31 Days of Finding Quilt Inspiration in Real Life

So…. I think it’s probably time to start playing fair again. 🙂 Finding quilt inspiration in volcanos might be fun, but as I admitted earlier, it is hardly everyday for most people, and certainly not for me. That said, you can take any landscape that you love and turn it into an abstract half-square triangle quilt like I did for Tanna Island. All you need is a grid of half-square triangles (HSTs) and some coloured pencils, or Inkscape software (a free open-source program similar to Illustrator).

As a small thank you for reading along, I am adding a downloadable pdf today of the HST grid I used for the quilt design I showed yesterday. You can download the grid here: HST grid and use it to design your own abstract landscapes.

I am also happy to share the .svg file for this grid if you are using Inkscape, to save you drawing up your own. However you will need to contact me with a valid email address, as WordPress does not allow direct uploads of .svg files. The advantage of using Inkscape (or other drawing software) rather than pencils and paper, is that you can colour in the triangles with the colour picker and change them easily until you are satisfied. 

Anyway, I probably should have thought of these additions yesterday, but it was 10pm before the internet here would accept my post. And I was feeling seedy from a travellers’ tummy bug thing. So here they are now. And I am feeling much better, so it’s time for…..

Finding Quilt Inspiration in the Everyday: Day 9

I have to admit that I woke up uninspired for a topic for the Everyday Quilt Inspiration slot today. For the first time.  Usually I have to choose from ideas, thankfully. But this situation didn’t last long, as my children decided to play a game of chess. And that reminded me of a set of quilts that I have wanted to make for a very long time. Picnic quilts that double as games.

Which Picnic Quilts would I like to make?

The possibilities are almost endless, but here are some of my favourites that I think would make fun picnic quilts:

• Hopscotch
• Snakes and ladders (or any variety of this game)
• Chess and/or Checkers
• Chinese checkers
• Backgammon
• Othello/Reversi

The trick is to make it big! Small picnic rugs are a pain for everyone except romantically inclined couples. And who doesn’t love an oversized game? Not many kids, that’s for sure! The playing pieces could be made as quilted discs (appliquéd with details if required for games such as Chess) or as beanbags or similar. Or use your plates as playing pieces!!  🙂 Coleslaw takes the sausages! LOL.

I would make my quilt with storage pockets, or even as a quillow with carry handles. The hardest decision is which game to make first?!

Chess is probably a good one to start with…. the board is super simple, and could be made from practice FMQ quilting squares put together as quilt-as-you-go. Any two contrasting colours will do, so you can make it to suit your preferences. Only trouble for me is, chess is the one board game I detest. Always have. Maybe I should start with backgammon…..

Which board game would you most like to turn into a picnic quilt? Or a play mat. I just suggest perhaps not to put the hopscotch quilt on the bed……. 🙂

See you again tomorrow… it’s Colour Inspiration Tuesday!

P.S. Are you following along on the Art with Fabric blog hop tour? Start here to see all the fabric art creations on this quilt-hop-with-a-difference.

P.P.S. I revisited this subject on Day 19…. jump forward to find more ideas on picnic quilts using noughts and crosses, hopscotch and backgammon.