Doing my homework...

Doesn't sound like fun, does it? But this is homework I can get excited about! I was feeling a little pressure this week after an e-mail alert about the first two blocks of Piece o' Fabrics Skill Builder BOM. Yikes! I hadn't even picked my fabric yet! Time to get busy!
Part of me just wanted to make the quilt as it was presented. Afterall, the colours were what caught me first. But it just didn't seem very original. I spent a goodly amount of time auditioning from my stash and referring to my colour card. It really made me consider doing this to the card! Here's the starting line-up.  Konas, glorious Konas!

Papaya, Coral, Capri, Emerald, Pepper, Medium Gray, Silver, and White

There was something in me that really wanted to keep the Olfa Splash block looking like the real thing. I think Papaya and Capri achieve that nicely!
The designer/teacher is a big proponent of starching your fabric. Never done that before! I watched her informative video, but I didn't have any spray starch on hand, so my first few two blocks just had to go without. That said, I'm definitely considering starching for future blocks with appliqué and bias edges. 
So, first block... can you guess what it's going to be? What I can tell you is that these are 1 inch strips. Be afraid, be very afraid.

 And seams to be pressed open? Many!

 But then it turned into this cool ruler! Block #1 done!

For the next block, I needed a selection of tones. My main was Coral, and I went for Punch, Red, and Melon to go with it. And yes, I label my Konas. OCD can be a wonderful thing.

 More 1 inch strips... scary. The pattern calls for 13 of them to be pieced together.

 So many tiny strips!

 All sewn together... what will they become?

 And again with pressing the seams open. I can see the merits of this, but it does take extra time.

 And Block #2 - Spools!

Skill level: Easy? Ummm.... it wasn't technically hard, but very fiddly. I feel un-easy (ha ha ha) about the prospect of a difficult block later on! That said, I can hardly wait until January 30th. This whole quilt is done using quilt as you go - a technique that I'm not well versed in - and on the 30th, we learn about how to quilt these two blocks. There's something very exciting about the prospect of learning something new with each installment.

Hope you did some sewing... maybe even in lieu of your homework (or housework, as the case may be)!

J

P.S This is a monumental post, sports fans! It's my 100th!!!