Yellow Brick Road Mania

Years ago, when I was a beginner quilter, I went to my first quilt show, and bought the Yellow Brick Road pattern, by Atkinson Designs.  It was very hot, and easy, and I bought a kit, and the fabrics that came with the kit seemed boring, so I just filed it away.  Last year, I thought I had the perfect color combo for the pattern and I wanted something easy and new, so I cut all my fabrics, put it all together, and I hated it.  Too easy.  It was just too simple.  My colors weren't helping.  I dug it out again this year, and I've figured it out.  It comes together so fast.  Started with what to do with all the fish fabric I've been collecting for ten years.  (I'm trying to close deals in my sewing room.)  I am pleased. 

So my neighbor is a geologist, she knows alot about water ecosystems.  I tell her, look at my fish quilt.  She loved it.  But more than that, she is attracted to batiks, and I have some very fun batiks.  So my mind starts moving around the stash, and I put this together, with some very good pond scum fabric (see border).  I didn't think the white belonged as I put it together but now I think it fits fine. 

I'm not a Christmas person, but after the fish I started cutting up my Christmas fabric, which I divided into four different coordinating groups, and I put them together (stay tuned - no pictures yet).  I did three of them over 4th of July weekend (crazy).  One I am not pleased with, but that put me over the edge and now completely out of control.  I also pushed the other remaining small batik pieces into another lap or wall size quilt:

I'm fond of this one.  Good reds, nice contrast.

So it was my little cousins's birthday, and he's a Craftsman.  I had power tool fabric, just enough for a little kid sized quilt.  I whipped this one up, in less than 8 hours, start to finish.  With three leftover blocks (one hides a long pucker) I made pockets on the reverse side. 

My Critic, ten years old, says the power tool quilt has too much yellow.  I did think that as well before it was all bound together.  Really fun, good border and frame. 

I adapted the pattern to the sizes and fabric pieces I had.  The ratios of different blocks vary among the quilts, but I think I am doing a good job of pushing this one to the limits.  Such good shapes and ratios.  So much potential to let the color do all the work and to really let a special fabric stand out.