Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Pizza Box Challenge

Another finish!  Yeah!

In the fall of 2015, the day guild (Near North Quilter's Guild) had a challenge using a pizza box.  Instructions were inside the box on what to do.  We were urged to sign up and have fun.

Where did the pizza boxes come from?  Karen K went to a pizza store and bought a whole bunch of empty boxes.  They must have thought she was a little crazy. 

I signed up and my focus fabric was a 1 metre of blue fabric (quel surprise!) that we had to put inside our pizza box along with one block (two blocks by me because I started one month late) that was made by me and a blank label for each person to sign.  I requested colours that I would like other people taking my box to use.  Shades of green, red, gold, yellow, rust and orange.  Autumn colours.  I had a plan.

Each month, my pizza box was moved around to other people.  Each box had a number (to keep the person a secret) and we could not take the same number box twice.   A different pizza box was taken home by me and a block made and brought back the following month.  We did this for seven/eight months.  Seven months for me because of the late start.

At the end, we were all curious to see what other people did for us.  On reveal day at guild, we could finally claim our pizza box and open it.  It was exciting.  All the participants showed the blocks in their box that day.

I was thrilled, to say the least.  Only a few months later, my top was finished and it did get shown at guild.

For my design, I wanted 12 blocks and ended up making three more blocks to make my quilt larger.  Then 12 leaf blocks were made and then assembled in a different way.  Something different.  You know me by now.  Yes, something different.

So, here we go with a bunch of photos.

I tried taking a photo of my quilt on the huge snowbank outside our back door.  Nope, that didn't work.  It kept falling down.
Over a snowbank.  Doesn't my quilt look good in the snow?  LOL
On top of a snowy and icy patio.  I had to be careful not to slip and fall and hurt myself.


Close up of the blocks.  A number of guild members stayed away from the challenge because they thought they would get wonky blocks.  None of my blocks came back wonky.  They were perfect 12-1/2" square.
I love that leaf block.  It was found in an old quilting magazine and I knew that it would be used on one of my quilts, one day.  This was the quilt.
I had to finally stop taking photos.  It started snowing quite heavily.  These will have to do.

Quilt Detail:
Started:  October 2015
Top Finished:  June 2016
Quilt Finished:  March 2019
Quilt Size:  71-1/4" x 99" (before washing and drying:  73" x 100-3/4")
Batting:  Polyester
Machine Quilted by:  Kat's Quilts

Thank you to Karen K and Evelyn C for organizing the challenge and to Marga, Louise, Mallory, Laura, Jennifer, Cathy and Marilyn for making your blocks.

It was a great challenge and I now have a gorgeous quilt for the fall.  My plan worked out very well! Other members have showed off their finished challenge quilts at guild and now my quilt can be shown too.

On another note, to conclude the story about the elderly lady and her quilt that I finished hand quilting for, she loved her quilt.  She received it in time for her 91st birthday.  Only after it was delivered by my friend to her son and DIL, was it revealed that day was her birthday.  See, there was a reason why I was so consumed in getting her quilt finished.

Here is Dorothy and her quilt.  Perfect for her, don't you agree?  Now, I don't know this lady at all.  Living away in Rouyn/Noranda, Quebec and Toronto for the past 30+ years, there are many people here in town that I don't know.  Perhaps one day we shall meet.  Who knows.  This is a small city after all.
Today, the sun is shining and the temperature is starting to climb.  I think, possibly, that spring might just be coming to our corner of the world.

Have a great day!

Linking to:
http://www.esthersquiltblog.com/
http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

5 comments:

Amy said...

Beautiful! I love your idea for this quilt.

Jennifer said...

Lovely photo of Dorothy and her quilt.....and still cold enough for her to need it! Your quilt looks lovely on the snow. Perhaps when fall arrives you could take another pic among the leaves?

Kyle said...

Your colors look great against your giant snowbank. Its amazing that your blocks all came out the same size. It seems all of the participants were very careful. Your quilt is a great design

eloidastitches said...

A beautiful finish to your pizza box challenge. Love how the colour in all the blocks coordinate so well. Really like that leaf block, as well. Thanks for sharing a picture of "the Birthday girl". what a great surprise that must have been!

Chookyblue...... said...

Wow love the pizza quilt ... . Great colours and love the snow background pics to . .. .
What special timing for the other quilt....