Getting out of my comfort zone.......

One of the things I loved about joining round robins was it forced me to use colors and themes I would have never chosen otherwise.  Since I loved pastels and lace, I seldom did anything else if it were left up to me.  But doing some of the most difficult round robin blocks turned out to be my very favorites just because they were a challenge.






The one I most often think of was a block that was all purple with one bright orange patch and it had two awkward tiny corner patches.  I spent a lot of time trying to decide what to do with it.

I just couldn't imagine what I could do with it... and this is what I ended up with.  It has always been a favorite as well as a huge challenge.  I have used similar techniques for problem corners many times since.

Then  years ago Lauri Burgesser hosted a challenge that was designed to get stitchers to venture out of their comfort zones.  As my challenge block I chose to do things I never did at that time... jewel tones, curves and layered stitching plus  no lace, no trims.
This is the result AND because I did this challenge, ever since I have loved doing fancy seams more than most anything,  I was especially  glad I participated in that challenge.

For a couple years CQI had a little different challenge... It was year long for one large block  and they provided a list of things that had to be included in the block.  This one for 2009 was a long list including butterflies, hankies, lettering, paisleys, pansies, birds, etc. I really enjoyed that challenge also and was sorry it was discontinued. They only did it two years.





So when Kathy Shaw came along with her CQJP challenge I was among the first to eagerly join and I have been so pleased I did.  With it I have to set my own challenges and each year I try to include things that force me out of whatever comfort zone I'm in.  Last year the main thing was learning ribbon folding.  I had tried several times and given up...  It was do or die for 2015.

This year I'm still working on what to include.  So far it will be a lack of color... crème on crème...  It will truly be a challenge not to add color and somehow I want to
 include one goldwork element...  I want to also add as many of Jo Newsham's seams as I can.  I am still trying to work out the details.  Also I just got a set of Sharon Boggon's templates and I want to really explore their possibilities.  So I'm looking forward to getting out of yet another comfort zone.