Panel Challenge: Ideas

Posted on March 3, 2021 by prairiemoonquilts in Challenges

Wow! You guys are all in for the Panel Challenge! I way underestimated how much interest there would be in a challenge like this. This is gonna be fun.

Since there IS so much interest, and so many of you want to join in, let’s just make it official, shall we?

Here are the rules again, and below that, I’ll answer a couple of questions I’ve been asked.

  1. Choose a panel to use for your project.
  2. Turn the panel into a quilt of any size (or any project of your choosing — doesn’t have to be a quilt — could be a pillow, apron, etc.).
  3. Try to work only from stash, but make a purchase, if necessary, to keep from getting stymied.
  4. Finish the project by April 30.

Someone asked if the quilt needs to be completely finished, or if a finished top will be OK. My plan is to have mine completely finished, but I also know how busy I am with customer quilts, and I know that I may not find time to squeeze mine into my longarm schedule. Others may be in the same busy boat as me.

So . . . I’m gonna say, completely finished is great, but if all you end up with is a finished top, that’s OK, too. But . . . there are gonna be prizes, so if you’re gonna submit a top only, the top DOES have to be completely finished, ready to quilt. You can’t win a prize by showing a bunch of random pieces you intend to sew together someday — haha!

If you need help with ideas, here are a few links to get you started:

Here are a few books available on Amazon:

Learn to Quilt with Panels

Clever Quilts

Panel Play

Panels and Patchwork

This Pinterest board is chock full of great ideas!

And a couple of folks have suggested using panels for the BACK of a quilt! What a fantastic idea!!! Stephanie sent a picture of one she has done. How cute is this??

Closer to the end of April, I’ll post about how to submit your project for the Viewer’s Choice contest, announce prizes, and give you more information as needed. Meanwhile, if you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I’ll post some progress updates along the way.

I got busy and pulled some coordinating fabrics from my stash, and I’m devising a plan. Here’s what I have so far. Some of these won’t make the final cut, but it’s a start.

Do YOU have your panel picked out? Let’s do this!

22 responses to “Panel Challenge: Ideas”

  1. Darlene Y says:

    Love your pick from stash. I still need to decide which panel which may be based on what is in my stash to go with it.

  2. Kathy Parks says:

    Challenge accepted! I have a ton of panels that I need to work on, this might be what I need to get something out of my stash.

  3. Karen says:

    What a great assortment you’ve chosen. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
    Thank you for the helpful links as I’m going to need some help. I’d like to make a quilted wall hanging from pieces of panels I got in a mystery scrap bag, all Fall themed, but really don’t know if it’ll work..this is fun!

  4. denniele says:

    Sounds like fun!

  5. I’m thinking about doing this challenge. Did I miss seeing when the completion deadline is?

  6. Oh now I saw it is the end of April.

  7. Oh I just saw it is the end of April.

  8. Angie in SoCal says:

    I have panels! But do I have time???? I’ll see.

  9. Cindy Wienstroer says:

    I have a panel of 2 of Thomas the tank engine. Guess i could make a small boy quilt. I need to pull fabric & find a boy to give it to. Also have a Yoda panel I could do.

  10. Patricia says:

    This will be fun!

  11. Wendy says:

    Oh golly, I need to make a reminder to find my panel when I head down to my quilt room (adding note to my phone reminders now). This will be fun!

  12. I have plenty of panels. I need to get a retreat planning out of the way and then I can work on a panel quilt.

  13. Jessi says:

    I bought few panels and keep them neat and tidy in the box. Too afraid to do anything to them. I suppose this a good time to come out of a box and … yes challenge accepted!

  14. Johnna Clarke says:

    I have panels! I like to make wall hangings, so this is a doable challenge for me!

  15. Barb Roberts says:

    I might be in, most of my panels are for baby/kid quilts so maybe a Linus quilt. We’ll see!! Great idea Shelly!

  16. Janet M Smith says:

    This sounds like fun. I need something to motivate me. I have a cute panel perfect for a Linus Project quilt.

  17. Kate says:

    I just finished one! Could it count?

  18. Rose Marie Smith says:

    I thought I didn’t have any panels…….and then, Lo and Behold, there were two fall/halloween panels in the drawer of orange fabrics when I was looking for something else. I will be getting with the challenge soon.

  19. Roseanne says:

    This is SO fun! I’m going to take my panel and cut it all apart. And then I’m sewing it back together as a window quilt so it appears that the panel is seen outside the window. I’ve always wanted to make a quilt like this and here’s a golden opportunity. ~smile~ Roseanne

  20. Bernie says:

    Shelley, I am in for this challenge. I learned of it over at Wendy’s Pieceful Life blog. I have a couple of panels and would love to get one finished up.
    Also, I have an online fabric shop and am happy to donated a $35 gift certificate as one of your prizes. Contact me at needleandfoot@gmail.com. Shop is at http://www.needleandfoot.etsy.com

    🙂

  21. I’m in on this panel challenge! Don’t know if it will be quilted but will definitely be sewn into a flimsy!

  22. Marlene Clausen says:

    I don’t think using a panel on the back of a quit is a challenge for me, I do it all the time. In fact, just purchased a panel to use as a back on a UFO I just completed. It was perfect. Glad to know the challenge does not have to be a quilt as I’ve had something else on my panel-to-do list for months. This seems like a good time to give it a go.

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