More than a dozen members of our guild are currently hard at work on “Enigma Variations,” DMMQG’s contribution to the QuiltCon 2018 Charity Challenge
Our Quilt
Our twin-sized quilt is titled “Enigma Variations” and will feature modern renditions of two traditional quilt blocks: Rocky Mountain Puzzle and Colorado Beauty. Participants are encouraged to take inspiration from one or both of these traditional patterns, and to base their color choices on the QuiltCon 2018 Charity Challenge color palette.
A sense of mystery or a puzzle theme is encouraged. Minimalism, playing with scale, and using negative space are also encouraged. We hope to include at least 15 blocks in all: fourteen variation blocks, and one mysterious “Enigma” block that both conveys and conceals our source material. The foundation for the quilt will be in shades of white and off-white. Through the interplay of our variations, we seek to create a feeling of expansive potential, while retaining a sense of mystery at the core.
What’s an Enigma Variation?
We take inspiration from Edward Elgar’s haunting orchestral suite known as the Enigma Variations which includes 14 distinctive iterations of a musical theme. The theme itself is a counterpoint to an unnamed melody that is never directly heard. Thus the true source material is an enigma. Each variation reflects the personality of one of Elgar’s close friends, ranging from mournful to explosive, from pensive to playful. We aim to translate Elgar’s exquisite sense of mystery into fabric!
Progress Report
We now have almost all of our blocks for “Enigma Variations.” Jonna Gjevre, our project coordinator, will work on piecing the blocks together. In January, Amy Wade will quilt it. The deadline to send “Enigma Variations” to QuiltCon is Feb 9th, 2018. Thanks so much to everyone who has contributed so far!
Links for Colorado Beauty and Rocky Mountain Puzzle Blocks