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!!!

And so it begins - the Library Project

I took a good hard look at the shelf above my quilting desk. A lot of beautiful books up there - many of which I received as Christmas and birthday presents last year. Shamefully, there some from which I haven't made a blessed thing! I'm taking up the gauntlet thrown down by Adrienne over at Chezzetcook Modern Quilts.

Today, as the Library Project Quilt Along (or TLP) officially gets underway, I'm revealing the four books selected from a stack of books that moved to the coffee table (complete with pack of post-its). Yes, I'm doing this whole hog. Is there any other way? First up, We Love Color featuring 16 gorgeous quilts from a variety of modern quilt designers. We all know I love me some Kona, so it's a mystery to me why I've never made anything from this in the year I've had it.

http://www.stashbooksblog.com/products/we-love-color/

I've yet to choose a project, but Color Frames by Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side and Ladders by Elizabeth Hartman of  Oh, Fransson. are sporting post-its!

Next on the list, City Quilts by Cherri House. I've had this one ever since our trip to Philadelphia in 2010. I love the bold, graphic patterns and the use of Kona.

http://www.stashbooksblog.com/products/city-quilts/

I'm torn between City Bank, City Green, and City Harbour (though I'm leaning toward City Harbour since I'm a Halifax girl through and through!)

And then there's Modern Patch Work, another giftie from last year. I drool over the pics in this one. Okay, not literally, but I really do love them. But there's something that stops me from making any of the projects. I fear they're beyond my skill or that my version won't be as lovely as the ones in the book. Classic overachiever problems!

http://www.stashbooksblog.com/products/modern-patchwork/

Let's face it.. I'm scared to even put a post-it on a page. But now that I've chosen it, I'll be forced to pull the trigger and decide!

Finally, in a break with the Stash Books trend (I do seem to have a lot of books from that publisher), I've selected Boo Davis' Dare to be Square. It's a zany little book with some really fun projects.

I've actually chosen a project and started to pull fabric. I know, I know... finally! I've selected....

... Deer in Headlights! It's a major departure from the type of quilts I usually make. I'm slowly trying to work myself up to making a pixel quilt like my MMGQ pal over at Candy Coated Quilts. This one's so kitschy... it's part of it's charm. Part of what helped me choose is that I know just the recipient - Young B. He's one of Himself's hunting pals and is just so danged nice that he merits a quilt.
I felt like I had lots of fabric to make this already in the stash... I really want to get the stash volume down this year! I know I have solids that will work too, but I'm going to need more browns!

And I discovered something about the mountain of blues in my stash. There's not a lot of sky/baby/light  blue and a hell of a lot of teal!

I can hardly wait for the 'Rents to get back from the US with the envelope of fabric I sent to their vacation locale! I was thinking of this quilt whilst avoiding expensive shipping and duty! Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky!

So... are you in? It's the Library Project, yo! You know you've got a book (or seven) you grabbed on an impulse in a fabric induced haze and from which you've never made a danged thing. Come on, you know you want to!

J