Design Wall Monday - String Blocks

Linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

Still on the design wall are the spider web blocks from last week.  Since I have never made this block before, I searched other blogs for a tutorial and/or tips and came across a request for string blocks at Margaret's Hope Chest.  in white, aqua, purple, and fuchsia.  I set aside my spider web blocks and pulled strings out of my stash in the requested colors.  The deadline for the blocks is April 30, so I think that this small stack will be mailed out soon.

 Before I work on the spider webs again, I need to complete my April project for the Color Palette Challenge.   Any guess on what the inspiration photo is? (Answer)

Design Wall Monday - Spider Webs

Linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

I have several projects that I am actively juggling.  I have got many projects in progress, but most are not active. 

1.  This past weekend I spent a good amount of time working on scrappy spider web blocks.  A bunch of blocks completed, a bunch of blocks left to go.

2.  For this month's Color Palette Challenge, my project is a collaborative piece.  I started the project and gave it to my mom to let her work on it.  I now have it back and hope to quilt it this week.  Then it is back to my mom for binding.  Confession time:  my mom does all the binding on my quilts.

3.  Also, I am still pulling fabrics from deep stash for the In the Bag - Ugly Fabric Challenge.  No florals or theme fabrics, but there are some fuglies.  I am kinda nervous to see what delightfully fugly fabrics I will receive to work with.

A New Challenge

Well, I wouldn't be me if I didn't sign up for more quilt projects.  Yesterday, I lamented over the size of my stash.  When I was blog hopping, I found the In the Bag - Ugly Fabric Challenge.  I have seen that others have fun with these types of challenges, so I signed up.

Details are on the blog, but basically:

• You trade a total of 2 yards of ugly fabrics
• You can add materials from your stash
• You can purchase 1 yard of new fabric
• You keep what you make.

I know I got rid of my fuglies during the Fugly Fabric Party at Charm About You, but I think I can find some more fuglies lurking deep in the stash.

Design Wall Monday - Spider Webs

Today I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

Since I focused on UFO's in March, I was really ready to start a new project.  This weekend I started to pull fabrics for April's Color Palette Challenge and for New York Beauty blocks.  I was feeling a bit down when I realized that my stash is huge and I needed to go on a fabric diet.  I also noticed that I have many strips left over from other projects.  I realized that I needed a stash busting project and decided on making a spider web quilt using a tutorial found on Quiltville.

Its been awhile since I worked with paper foundations and I forgot how messy it is when removing the paper.  So glad, no one can see my work area right now!

Busting Out!

It is finally finished!  The quilt was made using the great Mod Mood quilt along instructions at Daintytime.  The original title was "Busting Out" (as in the scraps busting out of my bag), but I am also thinking of calling it "Willy Wonka's Music Factory".

This is something that I would have never thought myself capable of making, but 2012 is the year that I declared I would learn new things and stretch my quilting skills.  So, I thought I would just go for it.

I always thought of myself as someone who doesn't use solids.  But after pulling from my stash and scrap piles, I realized that I had enough varied scraps for the quilt.

It is machine pieced with some hand piecing.  The quilting is done by hand in a free form pattern using random colored thread.  I will admit that finishing off the design was a real bugaboo.  I spent a week trying different options and just staring at it hoping that an answer would pop in my mind.  Even after it was finished, for several days I told my mom I wanted to take scissors and cut it.  She promptly kept the quilt for a bit.

Color Palette Challenge - March

The inspiration piece for March's challenge was created by Vicki Welsh at Field Trips in Fiber.

I honestly do not know where the month of March has gone.  With the exception of this challenge, I promised myself that I would not start a new project until I completed some UFO's (and I cant believe that I actually stuck to this resolve!)

I was happy with the colors because I have been wanting to work with black in a quilt.  I pulled out my scraps and had an idea that was a bit ambitious.  My inspiration was my hand made matryoshka doll with chimes inside which I believe is also called a "nevalaska".  I got this in Sitka, Alaska on a cruise several years ago.  Its really pretty with a nice chime, kinda like a super fancy weeble wobble.

Soon though, time ran out and I had to lay this project aside.  I decided to create a mini that incorporated the curves of the black fabric in the design.  I tried creating some wonky flying geese and I liked the look, but I did not leave enough seam allowance on the sides.  When I sewed the geese together, the side points of the geese were cut off.

So, I took some scraps and started sewing them randomly and I came up with this mini for the AAQI.  It is machine pieced and hand quilted and measures just a hair under 9 X 12.  It currently does not have a title.

Stop by Patchwork Times to check out the other entries in this month's challenge and view the color palette for April's challenge.

Also, its the first of the month so I am linking up to the Small Blog Meet  at Lily's Quilts. I always enjoy this meet up because I get a chance to discover new blogs.