Oodalolly
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| from West Elm |
Oodalolly it remains today... but more as an expression of long-suffering and dedication. Perhaps someday, at the end of the rainbow, it'll be an "oodalolly" of awe again. Let's see, the story begins with these Kona jelly rolls in Classic, Bright and Dark. Between waiting for their arrival from Robert Kaufman and a little delay of my own ignorance (that quilt? no problem!) I only started piecing this quilt last week.
My first go at it was a complete, utter failure. No pictures here (oh, the indecency!). That failure landed on an otherwise difficult day last week, so I set the project aside for "later" not realizing that I desired to have the quilt top finished by today. Today!
Friday night I tackled version #2. Still trying to replicate the rug almost to the "T", this version adds layers of rainbow fun in the round. Pretty, right? What a pain! Seriously, building matching curve sections and piecing them with Y-seams along huge curved edges. Gah. A few sections after this photograph I realized that I wasn't having fun. My students just might hate me if I drop such a seriously challenging project in their laps for our last week of class - which is designed to be more of a celebration than a "new skills" week. Plus, did I say I wasn't having fun? Sewing is supposed to be fun, people.
Deconstruct and start over. And here we have version #3. It's Saturday by now and I'm starting to get nervous. Good thing I'm "focusing" this weekend - boy do I need it! To simplify things, layers are added to this version like a giant log cabin block. Rather than curving around the center, the new rainbow portions are added onto the side in an improv curve seam.
Easy enough? Check. But, sadly, I don't like it. Nope. I don't like the way the sections are chopped off at the top and bottom when a new section is added. I mean, this doesn't look much like the original inspiration rug anymore, so why are we doing this?
Saturday night... panic! I need to start over and I'd like to finish this large quilt in a few days. Why the pressure, you might wander? Well, it'll be time for my class to make this project in 2 weeks. I want to finish it so that I can present it to them along with the other final quilt option and complete supplies lists so that they can be prepared. I started with 3 jelly rolls, wondering if they'd need 2 to complete the project. By this time, I've burned through so much fabric in my cutting/trimming/deconstruct/start over that I don't know if 3 jelly rolls will be enough. Of course I'm using previously pieced sections in each new version, but it eats tons of fabric nevertheless.
Well, I stopped. Prayed. Got out my sketchbook and would you believe it, but the answer arrived just like that! What I needed was something easy, fast but still loads of fun. I wanted it to be made with the attitude of Rainbow Road (and the supplies... hello, I have all this piecing started), but let's just say it should be nothing like that darn rug! And ya know, my students want the same thing, because easy and fast is fun.
Ta da... Blocks! Yes, what an original concept right (wink)? Do the improv but square them up into blocks. Nice, bite-sized, familiar blocks - how I love thee! I'm thrilled to report that Oodalolly is more than half-way done. Yay! I'll be revealing the final week quilt choices and supplies lists to my students tomorrow. Oodalolly might not be 100% finished by then, but I think 80% will be enough for them to take action.
So, this is me today... piecing in rainbows, reminded of why working ahead is my preferred way of living and giving myself grace for taking the long route to a simple destination.
Shop Notes: Kona jelly rolls are available at Canton Village, Fabric Envy, Mad About Patchwork and Fat Quarter Shop.