Pineapple Blossom and Raspberry Variation

Remember, you've got until the 4th of April to post a comment on my blog for a chance to win the free pattern from Julie Herman. Plus, don't forget to go over to the Quilty Pleasures Blog to post for a chance at some free fabric. ;)

Here's an indoor shot of my Raspberry Dessert variation - the library shelves make excellent quilt hangers:

And here's the current state of that pineapple blossom quilt I started at Bonnie Hunter's class in Jackson TN. I decided to make it 3x3 (or six by six, depending on how you count the blocks) before I added the border, so this last week, I've made and added on 12 more twelve inch blocks.

Tomorrow after work, I'm going to head to Home Depot and Walmart to check out their seeds and seedlings. It's almost April, and time to start thinking Garden! Tomatoes! Banana Peppers! SnowPeas! Hey, have any of you ever grown cantaloupe in a container garden?

Raspberry Desserts and Giveaways!

Well, here it is, the reveal date for the second Quiltmaker Scrap Squad project. I'm glad I was picked to be on this team, it's been lots of fun so far. For the last two months, we've been working on a pattern by Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts. This one is called Raspberry Desserts (she did it in pinks and creams) but if you'll click around the other scrap squad blogs, you can see that it looks great both color controlled and scrappy! She also has some wonderful patterns on her site that look great in scrappy, look around while you're there.

I decided to do mine with a dark background, rows of blocks with jewel tone colors bordering scrappy insides. Then I used the same fabrics in the scrappy braided border:

Mine's not quilted yet - and before I send it off to my longarmer, I may add another braided border all the way around. I used my Accuquilt GO! to cut the chisel shapes that became the braid, and it was SO easy to cut the right and left shapes. And addictive, almost hypnotic, to keep sewing the braid, chaining them through the machine.

I also changed the setting of the Julie's blocks - instead of putting them on point with setting triangles, I set them square. I think it would have been neat to do them with smaller strips too, really scrappy against white, maybe I'll try that someday.

Now for the Giveaways!

Julie has given the eight of us on the scrap squad each a pattern to give away FREE. So comment on my blog between now and April 4 (that gives you a week to comment) then I'll use a random number generator to pick one of you to receive the pattern. Make sure your response is set so I can reply to your comment if you win! Then go hop around the scrap squad blogs and comment on theirs too (links on my sidebar) for MORE chances to win a free pattern.

AND it doesn't stop there!

Quilty Pleasures blog, over at quiltmaker.com, is having a fabric giveaway. Yup, FABRIC! Run over there and follow the instructions to be entered for that too!

Pineapple Blossom Progress

There, I've sewn together the first twenty-four blocks, but you can only see a few here. I love the way the orange/yellow/pink batik looks in the large segments. Almost like a sunrise. I started this last Saturday, in Bonnie Hunter's class, and it came along really fast. It's been a long time since I made a quilt with only three fabrics. Working with the batiks and white was a treat too, there was no right or wrong side, no almost invisible white-on-white print to search for either!

Toby decided that the hanging quilt-center was put up for HIM to play behind. See the bump at the bottom left corner? That bump's name is Toby.

I'll add a two-inch border of that aqua-turquoise. I also have finished part of 24 pinwheels from the bonus triangles, they'll go in a thick white border surrounding the whole quilt. I haven't decided if I want to put the pinwheels on point, or make them wonky or... space them evenly or... ? Any suggestions? When I put four of the bonus triangles together to make a pinwheel, the block finishes at 7 inches.

Meeting Bonnie Hunter in Jackson, TN

I had the great honor of joining the Jackson TN Peace by Piece quilt guild as they hosted Bonnie Hunter. Her lecture and trunk show was fantabulous! Even though I'd already heard of the Scrap User's system, it was a treat to see Bonnie in person as she worked the crowd. She had them rapt—actively listening, laughing, nodding to her words, and responding to her questions.

That quilt on the wall behind her is such a clever idea. It shows the sizes of light and dark strips and squares she cuts most of her scraps into, and UNDER the different sized strips, she made some sample blocks from those units. It's a great visual aid to her trunk show and lecture!

I think the picture above is the 'quilt holder' pose ... Bonnie's both sweet and funny in person. :)

Even though I only had met one person in the class before (Patty, on the left) everyone at the Jackson guild was very friendly and hospitable. I appreciate their letting me join them!

Here's the eight pineapple blossom blocks I finished, spread out on the bed in my hotel room. I'm making 24 twelve-inch blocks, then I'll decide if I want to make more, and what I want to do with the border. And yes, I did more than eight total, but these were completely finished ... the rest are in different stages of being done.

Scrap Squad Teaser and Block of the Month

Still can't show you the Quiltmaker magazine pattern I'm working on, but just to tease you, here's some MORE of the fabrics I'm using.

These past two nights, I've also been working on the website for my guild. I put up a block almost every month, and the next series of blocks is starting TODAY. Here's block one. First the EQ drawing of what I designed:

And then here's the actual block, made out of fabric:

If you want to play around with us, it's all free, online at the Uncommon Threads guild website, just scroll down to see the block of the month links. The January page has some sample layouts and color options, and the March page starts you with cutting directions and instructions on the first block. Wouldn't you like to join us?