In the 'Hood

Guess what!  I will be starting another quilt!  Beth Helfter of EvaPaige Quilt Designs has created a new mystery quilt which you can participate in for a nominal fee.  Link.  The first clue came out this week which includes fabric requirements.  Here are my fabrics:

And this is from the girl who doesn't like orange. Go figure. My rationalization is that it will contrast nicely with the blue cushions on my outdoor furniture.

Quilting Addiction Fed

I am ignoring the danger of making sample blocks.  In my last post, I acknowledged my addiction to Bonnie Hunter's Garden Party quilt design after making a sample block. But I just had to try some of the quilt blocks from Quiltmaker "Addicted to Scraps" column by Bonnie Hunter. Maybe making the sample blocks is an addiction in itself!

1. Moth in the Window

After Andee made her colorful quilt from this pattern, I finally cut into my collection of plaids. Mixing plaids makes me shudder (slightly OCD?) so if I pursue making a whole quilt, I will highlight the plaids with a complimentary solid and most likely use black sashing. What do you think?

2. Garlic Knots

What a simple yet cute block! If you have made this block, did you assemble the pieces into a 4-patch and nest the seams?  Or did you assemble by row and press open the seams like I did?

3. Ceiling Fan

These feel so tiny!  It was difficult to get good points in the middle, and nesting the seams was a bit problematic.  If you have made this one, how did you get around that problem?

4. Whirly Girly

Gotta love the name because it fits well with my aviation themed blog.  A "whirly girl" is a female helicopter pilot. I fly fixed wing, but am intrigued by the added challenge of a rotor craft.

5. Pinwheel Fancy

Well, I actually didn't sew this one. I'm dying to try this block with my teal stash, just like this reader quilt on page 72 of Quiltmaker Nov/Dec 2015 issue.

And the fun continues!  This next quilt has been on my wish list for a long time. It's from the book "Rotary Riot: 40 Fast and Fabulous Quilts" by Judy Hopkins and Nancy J. Martin, published in 1991.

The blocks are 8 inches, which is larger than you would think, making it easy to get those points right. I wanted to use my plaids for this one, too. Check out my first two blocks:

What have you been sewing lately?

Highly Addictive

This sign should appear on Bonnie Hunter's Garden Party quilt pattern:

WARNING - Highly Addictive

There were so many pictures of beautiful Garden Party quilts. Some had Bonnie's red accents while others were in green, blue or even purple. I decided to try a test block. 

Then another quickly jumped under my needle. And another. Suddenly I found myself frantically digging through the big old scrap bin for more fabric to cut into 1.5" strips. 

Then I gathered up all my reds to cut up for alternate blocks. OMG - these are so addictive! Those tiny 1.5" squares are so cute! My hands are shaking and I'm wiggling with glee!  This was the same sensation I experienced when playing with Crabapple blocks or making those 112 Chunky Churndash blocks.  

Oops!  I started another quilt! Have you tried this quilt pattern? I bet you can't make just one block! The pattern is in the Quiltmaker May/June 2015 issue. Come on, make it with me!  

Check out the tweaks Susan put in her Garden Party quilt, shown in her blog post. I like how she floated the final red squares and used yellows in every flower block center.

I must find the willpower to resist so I can finish up my other "Bonnie" quilts - Jamestown Landing and Grand Illusion. Both are on their final steps.  I finished up the last seven broken dishes blocks for JL to complete the center and now I have to work on the piano keys border. I have a bit more to do on GI then it's time to assemble.

Joining the local quilt guild has been awesome. We get together weekly for quilting time, with one of the weeks reserved for the program meeting.  Everyone is so friendly and encouraging. This is inspired me to get busy and finish up some of my languishing UFOs.

On a higher note, last Saturday we flew Nine Zero Bravo to Hendersonville, NC. It was fun to blow the cobwebs out (literally!) and log some cross-country time. The local airport was having a fly-in and antique car show.  I had hoped to meet up with fellow quilter Carole @ From My Carolina Home, but our plans did not work out this time.  Check out her post about where she was that day. Her blog is filled with great pictures, isn't it?