Design and complete a small work that is a “non-traditional shape” or odd-shape quilt. The interpretations for this element are unlimited. The quilt might be round, oval or hexagonal, for example. It might be a rectangle that has out-jutting parts, or a square quilt that has the center cut out. Or a long snake of a piece, 6 inches x 6 feet, or a free-standing sculptural quilt.  Or several separate quilts attached together some way.  Another interpretation might be a quilt with a large 3-D shape attached to it (think pregnant belly protrusion, or Mick Jagger sticking his tongue out). The quilt might be many parts hung together with some type of scaffolding system.

 

Ann Turley
Walnut, CA

Birch View
11" round
Commercial fabrics,cellophane ribbon, novelty yarns and charms.

My favorite quilt made with FFFC, this quilt started out to be an underwater view through a porthole. However, the more I worked on it the more it didn't want to be an underwater scene. Instead, it evolved into a look deep into the forest between the birch trees. The border contains many hidden charms and buttons.

 

Betty Donahue
Wethersfield, CT

No Bake Biscuits
18 x 16
Cotton and embellishments

Fabric biscuits attached to the green strips with beads.  To keep it hanging straight 1/4" dowels are sewn into the strips with gold stars added to give it a little pizzazz.

 

Brenda Jennings
Columbus, Ohio

Fiesta    
18  x 24 “ 
Commercial cottons; Fused and hand applique; free-motion quilted with metallic threads.

 

Cherie Brown
Del Mar, California

La Mariposa
18”x21”
Aluminum foil; hand dyed silks and cottons; velvet; metallics; tulle;swarovski crystal beads. 

The wings and body are made free standing and poseable with 4 layers of aluminum foil plus batting as center layer of “sandwich”.

 

Cathy Lewis
Pawtucket, RI

Poinsettia Wreath
21" diameter
individual flowers fussy cut, quilted and sewn together to form a wreath

 

Cynthia Ann Morgan
Boulder, CO

Green is Good
20 x 15"
Commercial and hand dyed cotton, fused appliqué and curved piecing

Ecology in flag form. I used a distorted rectangle shape for this piece resembling the American flag. Commercial and hand dyed cotton fabrics, curved piecing, fused applique, machine quilting with cotton thread, quilt edge is zigzag stitched twice around, a few glass beads added, then painted the back of the quilt with a glue/water solution and formed curves and let dry. I hung it using Command Strips (removable velcro type picture hangers)

This was quick and fun. I'm not very political, so I was surprised this came out of me. I do care about the environment, recycling, global warming, etc. I guess that's what it's about!

 

Linda Cline
San Leandro, CA

The Shape of You, The Shape of Me
17 x 14”
Cotton fabrics, fused

The idea was inspired by 'The Shape of Me and Other Stuff' by Dr. Seuss, and the title is a quote from the book. I traced photos of my family to create the composition for this quilt.  I used Robbi Joy Eklow's  Puzzle Quilt  fusing technique to construct the quilt.  The white areas are holes that have been cut from the quilt. The shapes and edges are finished with free motion satin stitch.

 

Marlene A. Koons
Auburn, California

This a-way 
I used my hand dyed fabric strips and just started sewing.   The idea of the arrow just appeared as the unusual shape!   Now I can hang it for lots of occasions...to tell my mood, point the way to a treasure, direct the creative forces...

Marilyn Rose
Ridgeland, MS

Vacation 2006   
10x10.5"
commercial fabrics with felt batting and felt as a hanging mechanism

This was the odd-shaped challenge, and I chose to make it totally 3-dimensional. Commercial landscape prints, in an accordion fold, so that you get a different view from the right side than from the left. Based on a piece in the Creative Quilting book.

Marilyn Rose
Ridgeland, MS

Infinity
26.5x41.5"

striped fabric and a wedge ruler

I used a wedge ruler to play with a striped fabric to create some movement and cause actual movement to take place within the quilt. Yes, those are holes in the center of both circles, carefully bound after quilting. I now teach a class based on this technique.

Sue Andrus
Towanda, PA

Christmas tree pin
1 1/2"x2"

During the time for this challenge, I designed a new pin to sell at my
shows. It is a 2" tall pieced Christmas tree, decorated with various
beads and crystals, and topped off with a silver hummingbird bead.

 

Tobi K. Hoffman
Ashland, MA

The Clown
18 1/2" x 13" s 5"
Cotton, Minky, fleece, satin and added eyes, Polyfil stuffing

The head shape started with a plastic bag stuffed with Polyfil, then muslin sewn to create a starting shape, and then white on white starry cotton.  The lips and nose are red satin, the hair a mix of purple and green curly fake fur.  Scraps of fleece went into the hat, along with a cockatiel feather.  I added the ruff after my original posting.

 

Valerie Paige Stiles
San Diego, CA

Six Degrees of Connection

I wanted to create some sort of puzzle in several small pieces, not unlike the little brain-teaser puzzles my mother used to put in my Christmas stocking. The result is a piece I call "Six Degrees of Connection." (The title is a twist on the six-degrees-of-separation game that I'm sure you're all familiar with. Plus my little shapes are the symbol for temperature degree, ie, a circle) 

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