Log Cabins was our theme for July - any version or even just the spirit of log cabins. (This is the best part of the QAL for me - the wide-openness of the theme each month. Pick up any part and run with it! Have fun! Gotta love it.)
I've made a bunch of log cabin quilts over the years - quilt-as-you-go log cabin quilts were my go-to wedding gift for a long time - but I'd only done the standard blocks, so this time I wanted to try something different.
Courthouse Steps was a block that had always appealed to me, but I'd never done anything with it before, so this was a perfect opportunity. I ran up a bunch of blocks and started to play.
This was looking fairly good, but I kept thinking something is missing...
I know! What this quilt needs is more orange!
Yeah... that's better...
I applied some border strips log-cabin-fashion, with darks on the right and bottom and lights on the top and left.
I like it!
A couple more strips to make things come out even - "this looks wide enough" - slice off the excess,
and tada!
That works for me!
On to my second medallion - the applique basket.
When I'd first laid out the courthouse blocks, I set the second medallion on it to see if I wanted courthouse blocks for it, too.
Nope. The poor center was completely overwhelmed. I needed something different.
Since I'd tried something new with the courthouse steps blocks, I decided to continue in that vein. I'd never done quarter log cabins, either, so I made a bunch of small ones and resumed my play.
Not what I was looking for.
I tried again with a different setting.
That's better. Still not quite it, but definitely onto something.
And I ended up with this, and thought I was done.
But then I started to dither.
Is it really done? I'm happy with it, right? No?
Turns out it needed one more thing.
More logs!
Now I'm happy with it.
And our next theme is STARS!! I loooooove stars, so this will be fun. And maybe hard to stop...
Though I'm starting to get a little worried about the sizes of these two quilts. I went into this thinking I'd end up with a nice wallhanging or two.
Since I'd measured these centers when I finished them, but then lost the paper I'd written the figures on, this time I'm taking no chances. Remeasured, wrote it down, and PHOTOed it, just to make sure.
Getting bigger and bigger, with two themes to go.
Yep, this is going to be fun!
Come one, come all to the fabulous Gwennie Inspired Medallion QAL linky party! Gorgeous stuff waiting!
26 comments:
Love watching you play! I really like what you did with your orange inner border on the first one. It looks like the sun is shining on your garden. Have fun with your stars!
As you wrote your kind comment on my blog, I discovered your beautiful medallion on yours ! :))
And I agree with your choice ! Your border is sooo beautiful like this ! And you will use your log cabin blocks in another project !
Congrats for this finish !
OMG - these just get more amazing as you go along!
I love watching you play with these tops. I appreciate that you're willing to share all your trials and fixings. It's really fun to see. I love how they are coming along too. Great work Gayle!! ;^)
I'm still in awe of the fact that you are making two! I love them both. So cheerful and pretty!
I love how you describe your thought process... and both quilts are looking so great! You have an artist's eye!
Both of your quilts are so colorful! They are both very pretty - I had trouble just designing one! Great job!
Such great fabrics and colors. Your quilts make me happy just looking at them!
Just love how these are coming...like that piano key border--just perfect! I think a lot of my "wall hangings" ended up way too big--any medallion has to be pretty small to start with to keep them in check--And I don't do minis (or wear them either yuck yuck, not a good visual at all!!)
I used to live in a raised ranch house and it had this huge wall in the entryway--so that was where a lot of the GIGANTIC wall hangings ended up ;0000
...but now I live in a one story ranch--so no HUGE walls...enjoying watching these come to life...hugs Julierose
I love both of your quilts!!!!
Love your finished arrangements!
Being a Gwennie apostle, I wish I had known about this sooner ... or maybe I did and just ignored it. Anyway, love seeing what you are doing. Both are going to be extra special!
Very productive working on two quilts and making the log cabin style blocks. Nicely done.
your quilt looks great - very original looking!
Your Gwennie medallions are spectacular. You really work well in this style. Although I'd like to point out that its much harder than Dear Jane. I'm still stuck back at the second border...obviously a problem childhood. : )
I so admire you for making TWO Gwenny medallions. It was fun to see how you played and read about your thinking process for these two quilts. I'm wondering about the final size of my quilt, too. I knew I didn't want wall-hanging size but I don't know what size it will become. It's been such fun learning and playing.
--Nancy. (ndmessier @ aol.com, joyforgrace.blogspot.com)
Your two medallions are spectacular, I love both XXX
I always enjoy reading the details of your process, and for two quilts! I imagine them in an adorable room with twin beds, or as companion wall hangings. They're so colorful and cheerful.
I love your borders. great interpretation of the theme. Hugs,
Love both your medallions and enjoy seeing your process--very fun!
I love seeing your thought process! I think you did really good on the second one to not overwhelm, the applique.
The other medallion is lovely and I adore the orange!
It's great to follow along with your creative process. I love how these two medallions have developed. I knew from the get-go I wanted a quilt big enough for use on the couch. I did so little for the log cabin round I may not make it!
My number one concern is that my finished pieced not get too large (50 x 70 max) - taking a photo of your dimensions is a GREAT idea. Really, really like your sunflower top. Good call on the second version, too.
Both are spectacular but I think I like the top one best (for now). I think mine are going to be BIG quilts. I like BIG quilts and I cannot lie.
I also liked seeing how you dithered until you came with spectacular borders. My dithering doesn't end up like that usually so I skip that part of the process!
Great job on both medallions!! I LOVE how you added the orange inside your log cabin blocks! Great idea!
Can't wait to see what you come up with for your stars borders!!
Wow - two gorgeous renditions.
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