12 By the Dozen

 Le Cotentin et le Raz Blanchard or the Alderney Race

 When current was chosen as the challenge this time, I thought about using an idea for a block print that has been in my mind for quite a few years, but which I hadn't tried out. I cut six blocks, marking where I wanted my lines to start and end in the same place on each block on the top, bottom and sides.  I drew and cut different lines on each block, then printed them in a haphazard order, so that the pattern didn't repeat itself. I was pleased with the result, but wasn't sure how to use my printed fabric. Then we had a week’s holiday in the Cotentin (the part of Normandy that sticks out opposite the Channel Islands) in October. When we were at Goury, we could see Alderney on the horizon, and my husband told me about Le Raz Blanchard (in English the Alderney Race), which is one of the fastest currents in Europe. When the current and the wind are in opposite directions, sailing between the Channel Islands and the French coast is dangerous. I decided to base my quilt on this and the Cotentin. I wanted to keep it simple, just basing it on the sea current, the beach and sky: I used Markal paintstiks to represent Alderney on the horizon, though I am not sure whether my version is really Alderney-shaped! Whilst we were at Carteret, I found some lovely shells with holes in them, which I decided to include on my quilted beach.