Queen-size sampler quilt. Blocks from Patchwork Party 2009 - Spring Edition, with Irish chain finishing kit by Grandma's Attic Quilting. Don't ya just LOVE those colors?? This is destined for my own bed.

Last summer we had a 40th anniversary party for my in-laws. Before the party, I made up a bunch of simple signature blocks and had them there for guests to sign. Here is the resulting quilt top! I ended up with an odd number of blocks, so I made the center piece to fill in the hole.

Well, here it is!
The recipient (Debbie) picked the pattern/layout and size (queen) and her MIL told me what colors she generally likes (deep reds, golds, etc). I took that info and designed the blocks and final quilt on my own. Then I spent weeks and weeks collecting all kinds of reds and creams, as well as the gold marble-y fabric I used for the center squares. All told, there are sixty-four 10" (finished) log cabin blocks, with a total finished quilt size of 90x90. I'm kinda proud of this one... almost hate to give it up.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Here you can see all the different 1.5" strips cut and hanging from my giant quilt hoop waiting to be added to a block... there's also a sneak peek of the layout there on that paper beside it. The basic layout is from the book "Log Cabin Quilts Unlimited" although that one is done in black & white.


Here are the 1st quarter of the eventual 64 log cabin blocks as they basically will appear in the finished quilt top... log cabin is really very simple, but it's very time-consuming, since you have to press and square up after each individual strip is added to a block. And each block has 16 strips. I love how all the different reds are "playing" together.

Way back in October of last year, I happened to win our guild's block of the month drawing (for the pumpkin blocks). I never win ANYTHING, but I was really happy to get this particular one. I added the kitty cat to make it a truly fun "Halloween" quilt, and I have candy corn fabric for the backing. I'm very pleased with the way this one turned out--can't wait to see about quilting. I might try to see how much it would be to have someone else quilt it, though... we'll see.

Here's my latest Quilt of Valor... all quilted and bound and nearly ready to go! Just need to put on the label & wash it before sending.

A close-up of some of the really nice quilting done by my longarm partner!

The presentation tote...
The body of the tote is the same fabric as the quilt's backing, and the straps are the same as the border and binding. The tote is made using the free "Fabric Grocery Bag" instructions from The Creative Thimble. I love this little tote--too easy & cute!--so I'll be making myself a few shopping bags very soon!

Several months ago, I did another swap on the Scrap Quilting forum on DelphiForums. This one was an exercise in color play. Everyone made two pairs of blocks each for the others in the swap. Each pair was to be a set of a rail fence block and a four patch block. Both blocks in a set had to use the same tone-on-tone or solid matched with two different fabrics that could go with the solid, but not necessarily with each other. Here's one of my sets as an example... both use the same blue, but the other fabric is different, and certainly not what you would normally use in a quilt together. My other set was more "subdued," using a burgundy solid with two prints that didn't contrast quite as much. The burgundy set made it into the quilt, but I didn't have room for the blue ones... I have a few sets of that left, so I'm making other plans for them.

Due to the fact that there's no room in the budget for new fabric right this second (like I NEED any more fabric...LOL), I decided to take them out and play. And here's what I came up with! I used the four patch blocks for the center, and then lined up the rail fence blocks as a border of sorts. Then I added the corner blocks to carry the line of the rail fence around the edge of the quilt. What do you think? I'm not usually one for wild scrappy with "reckless abandon," but I actually really like the outcome. Very colorful to say the least... It's not very big, only 30x30, but it will make a nice tea party blanket or kid cozy quilt. Another reason I went ahead and put this together is that I need a small project to test out the Flynn Frame my mom got me for Christmas. That's my next challenge...