Block Contest

I decided to try something new the other day.  I ordered a fabric packet from the Sister's Outdoor Quilt Show website, so that I can enter their quilt block contest.  I was a little surprised when I got the fabric packet in the mail.  There was one 10 inch square of fabric and four 6 inch squares of fabric.  I had figured they would all be the same size.  I ordered the blue color-way packet and was a bit surprised by the square of fabric that was not blue.  On the website, it looked orange to me, but it was more of a rusty brown color.  I had to change up my block idea a little bit because of these "surprises", but it was no big deal.  I've started working on my block, and I'm actually pretty happy with it so far.  When I get it all finished I'll post a picture of it.

Dutchman's Puzzle Row

Here is a picture of my latest row swap row, with the other rows from the quilt.  Mine is the Dutchman's Puzzle row that is second from the bottom.  I finished it last night. I did decide to change the design slightly from what I had said in the previous post.  When I laid it out with all four fabrics in one block I thought it looked a little too busy.  Instead of going with light and dark pairs, I decided to go with the dark as a center pin wheel.  I like the alternation of color between the two blocks.  I think it looks nice.

Because it doesn't use the French General fabric, it stands out from the other rows, but I think that the colors work.  I think there are still 4 more rows to be made for the quilt, so if other people will branch out and use other fabrics too, I think it will look fine.  I hope she likes it.

Shopping

I'm currently working on another row for my guild's row swap.  The theme for the quilt that I am working on right now is traditional quilt blocks in traditional fabrics.  At this point, all three rows in the quilt are made from French General fabrics.  On Tuesday morning, I sat down with the fabrics that I had and the fabrics that were included with the rows.  I had picked out an Ohio Star block for my pattern and had decided which French General fabrics I wanted to buy to complete the design as I had envisioned it.  I drove down to the quilt shop and found that she didn't have any of the fabrics I wanted for my design (apparently she had just a had a big sale and much of her stock of French General had sold out).  Once I got there, I realized that I had left the rows at home too, and the quilt shop is a 35 minute drive from my house.  I looked at the French General that was available, didn't see anything that seemed like it would work with my light and dark Ohio Star design idea, and then just decided to turn around and head home empty handed.  Tuesday was not my day.

That evening after dinner, I went back to the drawing board, literally, and drew out the Ohio Star blocks in a row to see how I liked the design as a simple row of six 6" blocks.  I decided that I wasn't thrilled with that design and dropped back to a different block I had previously considered, the Dutchman's Puzzle block.  After sketching out a row of Dutchman's Puzzle blocks I decided that I liked that design better anyway. 

On Wednesday afternoon, I drove back down to the quilt shop to find fabric in line with my new design idea.  I looked at the French General, but still wasn't feeling it for my design.  I called the person whose quilt I was working on, and asked if it had to be French General, and she said that it didn't.  So, after a lot of searching through the shop and with a great deal of help from Cindy at the shop, I finally decided on these 4 fabrics.  Each fabric will be one pair of flying geese in the block.

This is the focus fabric for the quilt.

 And these are the existing rows for the quilt.

She said she thought it needed some darker fabrics brought in, and she specifically mentioned black and green, so hopefully she will be happy with it.  I'll post pics of the row once I get it done.  Hopefully there will be no more changes to the design going forward.

More Pumpkins!

I'm a little behind on posting these. I actually made them last Tuesday (Jan 8), but have just gotten around to taking pictures of them.  Both of these are 6 inch (finished) blocks for my little pumpkin wall-hanging quilt.

The block above is based on a block I found online at Piece in the Hoop.  I didn't order the pattern.  I just looked at the picture and drafted a foundation piecing pattern from the picture.  I kind of wish I had arranged the fabric a little differently, but I think it will be okay.  If I decide that I don't like it, I will redo it latter.

I came up with the pattern for this little pumpkin on my own.  I was inspired by an appliqued pumpkin block in one of my quilt books (501 Quilt Blocks from Better Homes and Gardens).  I didn't want to do any applique, so I adapted it to a pieced design.  The top strip and the bottom strip are paper pieced, while the center of the block is traditionally pieced.