Challenging Challenge!

Way back in February this year when Donna asked several people if they would take part in a challenge which she would host.  

"Yes" I said.  "It will be great, especially as it is using Australian Gum Leaf fabric."  

How difficult can this be?  I wondered to myself.  After all, it's not the first Australian Fabric Challenge I have taken part in.

Boy Oh Boy - if something was going to go wrong, it did on this particular project.  This has been the most cursed project of my existence!

For 4 or 5 months I wondered what I could do that was different to previous projects - because you should challenge yourself with a challenge shouldn't you?   I eventually found a great project in a McCall's Quilting Magazine which looked like waterfalls.  I loved it.  I cut out the blocks and then disaster struck... I had a major oops with my fabric.  Laundry + bleach + hot water = faded fabric - moral of the story - do not knock red wine over in the sewing room when bathroom cleaner is sitting in the laundry sink!  Sheesh... My poor cut out pieces of fabric, they looked like little cleaning rags in the laundry.  The fabric lost all of its colour.  Ordered some more fabric.  It arrived.  Cut out the pieces all over again.  Laid out the quilt -   WHAT WAS I THINKING?  The quilt top looked terrible.  Quite awful in fact.

I put the project aside.  At the same time we had some major family upheavals going on.  I simply couldn't figure out what to do with my cut out pieces of fabric to have them redeem themselves and play nicely together.

Back to the drawing board!

A few weeks later, it happened... Brainwave!  Suddenly an idea hit me like a lightning bolt out of the sky - A BAG.  Yes, that's it.  Make a bag.  Why didn't I think of that before now?  Quickly, only a couple of weeks left until the great unveiling of the Challenge.  I searched through my multitudes of bag making books and patterns until I found it - the perfect pattern.  Now, the pattern gave another challenge; to make my already made and cut out pieces of fabric fit. 

Frogging (unpicking).  Lots and lots of frogging.  A little retro fit of the pattern and voila - it works.  My excitement was mounting because in my minds eye, I could see the finished project and see myself using it.  By this stage, there was less than 1 week left until the dead-line.  I'm sure I can finish this - how long can it really take?

Unfortunately I didn't get my challenge finished in time for the unveiling and a last minute issue meant that I missed out on seeing the other challenge items at the 'reveal' lunch.  Such an anticlimax.  All that work and excitement only to miss out completely.

The photo below shows how far I have gotten with my challenge item.

Although, all is not lost.  I plan to add two zippered pockets to the bag - one outside for keys and the other inside in the lining.  Maybe a mobile phone pocket too.

Watch this space - I plan to show you the completed bag very soon.

And -  I would like to give credit to the ones who completed their challenges - you can view them here - Quilt Challenge 2012.  An incredible group of wonderful and talented ladies.

xxx  Andrea