The weather in Wisconsin has been unique this year. A week ago Friday we had a very wet snowstorm that left 8″ of beauty all over the woods. After clearing the driveway Mike invited me out to build a snowman. It was dusk and the scene was lovely!
By Sunday the temps were heading up into the 60’s and I discovered snowmen can’t do backbends.
Sunday:
Monday:
Tuesday:
So what does this have to do with quilting? Well, this was the view I enjoyed through the window above my sewing machine while quilting on Saturday.
I had an overwhelming urge to create a quilt about it. Then I got to thinking that many of you probably have inspiring views from windows in your home too. This led to the idea of holding my first blog challenge! I hope many of you are up for this. It’s quite simple.
1. Email a picture of your view to me at: by next Sunday, March 18th.
2. I’ll post them to a “Challenging Views” page on this blog for all to see.
3. Then make a quilt inspired by your view, any size, any shape, any technique (small is good). You could repliqué the picture, but there are many other ways to be inspired by it: create a traditional pieced pattern using the colors of your picture, pick any item in the photo as a theme for your quilt or ……..any other direction you care to go.
4. Send me a picture of your finished small quilt by April 1, 2012 to be posted on the blog (that’s the deadline – its not a lot of time, but the project is small – and you’d just put it off until the week before anyways :-).
5. The following week’s blog we’ll have a viewers choice vote and the winner will get a wonderful prize!
Here’s a sample to get you started thinking. This is much more involved than our simple challenge, but it is the only other time a window view has been my inspiration.
When we lived in Sun Prairie my husband and kids built me a wonderful “aviary” post with bird houses and feeders hanging from it.
It stood outside my kitchen window and I delighted in watching the birds each morning. When we had to move I couldn’t take the post with me, so I made this quilt which was inspired by it.
Perhaps you’ll think of this as a chance to try a new technique or just play with fabric. I can’t wait to see what you come up with :-)!
Laura says
Oh I wish I could do this..ill see ..maybe a postcard size..but, my view outside my window is not as beautiful as yours. Up north maybe..
kathydrew says
Your quilt is wonderful. I just love it. I also love how you can look outside around you when you are working. What a beautiful view you have and the snow. We get so little snow here in Tennessee. What wonderful inspiration you have.