefully get my inspiration going - I really need to start designing my own quilts more and hopefully this will be the launch pad - I will let you know how I got on. The first quilt I will be working on is the Cornflower one and I am quite excited at the prospect as I have got somewhat stuck on it.

So on this first day of the new Year I wish you all a happy and healthy one with as much quilting time as you want.

Happy quilting.