Robert Kaufman No Prints Allowed Challenge

I’m working hard on my Robert Kaufman No Prints Allowed challenge for the Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild.  Using solids isn’t hard for me as I do that a lot.  The most challenging thing for me is using so many colors.  I often work in a more limited color palette, but the solid charm packs have a wide variety of colors.  I am working with the “Dusty” charm pack.

One of the rules we agreed on as part of the AAMQG challenge was that we need to use at least 30 of the 40 plus charms in the pack.  I was happy about that as I thought I could leave out some of the charms to limit the color palette.  However, the design I decided on will require me to use all the charms.

The other issue I’ve had is my desire to avoid a rainbow look.  While I like many of the quilts with the charms arranged this way, I wanted to avoid it myself and planned to place the colors more randomly.  However, random placement did not work at all with the rest of the quilt design and I ended up with something closer to a rainbow layout than I had envisioned.

This is one of the most wonderful parts of quilt designing!  The process of adjusting your ideas as you go along is so totally absorbing.  I love it when I am so focused on my process that I look up and discover that several hours have gone by without me being aware of it.

The next challenge for me was to figure out how to put together what I had designed!  I had drawn it out and made some initial plans, but it ended up being more like putting together a jigsaw puzzle and involved quite a  few partial seams.

I’m focusing on the border areas today and hope to finish the top in the next day or two.  Our quilts are due on June 29 so that should leave me enough time to decide on the quilting and finish the quilt.

Have you participated in any challenges lately – either as part of a group or ones you set yourself?

5 Comments
  • Emily Elizabeth
    Posted at 23:28h, 15 June Reply

    I can't wait to see everyone's creation! i finally just finished my quilt top the other night – time to start quilting!

  • Lucinda
    Posted at 11:23h, 15 June Reply

    I'm so used to working with prints that this is a real challenge for me. To get used to the idea I've been working with solids more and I'm really starting to like them…a lot! Can't wait to see what you've designed.

  • Lynne
    Posted at 00:25h, 15 June Reply

    As a new quilter I set myself challenges all the time. The current one involves half square triangles. I thrive on challenges.

  • Ethne
    Posted at 18:36h, 14 June Reply

    I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this
    Challenges – well unbelievely I've set myself a few over the last year and am coming up with more
    there's the FQ challenge (1 feature fat quarter and some stash plains) – 2 projects completed
    I've another 2 FQ's to design something for
    then there's a new one – the charm challenge – I've been given a selection of batik charms and want to do something using these alone
    and the big one is the applique challenge that Marjorie set me (here's hoping I get it finished by the end of the year

  • Kristin
    Posted at 15:28h, 14 June Reply

    Our guild did this challenge a few months ago and It was absolutely a blast. I picked the Dusty palette, too, which was completely out of my comfort zone. It ended up being my very favorite sewn item to date! I can't wait to see how yours turns out.

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