Quilt Block Swap #3

I finally got my blocks for the quilt block swap I'm playing in the mail today. Took me long enough! They have been done for a good two or three weeks at this point. I picked the pattern, my group mates picked their colors. Love it!

Most of the quilt block patterns I found on quilterscache, but some I knew or kind of put together.

 Aunt Eliza's Star (QC 9 inch")

 Split 9 Patch (QC 9")

 Variation of Churn Dash

 Shoo Fly

 Churn Dash

 Austin (QC 12")

 Baby Bud (QC 12")

 Jack in the Box

 Prairie Flower (QC 9")

 Who Knows?

 Annie's Choice (QC 12")

 Linoleum (QC 12")

Advil (QC 12")

Purple, Blue and Brown Swap Quilt

This is my second block swap quilt (and first to be completed!) from swaps I play in at atcsforall.com. I just have to show it off - isn't it wonderful? This isn't the most artsy picture of a quilt in the world, but it gets the job done!

Let's see if I can remember who made what... this is the tricky part!
Top: Me, Carole, Me, Me
2nd: PennyQ, Ibus, PennyQ, Ibus
3rd: Me, Wendy, Lini, Me
4th: Jill, ??, Mushroom, Ibus

I think that is right - let me know if I goofed up! I could go check the thread... maybe I will later!

Sugar Pop N Change

Not that I needed to start a new project, but there is something about starting quilts that I just love! I've been wanting to make my sister a quilt for a while now and purchased some jelly roll fabric to do so. I didn't have a plan for the quilt, just the fabric, and went though some different patterns before settling on this Sugar Pop N Change pattern on Moda Bake Shop. This fun pattern by Melissa is super fun and I'm having a fun time sewing all my coins together. I haven't made anything like a coin quilt before so this is an exciting change of pace for me. I'm using the "Neutral Mediterranean" fabric line from Fabric Central that I picked up at Joanns. It isn't the best fabric - I purchased it a while ago when I was getting back into quilting because I thought the colors were a good fit for my sister. Live and learn, right?

Here is what I did the other day: chain piecing a zillion little coins together!

Then I put all the little coins together to make big coin stacks. I'm starting to get the sashing in but decided to put that away for today.

Flower Lattice Quilt and Hidden Stars

This is another WIP. The pattern is from the book Layer Cake, Jelly Roll and Charm Quilts. This is a super fun book and I have a few WIP from it.

The first is an all flannel quilt i'm working on for my best friend. I saw the brown fabric and loved it! I picked some up and cut all of the cake layers from it. It is going to look super when it is finally done. I have all the blocks together - now, I just need to get them sewn together!

The pattern creates a nice lattice look - the quilt looks hard but it only has two peices to it!

The other quilt is the Hidden Stars pattern. This one I used some charm squares in pink and brown from online swaps I played in. I'm not sure how I feel about this one but sometimes that is how things work out!

Charm Squares Baby Quilt

This is a baby quilt top I put together recently. I found this pattern on Oh, Fransson! and knew it would be perfect for all the black and white charms I had collected during a charm swap at atcsforall.com. This was also a good pattern because I had all the materials I needed to make it at the house - my roommate is always pleased when I use my stash!

 First, I prepared all my charms. That was easy! You have to cut some of them in half but I think this was the quickest cut job I ever had for a quilt! I was short a few charms and cut some from my black and white stash. Here, I have them sorted kind of by value.

 I spread them out on the floor and sewed them together in a big square - little rectangle configuration. I tried to keep some contrast between the blocks and to spread out the values a bit.

This is about all the floor space I have in my apartment for quilting. We have a 650 sq foot tiny place with a bad layout. 

Then I sewed all the sashing on. I asked my art buddies what color to use and they suggested red. Lucky for me, I had some leftover red Kona from a binding project for another quilt I did that turned out to be just the right amount!

Looks pretty sharp, eh?

And then, ta da! Sew them all together and you get one cute little baby quilt top. I still need to quilt this one.... someday it will get done!

In all, this took about 3 hours to put together. Using different fabrics and colors can give it a lot of different looks. I plan on making more of these in the future for friends who are having babies.

nine patch lattice quilt

here is a work in progress. i'm a pattern from oh, fransson! called nine patch lattice. she has a lot of wonder resources on her website, including wonderful works in progress and free patterns that are lovely. i've made a few already and will get around to posting them... eventually!

here is mine, a work in progress. isn't it cute? i used some 1930 reproduction fabrics i traded for and i love how it looks. the setting blocks are a soft, buttery white-yellow. i can't wait to get this done. it is a perfect beginners project and can be made with fat quarters (as her instructions list) or, if you want, a scrappy version would also look sharp!

lovin' nine patch blocks

i started making quilts when i was a little kid. i'll have to post some pictures of these to show you what i made!

about a year ago, i set out to find a new hobby - something to help me focus on something that wasn't work. i discovered ATCs (artist trading cards) at my local craft store and signed up at atcsforall.com. it was there that i started getting back into crafts, first with ATCs and then with fabric crafts. during a charm square swap, we figured out that many of us sewed so my buddy carole started hosting quilt block swaps. so much fun!

the basis for the swap is making others in your groups blocks to their size and colors. most of us play for 9 inch blocks, some for 12 inch blocks. as a result, it was easy for me to fall in love with making the little 3 1/2 inch blocks that can be combined to make these!

patchwork star, a black and white 12 inch block. i started to make something else but made too many of the dot/flower half square triangles (HST)!! so i played around and created this lovely block. if you know the traditional name for this one (as i'm sure there is one!) please let me know :)

 churn dash - a traditional block done in fall colors. this one is a 9 inch block that i drafted the pattern for myself. i hope to eventually post directions for making the different kinds of 3 1/2 inch blocks that can be used to make 9 and 16 patch blocks!

double friendship star in blues and whites. i've done a few of this pattern and it looks good if the colors contrast well.