"Monkeying Around With Roses" by Linda Pace

"Monkeying Around With Roses" by Linda Pace 

for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

When I saw that luscious Cherrywood Red I immediately thought of roses. And what better use for a Monkey Wrench than a trellis. The quilt is pieced and embroidered. Won't be procrastinating next month! 

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

“Monkeying Around with Screaming Yellow” by Susan Reeder

“Monkeying Around with Screaming Yellow” by Susan Reeder 

 for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

I chose yellow since it is such a strong color.  I played with the theme of monkey wrench for a while and came up with monkeying around, so decided to distort the wrenches into a circle .

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 



Learn to Sew: Shift Dress

'Set Free: Monkey Wrench' by Gail Oliver

Set Free: Monkey Wrench by Gail Oliver 

 for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

Description: 

Quilters assemble basic shapes to create a vast array of blocks and give them imaginative names. The monkey wrench block is a perfect example. I wondered if the individual square, rectangles, and triangles ever wanted to become themselves again. How would they do it? Here is my vision of a red monkey wrench block struggling to break free from the bonds of its shape and single color.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

'Crazy Around the Monkey Wrench' by Sandy Huovinen

'Crazy Around the Monkey Wrench' by Sandy Huovinen for  the Focus Through the Prism Project QUILTING Challenge for May.

I call this Crazy around the Monkey Wrench

 I've been working a lot on Crazy Quilt blocks lately, so thought I would incorporate that around the challenged block. 

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

'Monkey & Co" by Cary Neess

'Monkey & Co" by Cary Neess for  Focus Through the Prism Project QUILTING Challenge for May.

 

I love these month long challenges, it gives me time to think of the design before jumping in. 

Several years ago I hand-dyed some fabric and I'm excited because I'll get to use my own hand-dyes along with the CherryWood. 

I may try to incorporate the curved lines in all of the seven monthly challenges.

 See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

'Monkeying Around ... need coffee' by Linda Kowalski

'Monkeying Around ... need coffee' by Lina Kowalski

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

Tick ... Tack ... Toe the Line! by Elizabeth Mandelkow

Tick … Tack … Toe The Line! By Elizabeth Mandelkow

This is my entry for  Focus Through the Prism Project QUILTING Challenge for May.

I find peace in order.  When things are chaotic, busy, cluttered, out of line, then my stress level goes up.

Sewing and quilting is my time to focus, unwind and the process is relaxing. 

The strong colors and graphic image of this quilt appeals to my senses.

All line up and toeing the line!

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

'Stay Close, Jonesie!' by Nancy LaPorte

My quilt is called, "Stay Close, Jonesie!" by Nancy LaPorte for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

I love scary movies, spooky art, and everything Halloween. I love to warp whatever I'm making into Halloween quilts.  When I saw the ROYGBIV rainbow colors and the fact that this challenge was using traditional blocks, I knew I would have to work hard to translate all of this into spooky stuff. But what fun!! I love the monkeywrench on point (makes it scary, don't you think?) I added the pinwheels in the center just for grins. But I have to 'fess up, I took the easy way out and chose the violet for my nighttime sky. 

Can't wait for next month!

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

Monkey Spin by Mary Kay Turner

'Monkey Spin' by Mary Kay Turner

for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

This is my first challenge--Andrea Turner (Mouse in My Pocket) is my daughter-in-law and she got me interested.  I think I should name mine "BOOORRRING!" because all month as I looked at the others I was amazed at the creativity!  I am actually looking forward to stretching my wings for next month's.  I'm a very traditional quilter--like you couldn't tell from my photo--really? a gingham binding?? so I definitely have room to grow.  Thanks for pushing me.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

'Bloody Wrench' by Marsha Friou

'Bloody Wrench' by Marsha Friou

for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

I quilt in Prairie du Sac, WI, had a great time doing this challenge. Here is my Bloody Wrench enjoyed using all of the Kaffe Fasset fabric they worked so well with Red.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

Not My Circus Not My Monkeys by Stacye Richardson

'Not My Circus Not My Monkeys' by Stacye Richardson

for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

We all have days when you have to pick your  battles wisely. My close friend taught me to say 'Not my circus, not my monkeys' as a humorous way to let things go.  We all know things get wacky when the monkeys are in charge. 

Monkey wrench gave me the chance to express this humorously in a quilt.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

Blue Skies by Roxy A. Pike

Blue Skies   by Roxy A. Pike

for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

“Blue Skies smiling on me, nothing but blue skies do I see.

Never saw the sun shining so bright, never saw things going so right…..”   Irving Berlin

My quilt idea began by centering the little sun batik, which I’ve had for years, in my Monkey Wrench block. Then I chose the blue CherryWood fabric plus a blue/yellow/orange batik from my stash and the design began to take shape quickly. My old glass milk bottle full of sleeping buttons provided the embellishment.

This challenge was my springboard for quilting again after a long hiatus due to things not within my control. Creatively, I was beginning to rust away. And then a dear quilting friend, hundreds of miles away, began urging me to quilt again by suggesting the “Focus Though the Prism Challenge” and here I am, a month later, with the first quilt I’ve made in years!

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

Flower Power #1: A Wrench in the Works by Audrey Manning

Flower Power #1: A Wrench in the Works by Audrey Manning
for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

For some reason the Monkey Wrench block reminded me of something woven so I decided to do the basket with Monkey Wrench flowers with the yellow Cherrywood fabric. Maybe the beginning of a series? We'll see. Lots of fun to do.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

Liberty by Pam Duffy

'Liberty' by Pam Duffy

for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

12 Monkey Wrenches Jumping by Vicky Anda

12 monkey wrenches jumping! ' by Vicky Anda for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

This picture was taken outside 

And this picture was taken indoors to see the hand quilting. 

Machine pieced hand quilted orange was Cherrywood color.

Was a learning process making squares correct size, think I will tackle it differently.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE.  

Ants at a Picnic by Diana Vilas

'Ants at a Picnic' by Diana Vilas for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

First I want to say that I love participating in challenges because it gets my creative juices flowing and gives me an opportunity to experiment with new techniques and/or refine some skills. My focus with this quilt was machine quilting. I'm about to start quilting a larger project and wanted to practice.

I call this quilt Ants at a Picnic. When I started this quilt I was having a monkey-wrench kind of week. Computer issues, Internet problems, software glitches involving just about every electronic device including the bluetooth in my car. So I was primed. 

Searching through a basket of fat quarters that I had either received as gifts or won in guild drawings, I discovered the "tablecloth" fabric with ants. Nothing like ants to throw a monkey wrench into your picnic. I threw in some stormy weather quilting over the watermelons. The rest of the quilting was experimenting with images and free-motion quilting.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE.  

Monkey with a Wrench by Linda Syverson Guild

Monkey with a Wrench by Linda Syverson Guild for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

“Monkey with a Wrench” is a collection of youthful memories.

Grandma made a bright red monkey with pale pink face, hands and feet as my baby gift.
I recreated him holding a wrench composed of red lame fabrics.  He is a reminder of youthful
adventures to the hardware store with my father.  The collection of monkey wrenches in the
background compose a full tool box.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE.  

Here Comes the Sun Dogs by Sharon Scottt

'Here Comes the Sun Dogs' by Sharon Scott for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

This Cherrywood Focus Quilt Challenge piece is called 'Here Comes the Sun Dogs'. I love the song Here Comes the Sun but in this case the piece is inspired by the only time I have witnessed Sun Dogs on a cold and bright winter morning the day our Granddaughter Josie was born. 

This is the first time I have actually sewn with Cherrywood Fabric despite having a bundle stashed away for “someday”. I love the amazing feel and they seem to reflect more light when I quilted them. 

I quilted with a varied wavy line and then accent quilted the center pieces using a Superior Thread that is Golden/ Copper toned but isn’t a metallic. I really enjoyed the process.

I have always enjoyed the variety of sun designs on the CBS Sunday morning program and I thought that the Monkey Wrench design would be a non-traditional Sun shape and could frame the SunDogs center.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE.  

Summertime in Georgia by Wendy Blanton

Summertime in Georgia by
Wendy Blanton for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

In the May challenge I’m using black with Cherrywood red and a splash of yellow & orange to give this quilt the feeling of being HOT. While in the process of creating this month’s challenge the season changed from Spring to Summer and the temperature jumped way up. The flames represent the heat being turned up in the South.

Monkey Wrench by Leana McCutcheon

“Monkey Wrench” by Leana McCutcheon for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

In memory of a dear friend who had breast cancer, I plan to create a series of labyrinth quilts for this challenge.

Monkey Wrench block.     Red

Carol and I had as much fun together as the proverbial 'barrel of monkeys'.  She introduced me to labyrinths and together we travelled to walk labyrinths in other countries.  We created labyrinths at our homes and in our neighborhood.  I chose red as the first color as it relates to the first circuit of the labyrinth and also to the root chakra.  The quilt is pieced and the labyrinth is black braid hand-stitched over the design.

creativebug creative pass

Wonky Monkey Wrench by Annette Hosmann

Wonky Monkey Wrench by Annette Hosmann for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

I have been quilting for about three years and saw this challenge and thought it would be fun.  Worked the Quilt show in Chicago and saw the Wicked Exhibit. I have not done any art quilts before.  The most recent speaker at local guild used lots of stitches and that inspired me to use them as quilting.

"Bee Happy" by Pat Dubois

"Bee Happy" by Pat Dubois for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

When I see the monkey wrench block I think churn dash.....churn makes me think butter....butter yellow daisies.  A little stretch maybe?  I have been wanting to do something with reversed colors and this seemed like the perfect opportunity!  This little quilt makes people smile....so Bee Happy!

Purple Monkeys by Evelyn Larrison

Purple Monkeys by Evelyn Larrison for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge.