Summer Sampler: Blocks 5-10

blocks 5 thru 10 a photo by twelfthzodiac on Flickr.

There is still a little bit of summer left for me to finish these, 2 to go!
If you are keeping track, you will notice there is no photo of block #4. My 'garden path' looks more like 'underwater vomit'. It is an explosion of blue, in a bad way that I didn't notice until it was all finished. Then it became glaringly obvious! I *think* I will keep it anyway, so it will make an appearance in a later post, all quilted up & looking less vomit-y. (Here's hoping!)
Of these last blocks, the top left 'Evening Star' & bottom middle 'Lucky Pieces' are my favourites.
I have a plan for piecing everything together into a quilt top, but unfortunately, I will have to wait for fabric in the mail in order to finish. Fabric that isn't even ordered yet...! But, I have a plan, yay! That's something! lol Considering the different sizes of some of my blocks, I am happy for a plan that I think will even everything out perfectly.

Summer Sampler Series - The First Three

Has anyone else been following this quilt along? I first read about it on Faith's blog,  fresh lemons (although there are three blog hosts contributing) & I think the striking solid colour mock-ups are what convinced me to give it a try! I mean, just look at that awesome badge over there -->  I can't wait to see Faith's quilt all finished up in those colours.

Having finished the first 3 blocks & spending some time looking through the flickr group, I have to say that the solid fabric blocks are my favourite! If I had them on me, I'd use them too. Which is actually shocking to me as I am using one of my all time favourite collections, Modern Meadow. It just looks so good in solids!

This will be a quilt for myself  :)
Here are my first 3 blocks.

North Star, Greek Cross & Mosaic

These blocks are growing on me... I think my issue is that I am not used to this type of piecing so I'm not able to visualize what the block will end up looking like, which makes fabric selection more like guesswork. If I were making more than one block with the same design, I could play around with the fabrics a little more, mix & match to see what I like best.

 I'm not even sure you could call what I have done in my quilting career up to this point 'piecing'. My strip quilts & 'make it up as I go' patterns are so much easier than this! These are the first triangles I've ever done. I was laughing through the first 2 blocks, but 'mosiac', with all those HST (half square triangles)?! omg. That was so not fun! I am finding my 1/4" seam is not very accurate & that threw off everything. I only let myself rip out one line of stitching that desperately needed it. For everything else I am reminding myself that this quilt is for me & it doesn't have to be perfect.

I hope to tackle the next two tonight. After all the HST's of block #4, I will be so grateful to try paper piecing! So many firsts here for me. It may not feel comfortable yet, but I'm happy to be learning a few things & challenging myself to the point where I *feel* the challenge, but I don't want to throw my sewing machine out the window. Yet.

Modern Meadow Goodness!

At the beginning of the new year, my aunt gave me a call & asked if I could make her a table runner to be used as part of a wedding gift. The wedding is in Holland! (so cool)

Since I don't know much anything about the couple, I tried to make something I thought most people would like. Which meant using one of my favourite lines, Modern Meadow. Who couldn't like that, right?
I added in some Kona solids (artichoke, taupe & navy to be exact) & this is what I came up with!

  




The 'back', although it's really reversible.

 

I just LOVE binding!

I have been hoarding these fabrics for a quilt to live with me and this project helped me make the first cuts into my stash. Now when I have the time to work on it, I know it won't be as scary! I will add the solids into mine too as I think they worked beautifully with modern meadow. (Thank you Kona card!)


          
 I am linking up to Lily's Quilts for May's fresh sewing day.  :)      

Happy Mail!

 

Kona colour card...oh how I have pined for you!

 I entered a giveaway that was sponsored by Sew Fresh Fabrics & I won! Woot! After a long stay within the postal system, my package has arrived. A colour card & some Dewberry prints I can't get enough of. Awesomesauce! Now the fun begins...matching up all the fabrics I have with Kona solids! I have a feeling that more solids will be popping up in my quilts...






I can't wait til my grass actually is that colour!




Some more Modern Meadow... part of my giveaway win! (Artichoke & Deep Rose in Kona colours!)



Also had this Spring Street fabric come in today....it was a great mail day!



 Spring Street fabric was purchased from Uberstitch on Etsy...the last prints I was waiting for to start a quilt with my 9 year old niece. I'm helping her make her first quilt ever for her new sibling. She's fresh out of an ultrasound trip and will be ready to get started I think! :)



Mug Rug

Mug Rug a photo by twelfthzodiac on Flickr.

Trying out the latest craze, mug rugs. A little placemat for your drink & a snack. I could have added a cream egg to the photo, if I hadn't eaten it while I made the mug rug. You get the idea anyway....

I made up two of these & a regular sized coaster in a new method for me, 'quilt as you go'. It's a quick way of using up little strips like this, I will do more!

table runner beginnings

table runner beginnings a photo by twelfthzodiac on Flickr.

A tiny peek at how this project is coming along...I'm surprised at how quickly things are materializing now that I finally figured out what type of pattern to use!
I'll keep ya posted ;)

Modern Meadow fat quarters!

Modern Meadow fat quarters! a photo by twelfthzodiac on Flickr.

These will be used to make a commissioned table runner :) I puffy heart them!
You will see more creations from this line as I have been hoarding it to make a quilt for myself!