Quilt Show Challenge Blocks

This is a bit of a late post because I completed these blocks back in January, I think.  But since I'm behind in my blogging anyway, to heck with it.  I can post anything I want.  HA

My local traditional quilt guild has a quilt show every March.  We have the opportunity to purchase kits of fabric (usually 2 fabrics) for $2.00 and then we are to make a quilt block to be entered into the quilt block challenge.

This year I purchased 2 kits.  The background fabric was black and the other fabric was a multicolored.  You can add any other fabrics to the block that you want and you can make your block anything you want.  It can be any technique.

I chose paper piecing for both my blocks.  My son had gotten me the book A Flock of Feathered Stars by Carolyn Cullinan McCormick for Christmas and I used a pattern from there for one block.  I love this book and I intend to make every block in it.  I was thinking maybe in red and white.

My other block is a flying geese block and I made my own pattern because I couldn't find a paper pieced one that was the right size.  But that's ok because it turned out pretty good.

The ribbons are judged but I don't really understand their judging process.  Every single block gets a ribbon.  What is the point of that?  Who are you competing against?  No one?  Then at the next guild meeting, they divide the blocks into sacks and draw names to see who gets a stack of the blocks.  You have to participate in making the blocks to be entered in the drawing.  

Anywho, I also made a small quilt for our small quilt auction which raises money for the guild to use for speakers and workshops and such.  Of course, I paper pieced it :)
I used a pattern by Quiet Play which I purchased from Craftsy.  I don't have a finished picture on my computer but I'm sure there is one somewhere.  So I'll just show you what I have.

I can't find what I did with the dimensions but I think it's about 12 inches x 20 inches.  I quilted it with what I call fractured glass straight line quilting.  Just random lines across, diagonal, all over.  The back was the black Architextures print from Carolyn Freidlander and I just bound it with the same white Kona I used for the front.  It turned out super cute - in my opinion.
My friend Robyn bought it at the auction before anyone else got a chance.  Thanks Robyn!

Small FInishes for January

Like most quilters, I seem to always be working on a million projects at one time!  And also like most quilters, I also have a life and other responsibilities that prevent me from sewing 24/7.

I mentioned in a previous post that we are building a new house (my husband's idea) and it is taking up lots of my time.  There are phone calls to make, emails to send, websites to look at, choices to make.  It's exhausting.  And we haven't even broken ground yet.  Great huh?  Once things get moving, I do plan to post about it, if for no other reason than to keep a record of it. 

But I did get some sewing time in January and was able to complete a few small finishes.

My son got me the book A Flock of Feathered Stars by Carolyn McCormick for Christmas and I used one of the patterns to make a challenge block for my local guild's quilt show that is coming up in March.  I committed to 2 blocks.  We purchase the fabric kits from the guild for $2 and we have to use the black fabric for the background and the multi colored fabric somewhere in the block.  Here's number one!

 And for number 2, I made the December block from Aurifil's 2014 BOM.  I made my own pattern to paper piece my geese and the block looks a bit wonky to me but it came out the right measurement.

 

I'm also working on a small quilt for donation at the quilt show's silent auction.  Here's a sneak peak!

(Pattern designed by Kristy of Quiet Play)

Also in the works is a Valentine's challenge mini quilt for my modern quilting group but as it's a secret, I'll have to wait until after our next meeting to show it.

And lastly, one more sneak peak.  I took a quilting color class at my local quilt show which was awesome!  We used Prismacolor pencils to color our picture, sandwiched it and now I need to quilt it.  I think I'll also do some thread painting - or at least try.  We'll see how it comes out.

February starts tomorrow.  Fingers crossed I can get more accomplished.

Friday Finishes - Quilt Guild Challenge Blocks

First, I'd like to say Happy Valentine's Day!

Now that that's out of the way, lets get down to business.  My local quilt guild is having a quilt show in March.  Our challenge blocks were due this week and so I thought I'd show them for my Friday finish.

We were given two fabrics.  They are both from the Mama Said Sew line from Moda.  The "sew" text fabric was to be used for the background and the circle fabric had to be used somewhere in the block.  We could add in our own fabrics and we didn't have to use all the circle fabric, just some.

So, here is my first block.  It's the practice block from the 2013 Lucky Stars BOM from Elizabeth Dackson's Don't Call Me Betsy blog.

 Our quilt show theme this year is a modern theme.  Our instructions with our fabric were to think outside the box.  I think I did that pretty well.

 I didn't want to use red in my block, so when I was paper piecing this, I cut all of the red out.  I just used the gray, cream, and black part of my circle fabric.  Also, I used the "sew" text fabric for the background just like I was suppose to, just not the only background.  I also used this bar code fabric from Zen Chic.  
I love those little aqua elephants from Michael Miller.

Here is block number two.  It's called Strippy Spool and it is a tutorial block on the Persimmon Dreams blog.

This time I did use the red - just a lot of other red with it.  And I added the green to make it really pop.  I love the Bobbins and Bits line by Pat Bravo that this green fabric is from.  The other reds are fabrics from my stash.

Once again, I thought outside the box when I ran out of the "sew" text fabric.  I didn't have enough to make the HST blocks in the corners.  So, I used this other cream and black text print that I already had.  I did briefly consider driving across town to my LQS to buy more of the "sew" text fabric but to be honest, it's not my favorite fabric and I didn't want to be stuck with leftovers.

So, there you have it.  Now I just need to quilt two quilts and sew hanging sleeves on 4 quilts and I'll be all ready for the quilt show.  Ack!!  Wish me luck!

*Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts and My Quilt Infatuation**