Snow Day, Sew Day - Psychedelic Turd

Salem has called a "chains or snow tires only" day, so that means we're homebound for now.  9" total with a change of freezing rain later! So other than sew, what do you do?

 Snow angels 

Now, before anyone says anything about the name of the quilt, it was inspired by this song...and if you mishear the "Psychadelic Furs" lyric the way I did when I heard it for the first time, and once you see the quilt, you'll understand why.

Behind the Music - The Vandals

I can't remember which pattern this came from (so hey, if anyone recognizes the pattern...), because I started this 4-5 years ago too, but I was way too into this bright fabric and it's a little overpowering, but weirdly I still like it.

Here is what I started with.  NO idea why two sides have a black border and the other two don't, but whatever.  I wasn't planning on taking it apart to put new black pieces on (I don't have the original fabric anyhow).  But seriously...talk about wonky!  It was warped from ironing when I should have pressed, and my quarter inch seams were iffy at best.  But it held together just fine so I kept it as is.

All I did was finish the pink borders (originally only the top and bottom pieces were attached) and add the green one.  I figured how could it get any brighter and any more garish?  It's a psychedelic turd...how does that saying go?  If you paint a turd gold, it's still a turd? Something like that.  Well, either way, it's fitting. (And I can hear a handful of y'all from all the way over here..."how many more times is this girl going to say 'turd'?" Probably a few more times.  It's a little funny.)

Another one for the "ready to quilt, someday" pile.

The Ugliest Quilt in the World

Several months ago, I made a quilt out of Tula Pink's Saltwater collection as a sample for the shop.  One of our more colorful characters informed us that is was "the ugliest quilt she has ever seen in her life."

Pictured: The Ugliest Quilt in the World

Frankly, I am pretty fond of the quilt..I mean...there are cephalopods (which I say just because I don't know what the actual correct plural form of Octopus is) on it.  But besides that, it really isn't an aesthetically offensive quilt, unless blues and turquoises aren't your thing.  But after that, I had an idea. What if I tried to make the ugliest quilt in the world?  How would one go about that, making an intentionally ugly quilt? That's kind of subjective, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that jazz, right? Challenge accepted. 

So it occurred to me...all those extra blocks from projects past, all those strips and segments from cutting said blocks, and all those practice blocks that just didn't work out were just sitting in a bag, all sad and lonely.  What if they all got mashed together?  I organized the pieces by colorway: brights, holiday and muted.  With all that, I had enough for three very ugly quilts.  So I set off on making a very bright and garish quilt.  I took my finished blocks and added pieces parts to then until the finished square measured 12.5" square. 

Let me just say, this is probably the most fun I have ever had making a quilt, EVER.  It felt so good to not have to fuss with color placement very much, or what looks good and what doesn't.  It gave me the freedom to just put things together that on an ordinary quilt, I never would have.  Plus, using leftover blocks, you learn real quick what color phases you've gone through over the years. (News Flash: I like orange and bright pink...shocking to no one.) 

And even though it was intended to be ugly and horrible...I really love how it turned out.  To everyone else, this may really be a loud, so-ugly-it-might-be-seizure-inducing quilt, but I am so happy with how it turned out. 

Say hello to the ugliest quilt in the world: 

A funny side note about the dino block...that was one of mom's leftover blocks from a project she made for me...when I was 3.  Just goes to show I have always had strange taste.  Dinos for life!