"On the plains of Oklahoma, with a windshield sunset in your eyes like a watercolor painted sky, you'd think heavens doors have opened."
Fly Over States



Monday, November 30, 2009

Dare to be Ugly Challenge Results


I mentioned in an earlier post that I was in an HGTV Dare to be Ugly Challenge.

I positively HATED the fabric but it was a good excuse to try out a few things that I wouldn't want to "waste" good fabric on.



In an effort to irradicate the cats, I chose a pattern that required thin strips.  When I cut the strips, I actually turned the fabric sideways so that I would be slicing diagnonally.  Anything to get rid of them.  I did a wonky modified log cabin, inspired by Jacquie, one of my quilting heroes.  I can't compare with her fabulous work and you ought to go take a look at it.  Jacquie does really simple quilting and I thought I would give some straight line quilting a try.  Wow - that didn't take any time at all on the longarm!

Finally, because I had to use 90% of the nasty fabric and I had a few pieces left over, I pieced the backing, which is something I'd been wanting to try for a long time. 



The results came in, today, and I tied for second place!  There were so many creative projects and I am very impressed with the entries. 

Here is a link to the HGTV message board that shows the winning entries.   Oh wait, if you aren't signed in, you can't see the pictures. 

But here is a link to a flickr photo album that has mutliple pictures of all the entries. 

Special prize went to #16.
#'s 14 and 18 tied for 4th place runner up
#'s 3 and 6 tied for third place
#'s 2 and 11 tied for second place
# 7 won first place!

Happy Quilting,

Penny, Evelyn and Pearl

13 comments:

bingo~bonnie said...

Penny your quilt (project #2) was the very one I voted for! I love the contemporary style of the pattern and as I browsed thru the photos I asked myself if I could take home my choice of any one of these which would I want - and then it was easy to pick! Your quilt was my choice :) for anything i could have... thinking about it that way is much easier than me trying to determine which is "best"

I hope that in the end that you were happy with it and that it no longer appeared to be the ugly hideous fabric that you first saw when you started this challenge. ;)
I think it really did turn out great!

Love from Texas! ~bonnie

Thearica said...

I am so proud of the results of this challenge! We WILL do another one soon!

Congrats on the win. I have put a post on the board for the winners to pm me their addys. I know I have had yours before but I didnt keep it for some reason. I am senile sometimes. :)

Lady Beekeeper said...

Thanks, Bonnie. Having the ugly fabric allowed me to try something I have wanted to do, anyway. Thearica - thanks for the motivation!

I didn't vote for my quilt, though - there was another one (or two) that I liked better!

Anonymous said...

I hope the prize isn't more of the fabric - one yard for first place, two for second place. :)

Everyone did a great job. There were several I wanted to vote for.

Janet

BilboWaggins said...

You are right, that fabric is deeply horrible! I would have been tempted to over-dye it - solid black!

I have made many distorted log cabin quilts, so many that it is in danger of becoming my signature style {grin} Love to do it, very relaxing and the results are always good.

jacquie said...

first, congratulations!!! second, i'm so happy for you and i really do think you were able to transform this hideous fabric into something wonderful! it's fun to see it in all its glory!

Anonymous said...

I share second with you Penny! I am in good company!
-karol

Lady Beekeeper said...

B'gosh, Karol and I is quilting buddies!!:)

Shogun said...

So you made that one? I voted for you! It was one of my favorites. Nice job.

Miriam said...

Congratulations on your win!

Great idea to piece the back. I haven't tried that before.

Lady Beekeeper said...

Thanks for the vote!

ranette said...

Wow Penny! You made some really ugly fabric look great. Great contemporary quilt and quilting! Congrats on taking home 2nd!

Stephanie D said...

Congrats! See--no fabric is ugly if you cut it into small enough pieces--and apparently if you also turn it diagonally!