Neutrals???

I don't do neutrals.  Let's just put it out there.  I like neutrals...I really do.  In fact I wear them on a regular basis...and when people use neutrals themselves in their own projects, I think, wow, that looks so good! But, to craft with neutrals...is something I just don't do.  Why would I when the colors of fabric are so beautiful.  That's the best part of quilting you know...playing with your fabric.

Last year for Christmas, The Mister only wanted one thing.  ONE THING.  Some shirts that weren't robin's egg blue, or lavender or sunset orange (can I just say too, the only reason The Mister has yet to receive a shirt that's Daffodil....is his coloring. He just blends into his clothes if they're too beige...and in turn makes him beige...but don't think I'm not keeping my eyes out for the perfect yellow shirt with his name on it). Now, the one thing The Mister wanted from Santee Clause was shirts in neutral colors...like... Navy and... Forest Green. 

Barf.

Whatever.

As the loving wife that I am...I got him shirts in turquoise and heathered sea grass instead... Just teasing.  I got him navy and forest green as he requested.  So, as I am considering how to make his quilt...I of course take into consideration his lack of vibrant, bright, color love...sort of.

Yeah...this is as neutral as I get.  And, as my first attempt to make a man quilt...this is as mannish as I get apparently.

A man quilt...with butterflies?  You say...ummm...yeah, but look at them, they're really tough butterflies...yeah, and, they're in neutral colors, and, in fact, the more I look at these butterflies, I realize they are in fact moths....and as we all know, moths are a manly insect.  So, yeah....moths.

And the flowers?  You ask...well...ummm....look, they're really stylized flowers and look more like art than real flowers.  So...yeah...these artistic flowers are very manly. 

Well, I love it so far...and one of the best things, this quilt is pretty fast to put together.  It is pure fun.  I get to use gorgeous fabrics..  Paper Piece, which I love.  And, it's a quilt that I've been waiting to make for...over a year.  I first saw this quilt, called Urban Lattice, on the Tracyjay Quilts Blog which is a blog I really enjoy, by the way...and knew it was The Mister's future quilt...but I had a few projects I had to finish up before I got to his.

Now, my husband is off on business...so even though I have two...ahem...yes two quilts that need me to complete their hand quilting , I am moving onward with some piecing on the Man Quilt...Love.

So, Tracyjay Quilts was making a quilt that originated from Me? A Mom?'s Urban Lattice Quilt Along and Tracyjay altered Cara's design a bit: she added another string of black fabric (which I think looks amazing).  The thing Tracyjay didn't do, was, she decided not to paper piece hers.  I like paper piecing because...I may or may not be the most accurate fabric cutter...ahem...and so with paper piecing, you really get much better accuracy.  I'm still not 100% accurate...that's due to my inherent impatience, but it's pretty darn close.

So, I took Tracyjay's idea, went to Cara's tutorial and made a few modifications and am now making Tracyjay's take while paper piecing to Cara's instructions.  Lots of fun!!!

Thanks for reading!

Heather