Labyrinth

Here is Labyrinth. Labyrinth is a simple log cabin with logs that finish at 1" wide. The labyrinth forms from the way you place the colours. I pieced the log cabin differently than I usually do - basically I pieced two rows at a time, with the second row one log behind the first.



Labyrinth is my Emerald Challenge quilt and finished at 20" x 19". She is made of various green prints and solids with Kona White. I explained my inspiration for Labyrinth in an earlier post here, I said:

"I have long wanted to make a log cabin that was a labyrinth, and the Emerald Challenge seemed like the right time. Green makes me think of gardens and then I thought of hedges and lawns and that took me to the labyrinth. When my son reminded me that Theseus had escaped the Labyrinth by following a thread, well there was no turning back - the inspiration had hit."



I put a bird in the centre of my Labyrinth, instead of a Minotaur. I was thinking it might be more like the canary in a coal mine, which, I know, totally mixes the metaphors or something like that but whatever. I quilted her heavily - about 7 lines in an inch of space - and washed her to get the greens to puff and wrinkle.



I puzzled over the binding until my other son asked me if I could make it two colours, to carry on the colour changes and make you wonder if this was the full labyrinth or a portion of it. Taking inspiration and guidance (excellent tutorial is here) from my friend Debbie at A Quilter's Table, I did as he suggested.



Her back is Essex linen in olive green. I blogged about my search for the Pantone Emerald, which is the colour of the year, here. In the end, Labyrinth is a celebration of greens, tending toward the emerald side but she also shows how many greens can work together so well.



This little quilt looks so good on my cherry dining room table. I expect she can rest here often.



That picture above is Labyrinth before I washed her. I really debated washing this mini - did I want the pristine flatness or did I want texture and a rougher look.



In the end, I chose texture - more in keeping with my inspiration to give you an impression of  walls, hedges, walkways, grass, depending on how you look at her - this last picture is after washing as are all the pictures except the one. And now she can safely lay on the table as a spill or two will not matter as back in the wash she can go.

The flickr group of all the beautiful Emerald quilts in progress is here. And I am linking her to Ali at a.squared.w to formally join in the contest. There will be many beautiful quilts linked there - the contest closes on St. Patrick's Day, I hope you have time to visit them.

The post travel lurgy has hit, I am trying to pretend I don't have a terrible cold and heading off to work, wish me luck and enjoy your day.

Best,

Leanne