Hallowistmas Border Town

Okay guys, Bah Humbug is just about done. Ya'all have sent me some seriously wonderful contributions. If you've still got 'em out there, blocks are due April 1st. And then I'll put them all together that day. ha ha ha ha ha.

So this blog has been way too dull. Not enough UnRuly projects going on, so I figured I'd start one. I'm such an instigator. I'm thinking of trying something different with this project and see how you all feel about it.

Okay, first off, what it is. I want to work on a collaborative project about a town that's a little bit Christmas, a little bit Halloween. Cuz you have Christmastown over there and Halloweentown here and as they expand, as towns do, you get that area where it all mixes together. (And yeah, there should be a Thanksgivingtown in the middle there, but I think they've been overrun.)

I would love, for those who are interested, if you would make house blocks for me. What would you get? A witch that's moved into the candy cane house? The elves who can't get all those black cats off their roof? Think whacky.

UnRuly, Liberated, Wonky House tutorial here (then click Wonkytown for the pdf file).

Oh and it doesn't just have to be houses. Halloween Trees, Snowman Monster, Jack o' Lantern in Santa hat...

I'm thinking lots of novelty prints, but if you don't have 'em you can still play. Bright happy colors where possible, as compared to those kinda gold autumnal fall prints...

Houses don't have to be evenly split Halloween and Christmas. There can be only one thing slightly off about the house - makes it more interesting that way.

Do I actually have to state that whatever you make HAS to be free-pieced only. Seriously.

So that's the idea. I don't know how many of you, if any, are interested in playing. Now. Here's the thing. You knooow I love doing these group quilts. I do. But I feel the teensiest bit guilty that I'm the only one who ever gets the quilt. So what I'm wondering is if ya'all would want to do this Block Lotto style?

Block Lotto is a fun group where folks make blocks and for every block they contribute, they get a chance to win the blocks. There are some restrictions, but that's the quick summary.

So would anyone else even want to make a Hallowistmas Town quilt?

If we were to do this, I'm thinking everyone would just make blocks that aren't identical. Although if you want, you could certainly make two houses with the same fabrics and idea, trying different ways of executing them.

Part of what I like about this idea is that it would give me a chance to make a smaller quilt (Bah Humbug, which I love, is gonna be huuuuge). I'd like this to be a wallhanging I could hand quilt, adding all the fun stuff I love to add that way.

So I'd get the blocks and divvy them up. Not sure how many winners there would be, besides me that is. One or two? depends on how many want to do this and how many of you would like to make blocks for it, but aren't interested in making this kind of quilt yourself. Oh, and I will be making blocks for this one too. You don't think I could leave this one alone do you?

In the Block Lotto you can make a bunch of blocks without wanting to get any back. (they actually donate chances to win to newbies, but since this is the first time we're thinking about doing this, that doesn't work.)

Winners would be free to put the blocks together however they'd like. Wallhanging, King-Sized bed quilt... So you can add more blocks or more fabric, as desired.



Let me know what you think. How about a six week deadline? Ooh May 5th - Cinco de Mayo. Perfect. That would be when the blocks have to be sent to me.

What do you think? Game to play? Does anyone want to make one of these quilts themselves. Or is that just me... Feedback please.

I am now going to sidetrack into teacher mode.

Keep contrast in mind! That is now the one thing I harp on because I used to be sooo very bad at that. So now I overcompensate. For example, I started a project like this years ago. I had the fabric that was Halloween but made with Christmas colors of red and green? If you've seen my book (Shameless plug: Word Play Quilts), then you've seen the quilt. It's Scary Christmas and I'm too lazy/enfeebled to get up and go get the book to tell you the page number.

I can't find the house blocks I made, but here's a tree to show you how dismal it all was:

 

If you have a digital camera, you have a way to check out contrast. Look at your fabrics in black and white. ugh.

I am so glad I abandoned this project early on, because it would have turned out dreadful (in a bad way, not a fun Halloweeny way).

End of teaching. Please, anyone want to play with me?