Sunday 14 April 2013

The Liberté Egalité Fraternité Cushion - Le Challenge

So not everything turns out quite as you envisioned it but this is my entry for Lucy and Nat's monthly Le Challenge. The theme is geometrics and I used the humble rectangle.


Inspired by Rita's thouroughly modern and bright Liberty Lifestyle cushion, I thought I might try something similar using my Liberty tana lawn charms which I have been collecting from Ali over the last year. But compared to Rita's, this is definitely old school!


I cut the charms in half and alternated the layout so that they resembled bricks. I wish now that I had thrown in some of my low volume charms from Laura Jane's recent swap so that the crazy riot of colour and design was broken up but as I remind myself on a daily basis - it's a cushion (or a quilt). If it's less than perfect or I don't really like it, it really isn't the end of the world.


As frequent nominee and winner of the most unadventurous quilter award, I straight line quilted it by echoing the seams first vertically and then horizontally.

I backed it in some Tanya Whelan fabric that a friend recently donated to me after moving house making a simple envelope closure. The cushion form is 22" and this piece of fabric was big enough to fit!


So this retro style cushion shows that perhaps I really am a seventies child!  Thanks to Lucy and Nat for hosting.  For more adventurous interpretations of the monthly theme, click on the button below.

Le Challenge

34 comments:

cheeky monkey said...

It looks great! You also have the perfect place for it.

Di said...

It is very pretty as a riot of colour. Di x

Deborah said...

It is seriously lovely! I've been collecting Liberty Tana for awhile and I'm always trying to decide what to make with it. I think there is an art to using simple shapes. Nice work.

Diane-crewe said...

stop beating yourself up.. it looks lovely.. and you had a go xx

Leanne said...

I think it has such a lovely retro vibe and the colours you used are really lovely!

ScissorsandThread said...

Lovely cushion, I love straight line quilting too!

Nat at Made in Home said...

It looks great! Love the Liberty prints!

AmandaK@whatthebobbin said...

I love the fabric and quilting. Simple is best :)
AmandaK@whatthebobbin

Carla said...

The pillows look so pretty with your granny square quilt ; )

Catherine said...

Its gorgeous Annabella! Love those prints and the pattern you have chosen

Yon Quilting Wife said...

I like it, it's very pretty and homely.

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

Oooh I have been playing with some of the same prints today - it looks great x

In fact I could link up, I hadn't thought of that!

Canadian Abroad said...

Looks wonderful. Don't be so hard on yourself! Great Le Challenge addition.

SewingSophia said...

Spot on!! Love your choice of fabrics!!

linda said...

perfect it is gorgeous :))

Made by Mrs Jones x said...

The overall look is very pretty and cohesive. Totally love the Liberty fabrics.

Lucy | Charm About You said...

I like the humble rectangles! The prints are gorgeous and I love those traditional ones. Beautiful cushion! Thanks for linking up :)

Cindy Sharp said...

Your pillow is beautiful.

Katy Cameron said...

I love the riot of colour!

Henry's Shed said...

Good old rectangles! I used them for my Le Challenge project too. I love the liberty prints you used, so pretty!

Susan said...

I love the soft, subtle nature of your Liberty cushion Annabella! It is very, very pretty! It must have been lovely to work with Liberty!

Dree said...

I love Liberty, love the cushion, and I am also a big fan of straight-line quiling :)

Judith, Belfast said...

Groovy baby! From one '70's child to another! Jxo

Kirsten said...

This design really shows off the beautiful Liberty fabrics!

www.randomthoughtsdoordi.com said...

whether you made the challenge or not you can't go wrong with Liberty

Dianne Neale said...

So pretty. You could convert me to liberty!

heartofcharnwood said...

Its beautiful, great work A!

Trudi said...

Beautiful!

Janine @ Rainbow Hare said...

I think this is looking just as nice as Rita's :)

Jess @ Elven Garden Quilts said...

I love it - it's really beautiful!

Mara said...

Beautiful fabrics, I love simple stitching sometimes it really just adds to your piece and this is a perfect example, looks great.

Heather D. said...

Gorgeous!

Lisa said...

I think it is beautiful!

blandina said...

Really lovely, and what a good idea for utilising all those little pieces and bits that I keep everywhere not wanting to throw them away!