Needlework Tuesday - Playing with Marti Michell Templates

My favourite way to make a quilt top, is to start with an assortment of fabrics and a thought.  Not a full plan of what the quilt will look like in the end, but a starting point.

In this case, I started with a package of 2 inch squares from Moda. They have a country feel, sort of greyed out colours. Not really my style, but what I had on hand.  They are mostly red, blue, green and beige/gold. Four patches would be perfect.  Problem, what to do with ten small blocks. Add more of course.  Now I have 24 small blocks.  If I add one more and then set them with the little blocks i made last week, here's what I get.   Marti Michell templates used: from set A piece 1 and piece 6

I like that it's assymetrical.  Using common fabrics for the alternate blocks helps to calm down the busyness of the scrappy four patches.

I can't do much with a 21 inch square, so time to add borders.  a one inch dark green and a 2 inch light green brings it up to 27 inches.  It doesn't seem so dark now.  it needs to be larger.

As I work on quilts, there are lots of scraps.  Large pieces get folded and stashed, small pieces are cut using which ever Marti Michell template is at hand and fits.  I had lots of pieces from template 17 from set C.  It's the tall skinny right angle triangle.  I sorted out the colours of pieces that would work in this quilt, cut a few more.  Then I used template 16 to cut the triangles.  All the little corners are trimmed so the pieces line up perfectly for sewing.  I quickly was able to piece these borders.

 For the corners I used template 18, which is a sort of kite shape.

Now the quilt top is up to 33 inches.  Next on will be two more single fabric borders, not sure of the colour yet, and then I'll use another template to add a six inch wide border.  Still cutting that one.

The only problem with working this way, is that if I get side tracked, I lose my train of thought and never seem to get it back.  That means I need to keep going on this one till it's complete.  not a bad thing.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

Do you design either for yourself or for the use of others?  Do you have a set approach, or do you let it happen as you go like I do.  

Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your current needlework post.