Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Riding the Orphan Train

I've been commenting with Finn (Pieces from my Scrapbag) about her gorgeous Orphan Train quilt. It's a style of quilt I've long loved because they usually are less static than planned sampler quilts where everything ends up in a same sized square. With orphans, it's much more of a puzzle trying to get the pieces to all fit together.

So rather than doing the Halloween quilt I was mulling over (I know, it's only August - it can wait) decided, why not get out all my bits and pieces and see how they go together. Not all of these are true orphans. They were never made for a specific quilt, but for this very thing. I was teaching myself how to quilt using "Quilts, Quilts, Quilts" and I went through picking blocks and techniques I wanted to try.

Not the best photo to see if it's working, what with the treadmill in the way, but it's all I got.

This is my initial layout, and I know I'm going to have to change it. The wonky storm at sea block right next to the tulip block is too same-same. That very contrasty black and pink Fence Rail may need to be moved from the top row, but not sure where to.

This is before I've sewn anything together. I did take a few blocks to the machine - the ones that are going together no matter what. This is going to be slow going, and I need to start organizing it so that I don't end up with Y-seams, the bane of my sewing existence.

Before I get much further, need to get my liberated name sewn and ready to go in. I'll use some of the leftover blocks from the bed quilt.

5 comments:

Sarah said...

Tonya-

Love your orphan train quilt. Make sure you how us pictures when you get the blocks together.

Tracey said...

Oh Tonya!! That is gonna be a BEAUTIFUL quilt!! I can't wait to see pics of it all put together!

Finn said...

Love your blocks Tonya. Apparently you heard the that train whistle pulling into your station...I'm excited to see you begin this. And I love the idea of leftover letters from your bed quilt letters.
When I hit places that wouldn't fit together, or I didn't have a block to fit, I added a strip or piece of fabric. There are a couple of blue with tan polkadots in my orphan train. That's how I avoided Y seams. Also a little "run" of railroad tracks or piano keys will work. Hope the halloween quilts still gets made...*VBG*

Frances said...

I've never heard of 'Orphan Train' before but what a lovely idea,

I like the blocks you have here and the colours work well together,
just tweek it a bit more and another great quilt is created,

Catherine said...

beautiful blocks...they look like they belong together.