July Challenge - Log Cabin

July's inspiration is the Log Cabin block.  Such a versatile block!  So many ideas.  I love a wonky log cabin block but there are many traditional interpretations that are just as lovely.  How was I ever going to narrow it down and make a decision?

Before I could spend any time on July's challenge quilt, I was determined to complete a different project that I already had underway...a New York Beauty wall hanging for my mom, which is a story for another time.  But that did give me a chance to let the ideas percolate.  By the time I was ready to start working, even though I hadn't chosen a "feature color" for the month, a rough idea had taken shape in my mind.   With only about a week to bring my vision to life I reverted back to my design as you go and just see what happens method.

First step, create some log cabin inspired flowers.  Once I saw what I had created, it became apparent to me my color for this month would be violet.

In addition to using all Cherrywood fabrics, I have set myself the additonal challenge of using the colors adjacent to my feature color on the rainbow color wheel.  So if violet was to be my color, I would have to work red and indigo into my design.  My flowers would be set on a blue sky background so incorporating the indigo would be no problem.  But where to put the red?  Two more flowers with some red would do the trick.

Now to create the blue sky background.  Easy enough.  Wonky log cabin blocks using various shades of blue- including indigo of course.  And every blue sky needs a bright shining sun.

Really moving along now.  All the background blocks and flowers were finished.  But now for the hard part.  Deciding on a layout for the flowers.  I experimented with various arrangements and ultimately chose this one.

Which only lead to more decisions.  What color should the stems be?  What size should they be?  Where/how should they be placed?  To leaf or not to leaf?  What if I clustered the leaves at the base of two stem clusters, like Gerbera Daisies?  That works.  When trying to determine just how big to make the leaves, I placed some random triangle shaped scraps on the quilt top and eureka!  That was exactly what was needed to complement the whimsical look of the flowers.

Once everything was appliqued in place I realized these could just as easily be African Violets as Gerbera Daisies.  Perfect since I was going for violet as my feature color.

Without any conscious thought on my part, violet became the feature color, and the flowers became African Violet plants.  My friend Sheryl Z. suggested a name which I thought was just right.

 Everything's Coming Up Violets

To see all the other amazing quilt being created for this challenge, check out the 

July challenge web page