Swoon 2013 The Colour Palette

I've had a really hard time trying to choose my fabrics for my Swoon quilt. I knew exactly what I wanted - it just doesn't exist!

This quilt is for a particular room. It will go on the bed that my eldest son and daughter in law use when they come over to stay from Canada, and I really wanted the whole quilt to be made with organic cotton. The room has been recently decorated and I want a soft teals and neutrals palette, a calming, not a vibrant quilt. I have spent hours (quite literally) trying to find some organic cotton to fit this palette and failed totally! Children's fabrics are in abundance, so too are bright modern prints, but anything low volume or muted, any blenders or subtle shades of solids are no where to be found.It has been so disappointing! I wouldn't have minded making the whole quilt from solids if I could have found the right shades.So, I have had to compromise - big time. But which way was I to go? Should I stick to my (organic) guns and compromise on the look, or stick to the colour palette I want and compromise my conscience? In the end the colour palette has won.

I had most of these fabrics in my stash and bought a few extras from the Saltwater range by Tula Pink. the batting and the backing will be organic, so that has made me a little happier, and I've also been reading up about Kona solids. The background fabric for the blocks will be Kona Solid Snow - I have a lot of this and use it all the time, but once it's gone it will be easy to swap for an organic from the Kona Pure range. Please Robert Kaufman, increase this range as soon as you can! 

Interesting though, Did you know the Kona Solids range with its wonderful range of solids is the only solid that has Oeko-tex certification? No, neither did I until the other day! This means that no harmful chemicals were used in the production, processing or finishing of the fabric. I guess this will be a good cotton for me to use when I can't find an organic to suit my needs, especial;y as I really like use solids!

So, it's going to be a busy week. I can finally move away from research on the laptop, and actually make a start on the Swoon quilt.

There is something I have to do first though, and just to make sure I don't forget, I left myself a note.

The reason I need to change it? Well I quickly made this little guy a blanket over the weekend.....

......complete with his name on, of course, but Oh! that comfy fleece wreaks havoc with the needle. I could hear it getting blunter with every stitch!

Looking back over the last month, and considering I spent the beginning of the month in Toronto, and the following week with jet lag, I've achieved far more than I expected.

I've finished my first strip for the Strip Bee, I've made a paper pieced cushion front for Le Challenge, made a dog blanket and sorted out my fabrics for the Swoon 2013. If the sun will just please continue shining today, I think I may just have earned a half hour 's quiet rest in the garden this afternoon!

Linking up with Fresh Sewing Day over at Lily Quilts