If you’re new to my 52 zippers project, you can read the backstory, see all the zipper pouches, and download basic zipper pouch instructions here.
For this week’s zipper pouch, I wanted to do something to really stretch out of my comfort zone, color-wise. I am a huge fan of Gwen Marston (who isn’t, really?) but her color palette mystifies me. Her pieces all look fantastic but almost every individual color she uses is one I rarely reach for. I thought this was worth more thinking about and playing with for sure. So I chose one of her sketches from her book “37 Sketches”, and tried to replicate it, both in specific color choice and placement, as a learning experience. I figure painters often learn by copying the masters, so why shouldn’t quilters?
Gwen’s original “Small Study 26” from the book “37 Sketches”.
The panel was coming out way larger than I was planning to make the zip pouch (I blame late night planning and math skills. Or lack thereof. Ha!), so I only made part of the sketch. I started with 2.5″ strips of solids when I think I should have used 1.75″ strips.
Even this partial sketch was seeming bigger than I wanted so I cut the panel in half and used one half on each of the front and back panels of the pouch.
Pouch front
I bordered the panels with Essex yarn-dyed linen in Espresso. Both to frame the piece and because the side and top seams would have been crazy bulky and lumpy if I hadn’t.
Pouch back
I lined it with a Carolyn Friedlander print from Doe called Breeze.
- Outer pieces: Entire improv panel before cutting in half: 8″ high x 11″ wide. Linen border strips: 1.5″ cut. Backed with fusible fleece.
- Lining pieces: Cut to same size as exterior panels, about 7″ high x 9.5″ wide.
- Zipper tabs: none
- Zipper: 9.5″ cut
See you back here next week with another zip pouch!
