Sampler Style

One of the best parts of my job is creating projects for our annual kids Quilt Camp each summer! I run 3 different skill levels which means 3 different projects each year.  This summer, I decided to start making my own quilt based on these projects - after 7 years, that's a total of 21 designs!

I pulled out all the samples from past Camps to use for reference and started sewing up blocks. Pulling fabrics was easy - use as many bright colors as possible and I worked in all of the School Block fabrics too. These fabrics show up in my work stash year after year so they'll add some good memories to my quilt.

It's quite a list of blocks/designs/sizes and today I had fun puzzling out a block layout. Looking forward to seeing this one come together!

Project Zebra - Complete!

Another finished quilt to share with you dear readers! Project Zebra was the code name I assigned since this was a secret surprise quilt for the recipient.

Two weeks ago, we found out a coworker was retiring and a couple of us decided we'd make a quilt for her as we've done for other staff members that have moved or retired or had a baby. S has been with the Quilt Museum since we opened almost 27 year ago so it was clear to me that she deserved a full-sized quilt and not just a small wall piece.

I modified block 1755 : Prairie Flower : from Barbara Brackman's book and decided on black and grey fabric for the background. Then I rounded up each staff member to choose a fabric to be the center of the block (flower) and pulled several staff to help cut and draw lines for making stitch 'n flip corners.

This was a lot of fun to piece and see how fabrics chosen by 25 different people can look amazing in the same quilt! It measure about 60"x 72" and I call it Stained Glass.

I quilted it on Gilbert - my trusty Janome. Using a variety of Aurifil threads to echo inside the center flowers and then in black thread to stipple in the black background fabric. Stitching black on black was a little tricky to follow, especially in the evening with less natural light - but I had a tight deadline and made it work.

We gifted it to S today and she loved it! :D  There's a piece of all of us in it to remember her many years of dedication to the Museum and I know she'll love it forever. Gifting quilts is the best!
Linking up::
Needle and Thread Thursday - at My Quilt Infatuation
 TGIFF - Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday - at Celtic Thistle Stitches
Finished or Not Friday -at Busy Hands Quilts
Finish It Up Friday - at CrazyMomQuilts

Story of a Quilt

We all know every quilt has a story, right? This story begins in 2015 with the Pantone color of the Year Challenge. The color chosen: Marsala.  I wasn't completely thrilled with this color choice on first glance, but that makes the challenge more exciting.  I doodled some designs and scrolled my Pinterest images for inspiration. 

 The color of the year is part of a color line for that season so I used those colors as my basis for pulling fabrics from my stash to go with all of the marsala fabrics I had on hand. Everything came from stash in this quilt, always nice to do! I free cut the curves, and machine appliqued the two triangles. The size of the quilt was partially determined by the contest, and the size of the pieces of my fabrics.

The top was completed in time and I was all ready to enter it into the contest. Sadly, I goofed on this one and missed the deadline accidentally by a couple of days. :( Read the original post here.

So the top sat and sat and showed up in my Finish Along lists quarter after quarter until I decided to just finish it already. It was a good top to use for playing with quilting designs and I used a variety of Aurifil threads - mostly 50 wt and a few 40 wt. colors too.

It measure 30"x42" and I dug out some scraps of the fabrics to use in the binding - managed to get a little of every fabric into it! Now all I need is to label it and come up with a good name - any suggestions readers?

Linking up at Finish It Up Friday with CrazyMomQuilts!