Challenges

Ever done an art challenge?   You should at least once.  It is one way to get the creative juices flowing.  

Our quilt guild has done a challenge for as long as I can remember (our guild is over 30 years old).  It used to be wall hangings using fabric chosen by the guild but now it is just a block again using fabric chosen by the guild and usually the theme is based on our Quilt Show theme.  The blocks are displayed at the quilt show and afterward a name (or two depending on the number of blocks) is chosen to receive a set of the blocks.  And that person tries to finish a quilt using these blocks for the next year’s quilt show.

This year’s theme is “Home is Where the Heart is”.  The guild provided a 13” tan colored background fabric (so there is some consistency with all the blocks) and a 7” square of striped accent fabric which says “Home is Where the Heart is” and “Home Sweet Home”.  You have to use both fabrics.

Challenge fabrics

So with a theme such as “home is where the heart is” you would think the block would contain a house.  A traditional quilt block of a house might be what one would do or a cute bird house.  Yeah that sounds nice.  Is that what Cheryl is doing?  No.  I decided to make an RV (recreational vehicle).  For some retirees, it is their home.  They close up their house and travel around in an RV for months or even years. 

So my house for the block is a RV and because my mind does not think in a traditional straight line, my RV is actually in the shape of an upside down heart.  Hey, this blog and my business is called Heartfully Cheryl, do you really think it would look like anything else plus the theme is Home is Where the Heart is.  Ya gotta have a heart shaped house.

Upside down heart  

Design drawing

 Now I wasn’t sure that the accent fabric would work for the body of my heart RV and I couldn’t get any more fabric if it didn’t turn out so I scanned the fabric and printed it out and made a practice block paper.  I even colored paper for my door and windows to try out possible colors. I thought the whole RV in the accent fabric looked festive and fun so I went with it.     

Paper sample block

Now my little RV did look lost in the background fabric so again with paper patterns I added some trees and a grass area to see how it would look.  I liked it and cut the patterns out in the fabric to appliqué each piece.

 

Grass and trees added

Fabric added

Once the appliqué was finished, I added some little details like the trailer hitch and a  stove pipe and smoke to make the whole piece more fun. 

Finished Challenge

Now to keep my fingers crossed that I win a set of blocks.   And the next time you get a chance, do a challenge.

©2017 Cheryl Fillion