A week for experimenting

I feel like I've been in a creative rut for a few months. This week I'm mixing things up a bit and it's doing wonders for my energy level. I'm looking forward to sharing some of my trials over the next couple days, but today's project is definitely the one I'm most excited about.

When I got back into quilting and sewing three years ago, it had everything to do with the discovery of Moda Fabrics. I absolutely love how their fabric is released in design collections and I'm nutty over their precuts. It is the fastest way to getting that patchwork quilt feel without having to invest in a large stash to mix and match. All of the projects I've done have used fabrics from one single collection, I've been too scared to branch out. Why would I when the designers did the hard work for me? Stick to the options from a collection and I'm guaranteed to like the outcome.

There's nothing wrong with that method. I have some gorgeous blankets to prove it. But, it is starting to feel a little like taking the easy way out. I was so impressed when my friend Lindsay branched out with a totally different fabric for the back of her quilt and I'm so pleased with the final outcome. I decided to suck it up and try something a little different.

I've been hanging onto 2 charm packs of Hunky Dory fabric for well over a year. I love that the pink and blue flowers in the line remind me of Little Pea's nursery. I've been meaning to make a Wild Thing quilt for the girls and I to snuggle under together but I haven't wanted to invest in the remaining fabric necessary for the borders, binding, and back. Since I held out so long, Hunky Dory is super hard to find anywhere so it was the perfect project to try my first mixing experiment.

I'm going to use:

2 Hunky Dory charm packs (left)
A big bold yellow floral from Sandi Henderson's Meadowsweet
A pink and red berry print and an aqua polka dot from Bonnie & Camille's Bliss

I still haven't purchased the back fabric, so who knows where that will come from. I want to see the full top before I commit to such a large piece. These colors and prints make my eyes so happy. I've got them stacked here on my desk just to enjoy them until I cut in. 

And as for the rest of the fabric in that pile in the top photo, I have some fun projects up my sleeve for sharing another day. You'll just have to stop by again to find out!