OOYCZ---challenge post #2

Several years ago I participated in a challenge on a yahoo group -CQForNewbies.  It was absolutely one of the best things I ever did to stretch my skills....  It was called "Out of Your Comfort Zone" or OOYCZ....  Up until that time this was my comfort zone and everything (an I mean everything) I did was pastel, lace, and flowers.  We had to do two pieces... one in our comfort zone (which is this one) and one out of our comfort.  My second piece was jewel tones.

Ever since then whenever I start a new project, I often make it a point to try completely different color palettes.

The black and white was the Morris CQJP, the browns were the suffrage quilt and the crisp white and blue is the hanky project from last spring.

The hot jewel tones were the vest I did for Houston and it is VERY far out of my comfort zone and I almost changed colors well into the piecing and truly thought "I will never wear this!"  But now I love it and decided I want to be buried wearing it..








 

When I did CQJP cottages I slipped back into my comfort zone.  I do this every so often..
In fact the upcoming CQJP  the colors are quite close to my comfort zone and all the rest of it will be"comfort zone all the way"

TAKE SMALL STEPS when widening your color range.  But if you are going to try a different palette don't start with colors you hate or that make you uncomfortable.  If you do you probably won't even finish it...  This is exactly the case with this block... Turquoise one of my least favorite colors.  I did not even have a single piece of turquoise in my stash.  I had to beg turquoise scraps from Nikki...  Every so often I do a bit more on this block but I know it is dragging because of the color.

I am slowly working up to orange...I always put in my RR booklets "No Orange".  But I am slowly gathering a large bag of orange scraps and trims.  I want to use this marvelous photo which my granddaughter Madi took in Morocco.

This block will be my ultimate color challenge but I'm not there yet.  I will be forever grateful for participating in the OOYCZ challenge.

Are you up to a challenge?



I think combining specific personal challenges with the CQJP is a great opportunity... I've belonged to Crazy Quilting  International for a long time and have participated in many of their activities, but BY FAR my favorite was the couple years they did the challenge list for a block...  It involved doing a one 11" block over a year's time.    A list of things was posted and it was up to the individual to include as many as they wanted....this was a challenge for personal growth and not a competition in any way...  Here was my challenge block for 2009...

 

Things I chose from the 2009 list that were either a new skill or something I needed to improve.  You can find them all...The list included using: pansies, paisleys, hankies, butterflies, fancy beaded seams, lettering, embellished rick rack and painting on fabric.  I chose them all since I had a whole year to do it but many only chose 3-4.  So you not only got to challenge yourself, you got to see what others did with the same list.    I was  just blown away by all the gorgeous paisleys.

I was really disappointed and distressed when the format of the challenge block concept changed.... Rather than being skilled focused it was more about adding bizarre embellishment.  I dropped out then but have always continued to have at least three personal  challenges I want to focus on for every project I start.. usually skills I need to improve or using something interesting I've seen on another block...

Haven't made a final decision but on my early list for CQJP is silk fabric flowers, surface embellishment, maybe woven or folded ribbon work, and ALWAYS elaborate seam work.  Sometimes I choose a tool or thread to try.  Years ago I bought a punch needle I've never used and another possibility is to use some of the novelty threads that are accumulating and multiplying in a drawer unused...especially Kreinik metallic ribbon. I'm still thinking on it...

So if you are participating in CQJP or even if you're not, give some thought to choosing at least three things you'd like to focus on and improve in the upcoming year...  If you think of some you'd like to use, leave a comment...maybe it will be something someone else would like to do and hasn't thought of it.....  I will try to provide some examples and ideas for you as the year goes on.