I’m teaching at the Ann Arbor Quilt Guild in January and a lot of the guild members are very much beyond a beginning class. I decided that I needed to make a new quilt for this class, using the same techniques that I use in my book. It will be called Crime Wave and there are actually a lot of curves in it right now. I’m not sure if that’s how I’ll keep it…it looks a little disorganized at present.
I started out with some fabric samples that I had. I just love the colors and was happy with the beginning of the project.
I wanted to keep going but then I realized that my play time wasn’t leading to accurate fabric requirements for a class!
So, I started again with a coordinated group of fabrics and specific, measured amounts. The next two pictures are what I put up on the design wall, with just a tiny change between the two of them…and I have since changed things a little more but didn’t take more pictures.
Lots more ‘activity’ in this design than I thought there would be when I picked out the fabrics.
I was happy with the colors when I picked them out and happy with the curves as a great learning tool, but I’m not happy with this now! I’ll try to get it finished and see how I feel then, but I’m thinking I might be switching to fewer curves and a different color palette. Or maybe I’ll keep the big polka-dots because I love them, tone down the dark, dark and substitute some straight piecing for some of the curves, one tone-on-tone instead of 3…
It’s fun designing quilts when you like the look of your project immediately. When it needs to be re-done several times before you feel like your design has succeeded, it’s kind of a drag. But there’s no way I can teach a class with a design that I think seriously stinks!
Back to the drawing board…
Quirks Ltd. 
I just love your process! I hope to have some play time soon to give it a whirl!!!
Thanks for sharing.
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Hi Kathy…. thank you for the opportunity to view your wip and comment. A former pattern designer and it is fun to get back ‘on the table’ if only for a few minutes.
Your design is exciting! I like the curves and the fabrics in both pieces. If you compare them, you will see the bright [peach-melon-coral] is your zinger in the top one. I think the bottom only needs to have your dark red/rust changed to say navy or black for the drama you are wanting to create. I love polka dots! You no doubt have heard it said ‘if something is not working in your piece, remove your favorite fabric’…. but I don’t think that is the case here.
My 2 cents…
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The Ann Arbor guild is a great group – I had such fun with them last year when I taught surface design there. And yes, there are so many talented and open-minded people there!
ARGH – I do not envy you the quilt design routine — too much work for me – LOL. I’d throw some purple into that second color scheme.
Rayna
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I love the pieces!! It should be a terrific class. My thoughts: the first pieces is more visually exciting because it’s not all “matchy”. The second piece is also terrific, but needs some not-matchy stuff in there. After viewing the first piece, the second piece loses something – the fabrics blend too much for excitement to jump off the work. And a Crime Wave certainly makes one think of excitement! Maybe just a little black & white?? I think just a bit always add magic to pieces. Just my two cents. Bottom line? ILOVE IT!!
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