Red Sky at Night - Bonus Project Quilting Challenge

"Red Sky at Night" 16.25" x 29.75", made for Project Quilting Bonus Challenge: Tradition Times Three, May 2013

Quick recap of the challenge: "Tradition Times Three"

1. Use 10 of the 12 fabrics in the "Project Quilting Bundle" from the Fat Quarter Shop in the top of the quilt.

2. You can add two additional fabrics.

3. Choose a traditional block and use it in at least three different sizes.

Because some of the fabrics in the bundle had a nautical theme, I decided I wanted to use a quilt square that also had a water theme. I went to my "5,500 Quilt Block Design" book by Maggie Malone and started looking for a block.

I found the "Sailboat" block. I noticed if I turned the sailboat block sideways and made a small alteration, it would look like a fish. In the spirit of the challenge when I made the sailboat block, I made the altered block even though it isn't obvious because I used the same fabric for all three pieces.

I reviewed the fabric in the bundle and decided I not to use the one in the upper left hand corner or the one below it (too much contrast). I did use them on the back of the quilt.

I added two medium blues (the second to the bottom and third to the bottom on my quilt) because I felt the jump from the lighter blues to the navy blue was too much.

I pieced my three traditional blocks (the sailboat is 12" square, the larger fish 6" square, and the smaller fish 4" square) and I enjoyed using the striped fabrics for the boat and for the fish. I've used striped fabric before for bindings and borders but haven't really incorporated them into the designs like I did with this one.

I didn't like using the checkerboard fabric as it turns out the squares are exactly square. One piece got turned sideways and it didn't line up like I expected it to.

I decided to use a scalloped quilting line for all of the quilting: the waves in the water (variegated blue), the fins on the red part of the fish (red), on the boat and the sail (cream), and in the red background on an angle to represent the wind pushing the sails (cream).

I did a facing for the binding and added two buttons for eyes on the fish.

As always, you can click on any photo to see it larger.

To see the other entries go to the Tradition Times Three page (sorry, there will be clicking involved but there are only nine entries so it's not too bad).