No Girls Allowed Quilt Bee 2 – Round Four

The No Girls Allowed Quilt Bee 2 band has not split up. We are still going as strong as New Kids on the Block in 1989. I had a brief Joey McIntyre moment where I went a bit ego-crazy, but that’s only because I’m the cute one. Whew! Glad that’s over! Anyway, when I received Giucy Giuce’s quilt from John Q. Adams, I encountered all shades of Oh Dear. This colour palette is not in my wheel house. In fact, it is so far from my wheel house I thought about sending it back to John so he could have another go at steering the ship. But no, if Giucy (normally a rainbows type of guy) wants to wear autumnal eye shadow, how could I refuse?!

Previously, John had added the feather to the bottom of the bear (I’ll get to that) and the rows of triangles to the side and one on the bottom. After I finished scratching my head, and reading numerous suggestions on Instagram, I decided the bear looked a bit hungry so needed some fish. I had recently seen Sarah No Hats In the House Sharp’s Folksy Fish pattern at QuiltCon (coincidentally, at the Crimson Tate booth where fellow NGAQB2 member David Barnhouse works, and across the QuiltCon aisle from the Andover booth where Giucy works. Talk about when worlds collide!) I also knew that Giucy and Sarah are quilty friends and it would be a nice homage to that friendship to use her pattern. Wow! And what a pattern it is! Curved, paper-piecing–have you ever even-even? As a mini sidebar review: the Folksy Fish pattern is very well written with clear instructions creating lots of opportunities for making the fish your own, and making something terrifying a complete joy in the end. Highly recommended!

After I had finished the fish swimming in a collage of low value creams, I really couldn’t fathom putting them above the bear. However, John’s beautiful feather was currently below. It all seemed upside down to my logical brain, and I knew what needed to be done. Before going full on diva, I messaged John to make sure he didn’t mind me ripping out his work. He gave the green light, so I went about reconstructing the layout of this quilt. Now, as you can see, the fish can swim happily below, and the feather (birds) can fly above … that is until the bear eats them both. The food chain is a bitch like that. Roar.

I finished everything off by extending the side-triangle borders, and adding another triangle border to the bottom. I’m loving how many fabrics are in this quilt. It’s so organic and painterly, which allows your eye to search out details continuously. After the fact, it also felt really good to stretch myself with this colour palette so I’m thinking I might look good in autumnal eye shadow too! I’ve sent it on to Nicholas Quilts From the Attic Ball who is going to have himself an improv-gasm. I know this will be right up his alley, and I can’t wait to see what he does with it.