Colorado 4x4

Colorful Colorado Quilt Guild challenge.
State wide, 100% Colorado.
We all used these 4- fabrics from Free Spirit:

Each guild had their own guidelines: Here were mine from the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild:

Rules

1. 1. Each participant will receive a fat quarter of each color.
2. 2. You may add ANY other fabrics you would like, we only ask that you use at least a visible amount of each of these solids.
3. 3. You must make a finshed and bound quilt (top, batting, back) that is at least 40" x 40".
4. 4. The quilts must be submitted at the May 2014 FRMQG meeting (Note: this date is subject to an extension depending on the venue for displaying the quilts. It will not be sooner than May, though).
5. 5. You will be the owner of your quilt. There is no expectation of anyone donating or selling these quilts -- this is for fun. 
6. 6. The following Colorado MQG guilds are also participating: Ft Collins, Boulder, Pueblo.
7. 7. The goal is to display all of the completed quilts in a non-juried, non-judged, non-threatening venue to simply raise awareness of modern quilting and, more importantly, collaborate with the other modern quilt guilds in Colorado.

Each person was left to their own devices as to the pattern they chose and how to put these 4 fat quarters to good use.

Front, seeing the quilt at a distance makes me realize, that choosing to mix fabrics while piecing really gives the impression that these colored "turbines" are moving. Something I wasn't planning but am thrilled about none-the-less. Adding the shadow "turbine" in the lower left corner, pieced from low volume text prints and the darker gray one in the lower right corner anchors the quilt without taking away from the "colorful" components.

 Title: "Colorado 4x4"

Size: 84 x 81"

Design: original, built from half rectangles, front and back. Back pieced with "left-over" pieces from from piecing the front. (see discussion here).

Materials (front and back): Free spirit challenge fabrics in Salmon, Lime, Hyacinth and Saffron. Kona white, snow, ash, coal, charcoal and tan. Various other 100% cotton fabrics in grays, off white and text prints.

Batting: 100% cotton warm and natural

Thread:  piecing and quilting- Aurifil 100% cotton, Mako 50 wt off white, #2021

Quilting: Modified swiggle stitch (Bernina)

This quilt needed to have a Colorado "story".  Mine isn't deep or profound. I just found as I starting cutting and piecing and then laying out the half-rectangles that I had lots of 4's going on. Like Colorado's 4-corners region, Coloradans love of all things outdoors, like their 4 seasons or taking your 4-wheel drive to the trial  heads for Colorado's famous "Four-teeners". The 4, colored half rectangles make good modern 4-blade wind turbines. I think you get the picture. Lot's of 4's hence the title, "Colorado 4x4".

pieced back

pieced back

The quilts will be displayed for the first time together as a group on Saturday, June 21st, at the Berthoud Quilt Show from 10am till 4 pm at Finkel Park, 700 Mountain Avenue-  incase any of you are in the area and want to see all the quilts hanging in their Colorado glory!

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