Skill Builder Sampler - Bonus Block & Block 4

A week ago Friday Leila challenged us to design a block on our own as a Challenge Block for the Skill Builder Sampler.  The challenge was to design our own 12" finished block using squares, rectangles and triangles.  How this is different from the previous blocks we've sewn for the sampler is that the block should be designed using a 4 x 4 grid pattern instead of the 3 x 3 that the previous blocks have been based on.

So I started sketching and after some time, came up with a block I wanted to try.  I started playing with fabric choices and decided that I liked the block better upside-down.

Then I figured out the best way to cut and sew the fabric and made a cut list for myself.  I thought about doing an inset seam for the gray along the bottom, but didn't feel like going through the trouble right now of figuring it out.  I'm really happy with how this turned out, and may do a different quilt later expanding on the idea.  The sewing looks better in person than it does in the photo, I think it needs another good press!

For Block #4 for the skill for the Skill Builder Sampler is more half square triangles.  To practice half square triangles (HST) the block for the week is a pinwheel block.  We used a tutorial for a block called Pinwheel Parade by Vanessa of V & Co.  I did this pretty much according to the tutorial, but used 5 colors for the 5 pinwheels instead of one (well, I am making a rainbow quilt!)  The biggest decision was which fabrics to use and where to put them in the block.  Once I figured that out it was all about the sewing.  This is one of those blocks where it pays to pin and go slooooow where the points intersect (I was hand cranking that needle at the intersections!)  I am super happy about how the points line up!

I think that's all I've got for this week.

Until later!

Skill Builder - Block #3

For Block #3 for the skill for the Skill Builder Sampler is half square triangles.  To practice half square triangles (HST) the block for the week is the Churn Dash.  I was really excited to see this block, in fact I think it's my favorite traditional block.  Every time I visit my parents I admire the Churn Dash square in the Civil War sampler quilt my mom made for the bedroom we stay in. (Mom's been quilting since 1995, I'll always remember the year because the first quilt she made was to celebrate graduation from high school!) Anyway, back to the block of the week: Churn Dash, love it!  I think it's amazing the way the look of the black can totally change based on the colors of the fabric used, I suppose that's true for a lot of blocks though. ;-)

Despite loving this block as it is I wanted to explore variations too.  So I broke out the graph paper and started sketching and coloring.  All variations started with the same basic bones.  Some of the variations are just different color values (light vs. dark) in different locations.  In others more HST were added to various locations in different orientations.  I also played with the location of the background material, switching the orientation of the sub-units.  I spent an evening coloring different configurations for the block before stopped.

I knew that I wanted to do one according to the directions and one variation.  As I was sketching and coloring I asked Puppy Boy (my three year old) what his favorite was.  And he had a definite favorite, no question.  Decision made, that was the variation.

A sample of the variations I sketched.

It was fairly easy to pick the fabrics for the first block.  I knew that I was going to use white for the background, so I just need to decide what to use for the other fabrics.  For the blocks each week I'm trying to use fabrics in that haven't been used in previous blocks (obviously, this won't work for vary much longer!)  So, looking at what I had left, with the addition of the dark purple Kona I picked up earlier that day, I was really drawn to the purples.  I also pulled the purple I used for the Log Cabin (Block #1) for a medium value and played around with the fabrics.  I thought that I wanted a color fabric in the center, but it just wasn't working for me.  So I figured I go for contrast and kept my dark and light purples.  I continued to fold and rearrange until I decided which fabric I wanted in which location.  I'm really happy with how it turned out:

For the variation block I wanted to use colors very similar to how I sketched it for two different reasons: 1. I wanted to make it look as close to the sketch as possible for Puppy Boy; 2. It reminded me of the poppies the Veterans of Foreign Wars sell.  This tradition started after the Flanders and World War I.  It didn't turn out quite the way I envisioned, but I'm still very pleased with it:

I can see myself making a quilt with nothing but variations of Churn Dash...with a star, floating, log cabin in the center, another churn dash on the inside, Grecian (scroll down), or all the other variations I dreamed up.

Until later!

Skill Builder - Blocks #1 & #2

For our first block we were to work on the accuracy of our cutting and seam allowances.  To practice these skills we sewed a Log Cabin block.  After doing some thinking about it I decided to do a variation that would give me a square in a square. For the most part I followed Leila's instructions for the cutting and construction of the block. I varied it by only using four fabrics.

I'm really happy with how it came out, both in terms of how the fabric layout looks and the accuracy of my piecing.  Looking at all the variations in the Flickr group makes me want to makes lots more though!


Block #2 is a nine patch where we played with value (light vs. dark). Again, although I used the instructions Leila provided for the cutting and piecing I varied the layout of the fabrics within the block.

Some of my corners don't meet up as well as I'd like (I tend to be a perfectionist) but really they're not that bad, so I'm not going to let it bother me. Besides, I'm giving myself permission to enjoy the process and have less than perfect results. :)

Here are both blocks together.

Looking forward to the next block!

Until later!

Skill Builder - Fabric

I know I'm running a bit late on posting about my fabric for this quilt along, but here it is!

My family went out to Portland, Oregon for a wedding last week.  Knowing that I was going out there I held off from buying fabric so I could visit a couple shops out there.  My mom (a quilter for 16 years now) and I went to Bolt and Fabric Depot.  We got lucky at Fabric Depot, the day we were there everything was 25% off!

There was so much lovely fabric at Bolt, I really wanted to buy more than I did, but so much of what I wanted wasn't part of the vision that I had for the quilt that it stayed on the shelves...sigh.  Here's what I did come home with though:

I'm not sure the red/orange/coal looking print will be used in the quilt, no matter, I'll find a use for it eventually. :-)

Fabric Depot was fun to wander around in.  It took me a bit of strolling through to get my bearings and figure out where the fabrics I was looking for were likely to be, it was that big!  And again, so many fabrics that were calling out my name but needed be left behind.  After much deliberation, this is the fabric I bought for the quilt there:

Right now the plan is to use the Anne Kelle rainbow zigzag for the binding.  I just love it!

I also have some fabric from my stash to add in, so here's the whole lot:

 

Not sure I've got enough darks, and I really wanted a lighter yellow, but couldn't find the shade I wanted.  So other fabrics may or may not make an appearance as we work our way through the quilt blocks.  (Shhh...don't tell my husband! ;-) )

Until later!

Building Skills

So, I've decided that it's time to have a commitment to myself.  Something that I want to do, not that I have to do.  But at the same time I need a little accountability too.  I've thought about joining in on a quilt-a-long or a sew-a-long for a bag or dress, but it never seemed like the right time (not that now is the right time!) But yesterday I stumbled across Sewn by Leila and she's having a Skill Builder quilt-a-long where for twelve months the participants work on a different quilting/sewing technique/skill each month.  After thinking about I decided that I was going to give it a try.  I'm also going to try to keep a chronicle of my sewing exploits here, because hopefully, since the machine's out, I'll be getting more done than the quilt blocks!
Anyone want to join me on this adventure? Of course living vicariously and sending me lots of encouragement is fine too.  :)