Today is the final reveal day in 2016 for Four in Art – an Art Quilt Group, which I am very happy to have joined this year and which aims to:
“…to break out of the usual gridded experience and try a new concept, free of structure or preconception, moving the boundaries of our own skills forward in both concept and technique”
Our theme for this year is Colour and the sub-theme for this quarter is ‘I’ve got the blues’. And I don’t think I’ve ever had so such a struggle to think of anything to make! I put it off and put it off, hoping for a flash of inspiration, and in the end I realised I’d just have to start making something, and see what evolved! Unfortunately, my MIL was taken into hospital at the weekend and I ended up not having time for much to evolve :(
So I suppose I really have got the blues because my quilt hasn’t worked out but I only have myself to blame. I will start tomorrow on February’s challenge – or at least one day soon!
Please visit the other members of Four in Art and see their interpretations of this quarter’s theme.
| Bette Ayers | https://www.flickr.com/photos/toot2 |
| Camilla Cathro | http://faffling.blogspot.co.nz/ |
| Catherine Chisholm | http://www.knottedcotton.com |
| Elizabeth Eastmond | http://www.opquilt.com |
| Susan Snooks | http://patchworknplay.blogspot.com |
| Nancy Myers | http://www.patchworkbreeze.blogspot.com |
| Rachel Riley | http://www.rachel-thelifeofriley.blogspot.com |
| Simone Bradford | http://quiltalicious.blogspot.com |
Happy Sewing!
Janine @Rainbow Hare
RAINBOW HARE 
Catherine
Oh Janine, I hope your MIL is alright – and you and your family too.
I really get what you say about just making a start and seeing what evolves. I think making a start is always the biggest hurdle – that commitment stage! I like your ‘washday blues’! It’s a lovely image. I was reading recently about the work of housewives in history and the use of laundry blue to hide the yellow and make laundry look whiter than white and so keep up with the neighbours. There’s lots in your quilt to think about!
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Carol
Hope you MIL is OK.
I can’t do challenges. I’m a procrastinator and even if I put my OWN timetable on it, I never meet it and feel pressured. I’m the person that wraps Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. the funny thing is when I worked, every single job has a deadline and I never missed it, never procrastinated, never felt that pressure. Weird huh?
Onward and Upward. A February deadline can be brutal with the Holidays between here and there, lol.
xx, Carol
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Ruth
Hope your MIL is on the mend. It’s funny how things I think I have a clear idea of fail to result in what I had in my head – think it happens to all of us at some stage. I find it hard to work with blue sometimes when all around me is gold and Autumn warmth.
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Betty Ayers
Seeing your quilt, with laundry hanging (something I once loved to do, but no flat land at this house ended that!), made me happy – far from blue! Hope your MIL is on the mend and I think seeing this little piece, in person, might bring a smile to her face. All of us face challenges, however they land, and I like to think we get better once faced. Even if it is hard. We grow and that’s a good thing.
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Rachel
I think this is lovely little quilt, despite your frustrations with it. I pray your MIL is doing well. Sometimes we just can’t control what life throws at us. Please don’t be discouraged, we all go through tough times.
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Pingback: Six Ways to Blue, a Four-in-Art quilt for November 2016 | OccasionalPiece--Quilt!
Elizabeth E.
What a great quilt–washday blues! I remember having a line to hang things out on, and novice that I was to this, I forgot to take them back in and a cold snap came in that night. In the morning, I was taking off frozen clothes, so I completely understand the washday blues. Like all the others, I hope your MIL is on the mend, and sorry that interrupted your creative flow (but I like the end result). I also liked reading all your comments, and I learned a lot. Great little quilt, again!
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Celtic Thistle Stitches
Sorry to hear of your blues Janine, hope your MIL is soon on the mend. I think the sight of a line of washing flapping in the breeze is a really joyful one so don’t really get the idea of washday blues. Ironing all that washing, now that is anything but joyful :)
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soma @ whimsandfancies.com
I think I would have had problems with that theme too at this time of the year. Your project is lovely, Janine! I am so sorry to hear about you MIL. Wishing her a speedy recovery.
-Soma xx
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simone braford
Sorry to hear about your Mother in Law, I hope she is doing better now. Your wash day blue mini is wonderful! I love how you kept the shape of the quilt more organic so it looks like it’s laundry waving in the wind!!!
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dezertsuz
You might have put it off, but the end result is wonderful! I love it.
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Nancy Myers
What a lovely little quilt. Makes me think that whoever’s wash this is has a number of blue clothes! I hope your MIL is better. You have a fine interpretation of having the blues. Also, thank you for your comment on my post, too.
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Susan Snooks
Firstly I must apologise for being so late to comment on your Blues mini Janine- I have been on vacation and only returned today!
Washday Blues- what a great ‘take’ on the theme! I can certainly relate to it today as I work my way through the piles of laundry waiting for me….The necessary evil from being away from home for over two weeks! Your laundry looks quite jaunty, blowing in the wind!
I hope your MIL is on the mend!
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SleepyTown
Whilst I’m not really a quilt person myself, I love that yours is not like traditional ones I’ve seen at all!
I also love the rabbit, and I think Master 3 would love one for himself (plus then I would have somewhere to put his pyjamas so I’m not constantly losing them!)
I hope your mother in law is feeling better.
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Kim Sharman
I love your little washday blues quilt Janine. The colours and patterns are so cheery. I hope your mother-in-law is okay and beginning to feel better.
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Camilla
Yes like Catherine, the blue bag sprang to mind when I saw your quilt and even though you felt you struggled this round I think your quilt has your lovely sense of whimsy infusing it! I hope your MiL is recovering OK?
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Kaja
Isn’t it funny how a theme that sounds so full of possibilities turned out to be tricky (and not just for you, I think). It may not be at all what you wanted to get to, but your little washday quilt is lovely anyway.
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pablo zapico
This was lovelyy to read
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