Friday, August 08, 2008

Fungly blocks!

We had a blast making Tonya and Bonnie's fungly blocks at last night's Project Linus worknight. The Fungly (fun + ugly) Challenge is to use your ugly fabrics to make a really fun quilt.It's a perfect project for using donated fabrics. Our guild members very generously supply us with lots of fabric for making Project Linus quilts, but sometimes the pieces are small, the fabric is dated, or the designs are not really cheerful or appropriate for children. We try to use them as creatively as possible, but it can be challenging! If you click on the above photo, you'll get a better idea of the variety of fabrics we have to work with -- big prints, calicos, novelty fabrics, brights, pastels...
I precut some 3-1/2" strips yesterday and cut fabric for a couple blocks, too. I set them out with a bag full of fabric ends for people to choose what they wanted. You can see in the photo that I also printed up pictures of one of Tonya's blocks as well as her finished quilt top to show people what the Fungly Challenge is all about. We used the Easy Angle ruler that Bonnie recommends to cut the triangles. Being able to use only one size strip for all the pieces is easier for a group than having strips of different widths for triangles and squares. I encouraged people to be free and not to worry, but I've learned that when working with a group, there's always lots of variation anyway. Our guild has members whose superb technical skills have won them national awards, and at worknights we also get walk-ins who have never sewn a stitch! We'll make it all come together when we put on the sashing.
These are two of my favorite blocks. I wish I had thought to photograph that red fabric before I cut it up (we just had a very small piece). It's lip prints, like you'd get if you put on lipstick and then kissed a mirror. Very cute, but not really the best choice for a Linus quilt! We can use it here, though. And look at those adorable roosters in the next block! They are a lot more fun when cut up and re-assembled!

17 comments:

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

That looks like the Joe Boxer glow in the dark lips that I used on my self portrait. It looks like you had fun.

Cathi said...

Those blocks look like fun -- and will make for a really bright, fun quilt!

Joyce said...

It's amazing how the ugliest fabrics look great if you put enough of them together. My theory is that there is no such thing as a really ugly fabric. They just need the right friends to play with.

Quiltdivajulie said...

What a GREAT way to participate in the FUNGLY challenge... I have a plan, but it is on the back burner until the flying monkeys have departed the design wall :-)

sewkalico said...

Wonderful. The true meaning of 'cute': ugly, but nice!

Magpie Sue said...

I had a go at some fungly blocks too but I'm afraid I got overly analytical... Must try again!

Rosalyn Manesse said...

I love it! As soon as I get this quilt I'm working on done, I'm going to give fungly a shot. I have so much old and silly fabric. Thanks for you comment about my quilting in sections. I explain that on an old post. I made the quilt in 2 sections, quilt it and then I join them.

Tazzie said...

Loving those fungly blocks. It took me a little to figure out what was going on when I saw your status on facebook *s*
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

Tonya Ricucci said...

Wheee, these came out fabulously. It all goes together, it's fun, there are new block designs... woohoo!!!

em's scrapbag said...

I love the blocks. I am going to have to try it. I have tons of donated fabric that I intend to use for kids with cancer. Your idea was the inspiration I needed

meggie said...

Great work, & I am sure children would be intrigued with all the colours, & fragmented items.

jillytacy said...

Fungly blocks... sounds like lots of fun! They all look good. Looking at the blocks you'd never know they come from ugly fabrics! I think I have some fabrics that I could use for some fungly blocks!

Diane said...

These blocks turned out great! Fun ~ yes. Ugly ~ no. Great group project.

quiltingnana said...

Serendipity...that's the word that came to mind when I looked at the block with the rooster print...it is great!

Helen in the UK said...

What a great project to use for a group sew-in. Glad you've found a way to use up lots of 'odd' donation fabrics!! Bet the blocks will make some fantastic Linus quilts :)

Bonnie K. Hunter said...

Love it love it love it! I have had so much fun with these too! I need to make more. I'm going for full bed size..*LOL*

BizarreQuilter said...

These look fabulous! I might use this idea for our next charity quilts...

Loz in Oz