Summer Sampler Series: week 4

Here we are, the 4th and final installment of blocks for the Summer Sampler Series. Hard to believe I made it to the end. It has been a lot of fun and I have learned a lot. Mostly paper piecing, which I don't love since I feel like it wastes fabric and paper and dulls my needles and takes so much time....but I have to admit it sure helps make some pretty cool blocks. This week's blocks were pretty good and really round out the collection. I am loving the way they all look together and hope to get it sashed and have a completed quilt top this week :)

Block #10 - Evening Star

I really like this one. It wasn't too hard either.

Block #11 - Rocky Road to Kansas

I don't love this one. I think it is mostly the blue background, that was probably a mistake. I wanted a color background though instead of white and this was the fabric that I hadn't used in the strips/had enough of. I just think it's too overwhelming. So there you have it.

Block #12 - Kansas Dust Storm

This one gave me some trouble. The 3 different templates were a bit much and I had a hard time keeping the colors straight since the one posted has them reversed. And I ended up having a trimming mishap and had to scrounge fabric to fix that piece....and ripping small stitches out of paper without ripping the paper-not fun! But I survived and it came out looking good.

And here are all 12 blocks together! I love it!! It actually ended up with pretty good color balance. Now I just have to decide how to arrange the blocks.


I am hoping I have enough scraps to make a scrappy binding out of the leftovers...I'll have to check that out. I will be sashing it with gray and I am considering a pink back since I think I already have some. I will see what I have left after I make binding and figure out the back then. Once I get it all together it is destined for some FMQ practice. In fact it will be my first FMQ quilt I believe. I am actually in the process of making a small wall hanging/mini quilt to practice on first, so hopefully I'll get going on all that in the next few weeks. I am nervous and excited. I need to start doodling on paper to get myself used to the motions...I should get on that....

Farmer's Wife - Week 3

This week, I managed to only make 6 blocks instead of the 8 I had been making. Of course, that means I am now ahead of the game. That's right, I am so addicted that in a mere 3 weeks I surpassed those going steadily from the beginning. I can't help it, really I can't. Once I get going, I can't stop. I'm sorry, I'm going to have to stop saying the same thing every week :-P

Anyway, on to the blocks!

#10 - Bowtie

I love the stripes on this, and although I was hesitant to put the apples in the center, I like it!

#74 - Ribbons

I found this one to be a bit more difficult, probably because it wasn't just squares/rectangles and triangles. It worked out though :)

#6 - Big Dipper

It never stops amazing me that simple hour glasses alternating directions can make a pinwheel in the center, and it took me forever to see it haha. Like, I was uploading the pictures and went oh wow, didn't see that before! I know the same thing happened last week with peace & plenty, but somehow I still didn't see it coming

#66 - Periwinkle

This one came out a little wonky. I think the problem is that the directions say there is a template 61 and 61R but I only had a 61....so I think some of the white pieces may be backwards and I didn't realize it. It's okay, I am pretty sure a fussy cut horse makes up for it :)

#59 - Night & Day

This is absolutely my favorite block so far! I just love it. It came together pretty much perfectly and I love love love all the colors together. It makes me really glad I am adding in the rainbow blocks. And of course it is great to use up some teeny tiny scraps (like those pieces in the middle). I could just look at it all day...

#94 - Tall Pine Tree

This one came out pretty cool. Somehow the curves in the green fabric lined up pretty well and I really like the effect.

And here are all 6! Definitely a good batch. Next week I'll have to lay them all out together, since today I was fighting the weather and I lost
.

So I am making good progress this week. Now to spend this weekend finishing up the Summer Sampler blocks so I can sash it and have a finished top! Happy Weekend Everyone!

WIP Wednesday {8.3.11}

Wednesday needs to just stop sneaking up on me! And don't even get me started on the fact that is August and my baby is 13 months old...

Anywho, with the exception of, um, Thursday through Sunday, I've been pretty busy with some sewing. I feel like things are taking me so long to get done this week, but I'm not sure if that is actually true. It feels like only getting 3 blocks made this week so far is pretty sad. Granted, there was paper piecing involved so that does take a little longer.

Completed:

Skill Builder Sampler - Block 6


This is the bowtie block. It was pretty simple and I like the way it turned out. We are now 1/6 of the way through! This week is a week without a block, but I think I saw something about another challenge block...

Summer Sampler Series - Blocks 7-10

Once again, I have done the Monday block this week and will probably make the final two this weekend. I think I am going on a sashing and maybe backing hunt this week so that next week I can turn this beauty into a quilt top :)

FWQAL

Another 8 blocks done, and it just gets prettier and more colorful all the time. 16 blocks down, 95 to go! I love them! Hopefully this week I will get caught up.

New:

Nothing at the moment!


Still Going:

All of the above. The plan for the rest of the week is my FW blocks (today hopefully) and then cutting out some swoon blocks (yay!!!) and then this weekend I will finish up the Summer Sampler Series and do the skill builder challenge block possibly if there is one. Wow, it sounds like I will be a bit busier than I realized :)

Summer Sampler Series - Week 3

What a weekend! We traveled down to see our families for my sister's graduation party (that ended up not happening) this past weekend and it was crazy. And good. And tired. And I sure missed my sewing time! And even though I brought my hexies to work on, I ended up starting a crochet blanket instead. Oops :) It sure is pretty so far, although who knows how long it will take me to finish it. I think crochet is my new favorite car craft, easier than a little sewing needle and my elbows don't hit the car door like knitting. Anyway, moving on.

So I spent today trying to get myself organized and catch up on everything. The only thing I actually managed to complete was my 9th block for the summer sampler so I am caught up through last week :) I'm not sure why it took me all day to do this, I think I was just being easily distracted. Somehow it takes me a while to get back in the swing of things after traveling. But it is done, and I am really happy with how this blanket is shaping up so far.

Block #7 - Six Pointed String Star

I love, love, love the way this came out. It may be my favorite. It looks so cool! I did the strip piecing and used 2 - 1.5" strips and 1- 2" strip per triangle (to cover the larger seam allowance at the point) and it came out perfect. You can really see the hexagons it forms. I kinda wish I'd done wonky ones, but this looks so nice and now I know how for another time :)

Block #8 - Lucky Pieces

This is so not my favorite block. I think it is partly the fabrics I used, but for whatever reason, I just don't love it. Maybe if it was more like the one that Rachel at Stitched in Color did....but anyway, it looks good with the others.

Block #9 - Minnesota block

This one is growing on me. I like it more the more I look at it, but again, not a favorite. I really wanted another block with a color background since the star block has a green/blue one, and it seemed a good idea to make one pink and yellow. I think I need one more with a colorful background for balance, so I will have to remember that this week. The only thing annoying me about this one is that I had wanted to do the hour glass squares alternating, but somewhere along the line I switched them. I like it though and I'm not worried enough to rip it out.

And here are all 9 together. I can't wait to add the last 3! I am already working on the Monday block this week! I love this quilt so far, I think maybe I'll go pick up some sashing this week.


And now I'm off to continue playing catch-up. I have a skill builder block to do, some FW blocks, the next block for this and I am hoping to start cutting some swoon blocks!

FWQAL week 2

As I mentioned Wednesday, I have gone a little nuts with the FW squares. Here I am with my second batch of 8, leaving me a mere 2 squares behind those who began the first week. Honestly, I don't know if I'll be able to do only 2 per week, I love them that much. My plan is to pick a day every week and work on them and however many I get done in the time I have will be it for the week. It could be 2, it could be 8. We shall see!

As far as blocks, a lot of this batch were pretty simple. For some reason, I don't love as many of them though. It's okay, they all look good together and that's what really counts.

#58 - Mother's Dream

This is of the ones that I switched the colors from what they were in the book. That would have had the lightest color (white for me) where the light purple is and that would have been the background. It might have been cooler that way, I don't know, but I like this and I figured light purple/dark purple is more like the tan/brown combo anyway.

#77 - Seasons

Love that green fabric.

#1 - Attic Windows

I was glad to need pieces big enough that you can see the large floral pattern at least a little :)

#30 - End of Day

The first rainbow block I did. I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first, but the more I see it, the more I like it. I really like it with the other blocks too. I can't wait to throw some more rainbow blocks in!

#53 - Jackknife

I love this one. Bright and happy and the design is so cool.

#64 - Peace & Plenty

I like this design a lot. I like that depending on how I look at it I either see the pinwheel in the center or the little hour glasses.

#20 - Churn Dash

This one I actually like better not on point, but I think that's because I'm used to seeing it that way.

#86 - Squash Blossoms

This was probably the most difficult in this group and possibly my least favorite so far. I don't even know why the points aren't right on the small triangles on either side. I don't know if it's the fabric choices or what, but I just don't love it. Oh well. I also think it's kinda funny how each piece pretty much has one polka dot :)


Here are these 8 all together

And here are the 16 I have so far. It's going to be such a happy quilt :)


I don't know what I am going to do about laying them out (and photographing them) all together once I get too many more. There is no space in the house really and outside is a bit difficult, fighting with the breeze and all. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. If only I had space for a design wall....

WIP Wednesday {7.27.11}

Man, I have no idea what day it is. I actually almost missed Wednesday! I don't know whether to blame the summer or my child....

Anyway, I am pretty much down to working on sampler quilts for this week and probably next week before I pick some other things back up. Let's see what got done.

Completed:

Christmas in July!


Finally done and safely tucked away until the holiday season :)

Skill Builder Sampler - Block 5

The Arizona block. I liked this one, but I am seriously glad we are moving on to a new skill this week :) Stinking HSTs....

Summer Sampler Series - Blocks 4-7

I finished last weeks blocks and technically the one from Monday but obviously that is not in this picture. Hopefully today I will tackle the new one so that when I get back next week I will only have 1 to catch up on plus the ones for the final week (is it really almost over already??).

FWQAL

So I posted the other day about the first 8 blocks that I did and actually in a clear fit of insanity, I did another 8 on Monday. I was just having such a good time and there were a bunch of easy ones....I just love this. Seriously, I find it so relaxing to just sit down and get lost in the letters and make blocks. The templates actually make my life easier since I don't have to worry about math or anything, just cut and lay it out and sew it. Of course I still have to photograph them (once I get some sunshine...) and upload and all that, so hopefully tomorrow will be a nice day so I can share pictures of the next 8. I can't believe I am almost caught up with everyone else!

Still Going:

Let's be honest, everything listed above is still going and the only thing not listed is my swoon quilt which I will start again on after I am caught up on my samplers again next week.

I have also started nothing new for once. It is a peaceful week :) I am actually resisting the urge to make more FW blocks, but we'll see.

starting count: 5
completed: 1
new: 0
total: 4

Summer Sampler Series - Week 2

Here we are, halfway through this quilt along! This week we started to get into some more difficult things like paper piecing, and it has been fun.

Block #4 - Flower Garden Path

I actually spent all week avoiding this block because I didn't feel like making more half square triangles and I wasn't sure how I wanted to do the colors. It turns out this is one of my favorite blocks. I just love it! Having one color per quadrant looks awesome and my points are all there and things line up near perfectly. I am still sick of half square triangles though...

Block #5 - Star

This was the first paper pieced block. I did a bit of paper piecing for the urban lattice quilt, but this was a slightly more complicated design. I actually meant to have the green and blue as the background diamond but somewhere along the way I reversed it. I think it worked out for the best though, I really like it this way.

Block #6 - Arkansas Traveler

a.k.a. pure evil. This block and I were not friends. We now tolerate each other, mostly because I have finished torturing it and it looks so stinking pretty, but we had a rough day yesterday. To begin with, I didn't love cutting out the diamonds, I had a hard time getting my ruler to cooperate so I actually did the first one and then cut a cardboard template to use for the rest. That made things a bit better. Then I went to sew the diamonds together and the center seam was totally off. Like woah. So out came the seam ripper (it really takes a lot for me to rip out a seam). So I got those together and the second part was paper piecing the background which wasn't bad. Then we came to the final step where I was sewing the two completed halves together and let me tell you, that thing was a beast! It was so thick in the middle I seriously broke the thread 8-10 times and actually had my needle snap. It was bad. But I pushed through and finished it and I am happy with the result.

And this is how my quilt is shaping up. I love the bright happy colors!

I can't wait to see all 12 blocks together. This week I am trying to stay on top of the blocks since I am supposed to go to my sisters graduation party this weekend and consequently can't sew. I don't want to fall too behind!