"He that leaves nothing to chance will do few things ill, but he will do very few things."
George Saville, 1st Marquess of Halifax
Last month my quest was to finish 2 UFOs(unfinished objects) from my bin. The first item started out as a stack of flannel quilt blocks that I really had not decided how to put together. I am happy to say that it has become one of my favorite items that I have listed in my Etsy shop.The second item was a wall hanging that was the result of a round robin activity that I did with a group of fellow qulters. A round robin is a group project that starts with a list of quilters. Each quilter maks a center medallion or block of any size, sometimes using a particular theme and sometimes chosing a theme of their own. Once each quilter has their center done they pass their block on to the next person on their list and that person adds a round to the original block center. The idea is to keep continuity with the design and color scheme of the center block and each quilter tries to add a round done in a different technique also.
Basically you are leaving it to chance that in the end you will have a completed quilt top that you are happy with. The theme for this round robin was Spring and I tried out a new technique that I had just learned. I made a traditional basket block and added some very non traditional flowers done is an abstract technique that were machine appliqued using a satin stitch. I sent it on to my fellow quilters and each one added what they felt looked best and it finally made it's way back to me.
Unfortunately sometimes what you get back is not necessarily what you expected. I loved most of the work done on my block but in an effort to return the top to me in a timely manner one of my friends hastily added a rick-rack "handle" to my basket. I apreciated her efforts but in the end I decided to remove the rick-rack because I felt that it detracted from the center rather than enhanced it. I had taken a risk and expanded my visions and although not totally happy I was not really disappointed either.
I managed to finish my wall hanging a few days before my January deadline and this is what I now have to show for my efforts of trying something new.
May each of us always keep trying something new so that we may do many things that will eventually enhance our lives.