May Bee Block and Challenge Block for June

Here is my challenge block for our June meeting....

And here is my Bee block for E.  It is called "Road to Damascus.

Both were fun to do and I look forward to seeing everyone else's on Saturday.

Dresden Quilting Challenge

Hey MOD's! Here's a new challenge, I will be talking about at the meeting on Saturday!

http://www.slmqg.com/ez-dresden-challenge/

I will have rulers if anyone needs!

See you Saturday! 

Lot's good stuff to share!

Don't forget your JUNE challenge Block!

BOM in Greens

 Enjoyed making this block!!

One Block for E . . . . and one block for the challenge

First I would like to say . . . 

I posted this to the wrong blog earlier . . .

Having one of those days.

Here is the block I made for Earamichia's Bible Quilt.

It is called Gethsemene.

I did cheat a bit.

The teal squares are appliqued, but, I think it looks great!

Then onto the June challenge block.

It was dark when I took the picture.

If you can believe, this block is much brighter!

Can't wait to see everyone on Saturday! 

Lucky 13 June Bee

Hi “Lucky 13” NYC Metro Mod Bee members!  I’m Laura, the June Queen Bee.  I really loved Karen’s December block choice “Rocky Road to Kansas”, so I poked around a bunch of blogs, came back to the “Summer Sampler” series on Freshly Pieced and found the “Arkansas Traveler” block to be a fun twist on that.   Here’s the link: http://freshlypieced.blogspot.com/2011/07/summer-sampler-series-arkansas-traveler.html

The block is a mix of regular piecing (center diamonds) and some very simple paper piecing to get the outside borders on.  Four “quadrants” are created, then sewn to create the 12.5” unfinished block.  Here’s my version:

 I’m mailing packets which include directions, (4) paper-piecing templates, white background fabric and a bunch of diamonds made from American Jane’s Pezzy Prints (seen here in center and corners, but arrange as you like).  I bought a layer cake of the fabric and just love the wide range of colors and extensive white in this collection.  Not only do I have happy childhood “Pez” Candy memories, but the fabric just feels fresh, fun and summery to me.  I’m hoping you’ll use 4-8 of those diamonds and supplement with whatever works best from your stash to keep that light/bright feel.  Please avoid any fabric that reads predominantly purple or black if possible (purple already dominates most of my projects and heavy black doesn’t feel summery).  Keep whatever diamonds you don’t use for your stash.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!   Unfortunately I will not be at the June meeting, but fortunately for me I'll be at a favorite 4 day quilt retreat, so we'll be kindred "quilty" spirits on Saturday.  

Have a great summer if I don't see you!

Laura

Challenge Block!

Hey, I finally managed to make a challenge block! I don't think I've done one in about a year. I liked the idea of us all doing the same pattern with different colors- I can't wait to see them all together! I feared that the print fabric would look a bit too chunky for this but I'm ultimately happy with how it came out:

 I am really excited about the meeting this week. I was hoping to have finished piecing my new big project by Saturday, but it's not looking likely... even though I have been able to sew more in the last week than I've done in the past year or so! But I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else has been working on- always an inspiring experience. 

NYC Metro Mod Bee for June

I know this isn't my first go-round as Queen, but I am super excited.  Over the last year, I've been following a bunch of great blogs, and I came across the New York Beauty QAL.  I chose the NYB block for a couple of reasons:  First, I think it's absolutely perfect to represent my experience of participating in a bee with so many great people from NY and beyond.  Second, there are great patterns and tutorials available online.

Please make 2 blocks - both can be the same pattern or you can choose 2 different blocks.  The 10 patterns from which to choose is available here.

I want the color scheme to be scrappy with jewel-colored batiks.  As you can see above, I made blocks 5 and 8.  I have included several pieces of fabric that should be enough for both blocks.  I know that it can take more fabric for paper-piecing, so I tried to supply plenty.  If you need additional fabric though, just let me know.  Please do not add solids, pastels, or neutrals.  

I chose batiks because they are so much easier to work with for paper piecing since you don't have to worry about right and wrong sides of the fabric.  Plus, I love the saturated colors...and I have a bunch in my stash.  :-)

Remember - shorten your stitch length to make it easier to remove the paper before adding the inner quarter circle and outermost piece.

New York Beauty Quilt Along Tutorials

I haven't viewed every tutorial, but I have found it helpful to press with a hot iron between each line of stitching and starch after the curved piecing.  Also, I prefer to use the light from a window to make sure I have the pieces aligned correctly with enough seam allowance.

If you want to add your block or just look at some of the amazing completed blocks, you should check out the QAL Flickr Group.  

Did I mention that I'm excited?!?!  I can't wait to see the blocks.  I know they will be amazing!!!!! 

Log Cabin for Kati

I love the grey you chose! And I hope my scraps of orange, yellow and purples were what you were looking for. This is not particularly wonky or liberated but hopefully it fits in with the rest of the blocks.

Kati's wonky 9x9

Hello  - Here's my 9 patch of wonky 9 patches for Kati in the Lucky 13 bee.  I love the grey fabric she chose - I would never have thought to grab it, but it really makes these colors pop and adds great dimension.  I hope you like it Kati!  Laura C

KC Quilt Market

Oh! Lauren beat me to it! 

Didn't see you there Lauren!

Our quilt hung at the Michael Miller booth at Spring Quilt Market. 

The trade show for the Quilting industry.

Doesn't the quilt look great! 

Check out our quilt at Spring Market in Kansas City! 
http://www.fatquartershop.com/Cotton-Couture-Solids-Michael-Miller-Fabrics.asp 

It's also worth your time to drool over what's coming down the line - Fat Quarter Shop did great job of sharing pics...

http://www.facebook.com/FatQuarterShop?ref=ts

 

Star for Jody for April - I've never done a complicated paper-piecing project, but after finding a book of instructions at the table at the last meeting, I couldn't resist trying it for this star block. It was HARD to do, and far from perfect, but as Helen said to me "It's better done than perfect."

Joseph's Coat by Binita

Yeah they are looking wonderful so far. Binita wanted me to post her Joseph's Coat Bible Block for the NYC Mod Bee for me. Isn't it stunning. I'm glad I picked the fabric colors. They look amazing together. And Binitas work is so precise. Lovin it.

Fish for E's Bible quilt

I've had the fabrics and instructions set aside in the envelope for a couple of weeks.  It looked pretty challenging, so I decided to wait for the school year to end to tackle it.  I used the templates and cut all the pieces before starting to sew. Truthfully, I was really intimidated by all the Y-seams.  In the end, I was really pleased with how it came together...even though it ended up bigger than the standard 12.5 inch block.  


**Bonus - the reddish-orange pattern of the batik looks like Japanese koi.

A Few Blocks ...

                  Wonky HSTs for Kati 

                         
               
                                       
                                          

and the June Challenge Block for MetroMod

Quilts and company

What a Lovely day! I'm not sure what I missed taking this picture but,

 look at all your Beautiful smiles. This is how I think of today!

Beautiful quilts, But Exceptional company! ( and a really good lunch!)

Crazy Quilt Girls

Just got back from a talk: Crazy for Quilts -- Scrapbooks in Silk and Satin   ... given at the Darien Historical Society (and a delicious lunch after!)  That's Victoria, Lisa, Chris, Helen, Jody and Margaret.

May block for Lucky 13 Bee

Within a few days you'll be receiving a fat quarter of Essex linen from me in the mail, please use it as the background fabric for this month's bee block. The blocks for this month are inspired by a "liberated sampler quilt" I saw on the Fresh Lemons Quilt blog (here: http://www.freshlemonsquilts.com/?p=1773). The inspiration for my color scheme is a piece of Kaffe Fassett fabric that contains the colors orange, yellow, lavender/lilac, a bit of pink (see photo). The rules for our sampler are as follows:

- use the background fabric I'm sending you, and pair it with one or all of the colors orange, yellow, lavender, lilac. You can use a print that has all or some of these colors, several prints, one or more of these colors in solids;

- make a liberated block with a design of your choosing - anything goes, wonky log cabins, stars, flowers, a wonky churn dash, wonky crosses, etc.;

- any size is fine.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Lucky 13 Bee April Block for Jody

A wonky starry night for Jody! I love the vibrant color choices that really worked with this design. Hope you like it!

EVENT! Crazy Quilts

Elegant crazy and other silk quilts from the collection of the Darien Historical Society. April 29 to July 29 from noon to 5 pm on Tuesday to Thursday & Sunday. Darien Historical Society, 45 Old Kings Highway North Darien CT 06820

Star for Jody

I made this star based on a tutorial+templates from Fresh Lemons Quilts. I'm still having some precision issues (please excuse the slightly wonky star points - I guess I should claim they're a design element but the truth is, they're not). That was fun! I love the color scheme too.

Quilt Con Block Challenge

If anyone in the guild is up for a challenge....

 

http://www.quiltcon.com/get-involved/quiltcon-block-challenge/