Quilt Challenges

[ANNE E.]

I'm wondering if you have taken part in any 'Quilt Challenge'. It may have been a certain colour or fabric that a bunch of you or your guild had to use. Or a certain size or theme, a particular block etc. Do you like challenges? What have been the most fun or interesting for you? BOM? Mystery? Something else? I'd love to hear your ideas new and old, whether you've just heard of them or you've actually done them. What's been the most fun and/or interesting?

For example, Quilt Shows often have a 'challenge'. Our guild had a challenge one year that worked like this: In month 1, each participant had to pick a numbered brown envelope without knowing what was inside. Everyone had something different. But when we opened the envelope, which we had to sign for, everyone has a different cardboard box cover. Maybe it was cornflakes, toothpaste, crackers, ice cream bars, etc. We have to make a quilt that included EVERY colour from that box front, including any tiny trademark symbols etc. At the end of the year, the winner was chosen who had the most accurate duplication of every single colour, and only those colours in a quilt. It didn't matter what the image or design of the quilt was, but it HAD TO have every single colour.

Another year, everyone was given a piece of blue fabric which was to represent the river nearby. Everyone has to use that fabric and make an art quilt of a scene by the river. The only thing was each side of the quilt (I think 12" x 12" ) had to have at least 2 inches of that blue fabric on its side edges. For the yea-end show, the quilt were put alongside each other and it show a river landscape with many various scenes, many well known spots too. We took the St Lawrence River because much of it runs through Quebec.

[ANNE E.]

The EQ Blog recently had one where you were to download one of their EQ7 patterns (posted in the blog post) and then color it according to your scraps and make the quilt accordingly. You could not alter the pattern at all, but could color it however you wished; the variety of entries was amazing!

I did participate in that, and now have a lovely table topper on my game room table, all from scraps, and done in one month. It was a stretch for me, and quite detailed quilting (for me; pushed my skill level), and a lot of fun.

I've wanted to try fabric challenges (where you start with a focus fabric and then go from there) but haven't yet.

[Nancy R.]

The only challenges I've done have been right here on TQS. We have the informal challenges going on the Chinese Whispers thread, I think. I've really enjoyed them because they are stretching me into the art quilt realm, which is what I've wanted to do but never have ideas on my own. The challenge gives me a jumping off place to start my ideas, and permission to make a quilt that isn't a useful quilt and might turn out ugly.

[Nancy R.]

Last night at the Quilt Guild meeting, our president, challenged everyone to make a miniature quilt. Due in October, 24" sides, three layers, any style it just needs to be done to look like it is a snapshot of a larger quilt. I'm not sure I will take the time to do it as I have several other 'irons in the fire'.
We had one challenge in Wisconsin that everyone was given a scrap of a green fabric, and I do mean scrap!! Theme was 'going green'. No larger than 30" on any side. The pieces ranged from recycled theme to dense jungle overgrowth.
I also belonged to Artsy Fartsy University in Appleton, WI. We had a challenge every month. Usually we would have about three months lead time and some of the themes were:
A river runs through it. Each person was given a specific spots on the two side borders where at least one inch of blue had to be placed and then you could take it from one side to the other in any way you chose.
WabiSabi. Interpreted in any way you chose. 12" square
Magazine cover used as inspiration for another 12" piece
Trade it. We brought in an orphan block, in a brown paper bag. Traded them around the table and had no idea what we were getting.
Many more, but I think I'll see if I can find some pictures to go with. I'm such a visual person I need the pictures.
Luann

[Geneva C.]

My guild had a paint chip challenge last year. Each of us picked 4 paint chips from a paper bag. You could add one other color. There were pillows, quilts, all sorts of things made with the 5 colors.
geneva

[Geneva C.]

I'm loving these ideas! The orphan block in a paper bag and paint chips sound like fun.

[Nancy R.]

I did do another challenge with my local guild. It was an "ugly fat quarter" challenge. Each person brought in a fat quarter from their stash of the ugliest fabric they had. It was put in a paper bag and they were exchanged. You then had to make something using the fat quarter you received. It's interesting to see what each person's definition of "ugly" is. I really loved some of the fabrics, and really hated others. The fabric I received certainly wasn't my favorite color, but it pushed me to use a different color palette (I would call it colonial country) and I love the lap quilt I made. In searching for companion fabrics, I came a across a truly ugly fabric that matched and I bought some of it and cut out a motif that became the center of the quilt. Lots of fun!

[wendy w.]

I can't stop myself joining in challenges. There's the ones on here, Chinese whispers and current chinese whispers which is great for trying out techniques, I do a monthly postcard swap which has a theme, the FMQ Quiltshop Gal challenge, an art quilt challenge on FB forgotten others no wonder I'm always late getting them done.

With my local groups we've done a theme together with a paint chip and technique which was really fun. I had blue, balls, and folded patchwork. Another was a black and white quilt. Then we had a horrid fabric swap but I don't think anyone actually completed that challenge. Well done Nancy getting yours done.

The original Chinese Whispers will always win though we had such fun for that 18 months or so and Terrie you are on my quilt.

[wendy w.]

Wendy,
I'm looking for the Chinese whispers topic and I can't figure out where it is. Can you help me?
Luann

[wendy w.]

Luann, they are under the Friendship triangle heading. However http://thequiltshow.com/forum/friend...inese-whispers will take you to the original Challenge thread when 10 of us entered the Loch Lomond Quilt Show 2014 competition. And http://thequiltshow.com/forum/friend...de-on-1st-post will take you to the first page of the follow on challenges Wendy is setting us (usually after a bit of collaborative discussion by anyone who drops in and adds their tuppenny's worh)

[wendy w.]

https://thequiltshow.com/forum/friendship-triangle-exchange/7079-cw-challenge-for-anyone-guide-on-1st-post Here you go Luann and this https://thequiltshow.com/community/photos/display?groupid=100006 is the gallery for our challenges. There are some fabulous pieces have a look. Please join in and anyone else

Sorry Rosemary cross posted

[wendy w.]

This was Maureen's best quote ' Once started this thread will be very quiet and will probably just be used for saying when a quilt has been posted but not anything about it. The main chat will be between personal emails. The big reveal won’t be until after the Loch Lomond Quilt Show in May 2014.' then we went on for 217 pages :lol: Oh dear I think I may read them all again :unsure:

[wendy w.]

This was Maureen's best quote ' Once started this thread will be very quiet and will probably just be used for saying when a quilt has been posted but not anything about it. The main chat will be between personal emails. The big reveal won’t be until after the Loch Lomond Quilt Show in May 2014.' then we went on for 217 pages :lol: Oh dear I think I may read them all again :unsure:

Sounds like a good plan to me...

[E.M. T.]

Awwwwww! It was such fun !! I might have to re-read some , too ! :woohoo:

[E.M. T.]

Ok, this is the final thread I'm going to leave this message on.
Today's post on www.letscreatetoday.blogspot.com has a giveaway of some hand dyed fabric. All you need to do is leave a comment about the 'forest fire art quilt'. Pretty simple, and I so appreciate everyone's individuality and what each of you might see that I don't.
I hope you have time to stop by and leave a comment

Luann