Quercus Rubra

Now I had a couple of thoughts about the process of the wonderous venture and thought I would ask them while I was thinking of them before I get started on this great quilt.

1st .... would you counsider doing this as a "3 Brown Bag"challenge? What I mean is in one large brown grocery bag, place all your "light" scraps, "mediums" in another and "darks" in the third.

With each block - you would blindly draw what you need from it's "corresponding" bag to use. There is no "put-backs" or trading fabrics. Out comes out is completely random. Since there would have been a good chance that this would have been a "make-do" scrapping quilt back in the orginial date of the 1920's, my thinking is the randomness would add to the quilt instead of detracting from it.

Sooooo What's you thought on that. I know some of you are working with a "planned" color palette, I would still here what you thought too. Who is doing a scrappy version? Is it a "controlled" or an "uncontrolled" scrappy?

Okay so for the next part this might take a minute of pondering on your part.

Would you keep a Journal book with this project?

Now I know that it's important to have some sort of providence with a quilt for future generations but would you consider an informally written history to include a chronological list of the dates you made each block, maybe a blurp of the weather and quick note of going-on's of your day? So that maybe your great-great children can have some insight of your life as they curl up under that heirloom that "great-great grandma" made.

So what is your thoughts of that? It's still early enough to start one if you wanted to, so would you? I wonder if others enjoy their journey.


Well now that I have shaken up a puzzling thought or two, I'm off.
Toodles,
Tricia

QuiltE

I completed the FWS as a Quilt-Along along with several other ladies here on the QB
... see post #203 for my completed FWS ... and the many others posts show others results
http://www.quiltingboard.com/blocks-...148904-21.html

Mine had 144 different fabrics which came from my stash. Usually I looked at each block and decided what fabrics to use. As I went along, I would look at the blocks on my design wall and determine if I needed more blue or red or whatever. So yes, somewhat a controlled scrappy. I did not choose my sashing/cornerstones til I got near the end, and then auditioned different possibilities.

I see no reason why you could not do it the way you were suggesting! Could be a fun way to do your quilt and truly keep it scrappy.

As for keeping a journal, I did not, though I know some have done so. I am not a journal or diary keeper, so that's just me! Your FWS book would be a perfect place for the notes, jotted on the pages. At the least, you might enjoy reading back thru it at a later time. YOur notes might be as you have suggested above ... or what memories each block has brought to your mind. Perhaps family lore and history back thru the generations?

I fully enjoyed the journey ... and that was enough to convince me to continue with the Pony Club quilt, by the same author/designer. I did much the same for the fabric choices, though in this one, I chose a fabric that is used in every block, mixing with 147 other fabrics! I did purchase more for this one, as I used a lot of novelty prints and did a lot of fussy cut work. I did not keep to the pony theme ... though did keep with a rural/farm theme. Early on I chose my sashing/cornerstones and have had no regrets as to their choice.

Hope this helps ... and hope you enjoy your journey doing the FWS too!

QuiltNama

I taught a mystery quilt at my quilt guild and called "I'm Working On A Chain Gang". Everyone had to cut 2 1/2" (dark & med) squares and/or strips and put into a brown bag. They were allowed to pick one background (light) of their choosing. As they took the dk pieces from the bag they were the ones they had to use (no putbacks), and all were combined with their bg pieces. It was a really fun experience for most of the girls, but there were a few who did struggle with the scrappy part of it. As we went along, I took a lot of pictures of what everyone was doing and many of their comments. Two years later I put everything together on a CD and shared the whole thing with everyone at one of our guild meetings. Did we ever enjoy all of what everyone did that day and how their quilts turned out. Oh by the way, the pattern we did was a simple double Irish chain but no one knew that til they finished.