Alternative Grunge

Last winter I purchased a mini charm pack of BasicGrey's Aspen Frost and a half yard of a coordinating cut while I was waiting for Hubs to finish the Southern Cross cross bike race in Dalohnega, GA. It's a 50+ mile cross country trek pedaling on a cross bike so I had time to visit some local fabric shops and check out the down town. My purchase was made at The Common Thread. Its a very nice little shop stuffed full of goodies.

Dahlonega is a North Georgia biking hot spot. This was taken in October while we were there for  the Six Gap Century.

My plan was to make a pillow but when I sat down a few days ago I shifted gear to a table runner. I've never made a table runner but I have a number of them because my MIL loves to make them for all the kids. I really enjoy using them so decided to add another one to the mix.

When I pulled out my little pack of Aspen Frost it dawned on me that it was a Basic Grey collection and it includes a selection of Grunge. Hmmm, I just won some Basic Grey Persimmon from Mad About Patchwork and while researching that collection I realized it included Grunge as well. Guess what, I have five pieces of Grunge!

So, this seems like a good time to share one of my early projects and the story of my Grunge collection.

It all started at an adorable shop called Wild Child Arts in Watkinsville, GA. I found it while visiting the local Ducati store with Hubs. What can I say, he has a thing for anything with two wheels.

I had just discovered that modern quilting existed and this was the first quilt store I had visited that fit the bill. I drove up there the next month for a meeting and they were finishing up a Weeks Ringle project that night. I hurried around the store for fabric and the grunge seemed to fit the project at first glance. Well, it was supposed to be a transparent quilt and I did not have the time to analyze the concept but I thought a patterned solid would look good even if I didn't get the right effect.

The shop only had five colors and I skipped the purple and went with the white, green, light blue and cranberry versions. Then I ironed, cut the pieces and sat down at my machine to try my hand at curved piecing. I finished three sections in class and did the other at home. It all went so fast that precision was thrown out the window.

So here is my creation.

It's a bit off and my first attempt at circular quilting is rough but I still like it and it hangs above a dresser in my bedroom.

I purchased an additional orange Grunge piece on line for binding as well as a piece of Juggling Summer because it was so perfect for the back. Looks like I planned it, but I didn't.

I really need to work on my photography skills.

Unfortunately, I never got a chance to go back and sew with that wonderful group of ladies again. My leisure time disappeared when I was suddenly plunged into officer manager duty at our business. Our office manager had been in the process of slowly transitioning herself out and me in while working part-time at her new job when she was unexpectedly called into full-time duty at the new place. I could no longer fit that two hour drive into my schedule just to sew. I am not even sure if Wild Child Arts is still open. I hope so but I can't find their we site any longer.

See all the blue sashing around the Aspen Frost squares, that is from my Grunge stash left over from my trip to Wild Child. The cranberry and green are also in the Aspen Frost collection and I have included them too. I think the whites are the same but I didn't use any on the front of the runner. I may include it on the back.

The orange and white Grunge work with my Persimmon collection so I am saving them to use in another project. It's crazy how all five colors have suddenly found a purpose.

Here is a stack of three upcoming projects that all should be started and at least one finished before Christmas. I am putting the table runner aside to work on my Persimmon Project now.

I have been busy making gifts so my I can't share most of my finishes but I will leave you with this little experimental block.

My local modern guild is requesting 6 1/2 inch blocks for a project and this is now in their hands. I was on my elliptical the other day spinning and watching the news when a commercial aired for a bank I was unfamiliar with. Their logo was superimposed over the picture at the end and it inspired this experimental block. I sketched out the basic design and would like to translate it into a larger piece. We will see if that ever happens.

Thanks for visiting!

Special Alert!!!
Maureen Cracknell is giving away a bundle of Carolyn Friedlander's Doe on her blog today!
This fabulous bundle is supplied by her sponsor, Fabric Spark.