Back in September, Thomas Knauer of Thomas Knauer Sews shared with GenQ readers his pattern for a scrappy pillow project and then offered a challenge. He would send 30 readers a package of 40 small scrap squares from his stash. Those participants could make anything they wanted, but they had to use at least 30 of the 40 scraps and they had to add at least one solid. Lots of people entered the random drawing to be chosen, and of the 30 who were, 17 turned in photos of their projects on time. The GenQ staff spent countless agonizing hours examining each entry to determine the top five and then we pretty much went all Fight Club on each other to pick the winners from there. (If you count lots of chatty emails as “going all Fight club,” which I do.)
So, without further ado or specious embellishment, the winners are:
Honorable Mentions:
Don’t Worry, Be Scrappy by M-R Charbonneau
M-R says, of her creation, “Since the colours of the scraps were all over the place, I decided to focus on the values and see what I could do with those. We could only add solids so to help focus on the values, I just added one solid – black. For the quilting, I continued on the value theme. I had a pack of Wonderfil with eight values ranging from pink to burgundy. I used those for the quilting. I also tried a facing binding for the first time, using Susan Brubaker Knapp’s awesome tutorial. Love this look!”
We asked Thomas to weigh in on each of the five winners as well, and this is what he had to say about M-R’s creation: “I love the tonal flow created with all the half-square triangles, such great movement. But what really makes this quilt is how the quilting follows the rhythms of the piecing; the variety of motifs really picks up on the scrappy nature of the challenge.”
Notions Organizer by Rachael Arnold
Rachael says, “My brain has been in organize, organize, organize! mode, so rather than a quilt or pillow of sorts, I ended up making an organizer for notions, so that I can easily tote around the ones I use regularly. It’s approximately 7″×11″ when folded closed (but a bit bulging, when full).”
Thomas: “While I love the flow of the scrappy strips on the outside of the sewing kit, what really gets me are the scrappy pin cushions on the inside. Those two touches of scrap just tie the inside and outside together so fantastically, and are a really creative solution for getting a reminder of the challenge in the utilitarian interior.”
Third Place
Small Quilt by Amy Nguyen Newbold
Amy took inspiration from one of Thomas’ fabrics and created this small quilt by piecing the blocks and then cutting out the shapes and attaching them to white fleece with raw edge applique. Looks like baby Pepper likes it too!
Thomas: “Such an elegant solution. I always love when quilters cut simple patchwork into curves; the unlikely shapes that come about never fail to delight me. A delightful approach to a color wheel, especially with an adorable toddler atop it.”
Second Place
Off to Oz, by Kit Lang
Kit says, “I confess I had the quilt designed before I even got the scraps. I was going to go one of two ways depending on what the scraps looked like. I got the scraps in the mail on a Thursday night, and when I opened them and saw the little monkey butt (my favourite) and the little pigs and cats, I knew immediately that ‘Oz’ it was, so I whipped it up that weekend.”
Thomas: “I love how this one truly embraces the idea of the challenge; rather than try to force the scraps to work together it revels in unlikely combinations. I just love the chaotic quilting and thematic interpretation; it seriously reminds me of my studio two weeks ago.”
And the First Place winner is…
White Wedding, by Flaun Cline
Flaun’s small quilt is a modern interpretation of the traditional Double Wedding Ring. She was able to sort her scraps into warm and cool colors for each “ring” and of the quilting, she says, “I couldn’t decide which color thread to use on the dark/cool ring (blue, green, purple, or black), so I used them all! It made for a few more starts and stops, but I really like how it looks.” So do we. Congratulations, Flaun!
Thomas: “This is such a wonderful piece; it so thoroughly shows that a quilt is about the quilt, not the fabric, that any fabric can find a fabulous home. The arrangement of the pieces really emphasizes tone and color over pattern, making it about the quilt as a whole rather than any particular piece. Bravo!”
So as far as the prizes go, Jake’s dug through her bag of tricks and came up with lots of books to spread around for all of the winners, as well as some fabrics, tools and a pattern or two. When the Mail Slave (though we think she’s preferring Mail Goddess these days) arrives next week, packages will be sent out right away. Promise!
COMMENT #1
Oh, I love ALL the entries posted here… I can tell it was difficult to choose a first prize! Congrats to all the winners!!!!!!!
COMMENT #2
Fabulous entries, all very worthy winners, and such great and diverse ideas
COMMENT #3
Well done everyone! Challenges can be, well, a challenge and you all rose to it brilliantly!! White wedding is a deserving winner. I love the simplicity of it and always enjoy ‘zoomed in’ views of a well known motif that our mind can easily complete from experience. The portion of two interlocking rings in warm /cool opposites is just fantastic.
COMMENT #4
I can see why it was so difficult to choose the winners! These are all great!
COMMENT #5
Love all the entries you’ve shown (is it possible for you to do links to all 17 entries? I tried googling and only came up with the one’s you’ve shown here plus one other.)
And wow – so pleased with second place and so happy to be in such great company!
It was a really fun challenge. Looking forward to another one!
Kit
COMMENT #6
Congratulations to everyone – these are such wonderful quilts! Flaun’s interpretation of double wedding ring knocks my socks off!
COMMENT #7
wow – what awesome, inspiring quilts!
COMMENT #8
I love to see what 5 different minds come up with for having been given the same challenge. The white wedding is beautiful (as are the others, too), but that one calls out to me in its simplicity and elegance.
COMMENT #9
AWESOME! I’m a big pile of squee right now, especially since the other entries (a few of which I had seen and was nervous about) are absolutely fabulous. Thank you SO MUCH!!! I hope you’ll send me a ribbon, since I’m not keeping this lovely piece. It’s the first time I’ve ever won a quilting competition and I’m going to savor it.
COMMENT #10
Aw, thanks so much, Thomas and the GenQ gang! This was such a fun challenge. The winning quilts are stunning. Congrats! Wow!
COMMENT #11
Well done. I would love to see all the projects.
COMMENT #
Ask and you shall receive. We’ll post the pics on our Flckr page as soon as I figure out how to do that. (I’m SO challenged sometimes!) Or Megan will take pathetic pity on me and do it sooner…
COMMENT #
I’ll try to do it tonight when I am back on my home computer!
COMMENT #12
Wow. I think you guys were right on with your first place choice. I liked them but when I scrolled down to the winner I loved it. How fun.
COMMENT #
Aw shucks, Cathy! Glad you agreed!
COMMENT #13
This was a lot of fun. I love the winning quilts and can’t wait to see the other entries. I’m inspired and amazed that you included my organizer with the gorgeous quilts!
COMMENT #14
I love all of them. All of them. All. All. Of. Them.
Flaun’s is super gorgeous and awesome and I want it. I don’t want to make one. I just want one.
I’m thinking Rachael should write a tutorial for that organizer.
I can’t wait to see the rest of them.
COMMENT #15
What fantastic and creative designs. I’m Thomas’ mom and it’s so exciting to see what people can come up with when challenged. Bravo to all!
COMMENT #16
Congratulations to all! I don’t know how y’all managed to actually PICK a first place entry – they are all so amazing!
The Challenge was a lot of fun to do (and I was offered $$ for mine – now I have to find out if she was serious! LOL), and considering that I had NO solids in my stash, was a new stretch for me too.
Thanks for all the fun!
COMMENT #17
These are fabulous!!!