Batik Sampler Quilt Top

I worked hard this week to get the Batik Sampler completely assembled. I am so happy with how it turned out!

( It does have a border on the top; my bookshelf was not tall enough!)

I wanted to single out this block because it has significant meaning for me. I made this block the week of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.  I picked the fabrics quite randomly, but when the block was finished, I noticed that the light blue looked like the waves that rolled over the land in Japan, and the center looked like a nuclear warning sign, representing the nuclear power plant meltdown.

I considered remaking the block with different fabrics because I did not think I cared to be reminded of the disaster in Japan every time I looked at this quilt. But someone commented on the block that keeping it would always put some perspective into the quilt. Now, a year later, I am glad I took her advice and kept the block.

I'm linking up with Susan and other Little Green Quilters at http://www.blackberrycreek.typepad.com/

Sashing the Batik Sampler

A year ago I participated in Blockapalooza, an online sew-along in which a different sampler block was posted every few days by 16 different quilters. I used a fat quarter pack of batiks to create some beautiful blocks. Then I put it away for a while.

This week I pulled out the blocks and remembered why I had put it away. Not only was I tired of it and wanted to work on something different, but there was also this block:

It was so bright that I called it the nuclear block. It screamed "Look at ME" when put with all the other blocks. So yesterday I took it apart and toned it down a bit.

Still bright, but much better! You can see that I did not get some of the pieces lined up perfectly, but I decided this one would just have to stay a bit wonky!

Then there was the block size issue. They all were supposed to finish at 12" square (12.5" unfinished). Not all of mine were the same size.* Grrr.... So before sewing on the sashing, I have to square them up best I can, then be very careful with fitting the sashing on them in just the right places.

Here is one block that is a bit too small. Can you see how I fudged to make it work? Yep, the sashing gets the quarter inch seam, but the block gets more like an eighth inch seam. It does work to uniform the sizes, but it takes a lot of time.

Some blocks have many many many seams along the edge. Then pins become the most valuable commodity on my sewing table!

The sashing is coming along, slowly but surely. I know it will look fabulous when complete; it is worth taking the extra time to measure carefully so all will line up just right!

*Note to self:

In the future, when making a sampler, be very very careful with the seam allowances so that all the blocks end up being the same size! If there are lots of small pieces, use more 'scant' in the seam allowance!

I'm linking up with Susan and other Little Green Quilters at

http://www.blackberrycreek.typepad.com/

Steady and Relaxing

I am making these blocks one at a time. It is so relaxing

and I just take my time. 13 done, 42 more to go!

 Here is a favorite block...do you know why?

 Look closely. Who do you see?

Yes, it is Elvis! Hee Hee!

A New Quilt Started....AND Finished!

Husband came home with an invitation to a baby shower for a couple from his work. I offered to make a quick baby quilt. I "shopped" my stash and found this funny frog fabric.

I added some primary colors--from my stash (except the green....had to go buy a fat quarter, for I have NO primary green fabric at all!) and here is what I came up with...

The backing had to be pieced; it turned out cute too!

I machine-quilted straight lines and bound it in a multicolored stripe. After a run through the washer and dryer, the quilt came out so snuggly and soft and just as cute as can be!

I'm linking up with Susan and other Little Green Quilters at
http://www.blackberrycreek.typepad.com/

Friday's Flimsy Finish!

Here it is, the Christmas Sampler finally has its borders! The border fabric is a bit on the dark side, but the colors are right on with the colors in the quilt, and it seems to have lost its Hawaiian flavor.

 It turned out really large at 90" wide by 100" long. It reaches floor to ceiling!

Back in December of 2010 I was passing time putting 1 1/2" squares into mini nine patches.  The fabrics came from my mother-in-law; I have been looking for an idea of how to use them.

 I finally saw a block I really liked; it was made up of two fabrics, but I figured it could be done as a scrappy too! So I put one together...

 ...and I liked it! I liked it alot! So I made four more!

 Eventually it will be a queen sized quilt, but it will take a long time! Each block has 46 pieces and is only 9" square. Using such small pieces means taking time to be accurate.

Here is one last little project I have been working on. The fabrics are leftovers from another project..many many triangles left over! I thought this would make a cute wall hanging.

 But I am struggling with that house square. It just does not want to fit right. It may look nice in the above picture, but in reality it has a bubble. See?

I've ripped it out so many times already. At some point it HAS to work, right?!!!

I'm linking up with Susan and her Little Green Quilters at
http://www.blackberrycreek.typepad.com/

Did I accomplish my goal???

It is still Leap Day...

...but I did not finish the borders.

I need to miter the corners, and I think I can do a neater job when I am a little more awake!

I could have finished, but at 9:00 tonite I started questioning my choice of fabric for the border. It is quite dark, and it is somewhat Hawaiian in theme.  I spent precious time searching my stash for a more suitable fabric with no luck. So I decided to go for it, just use what I had all ready to go. I do not want to purchase fabric for this quilt. It is my bargain bin quilt and I plan to keep it that way!

I'll post a finished picture on Friday, then you can decide if the border works or not!