This summer I enjoyed a vacation with my best friend and her crew. She has 3 children and I have 5. We went every where together for many years dragging all 8 kids in tow, including many trips each summer to the beach. Traveling is different now. The kids are grown and many of them have kids. Fun, right?
This is Kay’s second child, first son and his precious family. I wanted to give each of the families a quilt that I had made and I knew this one was perfect for the Mayor family.
I love the big graphic feel of this quilt but the symbolism was also perfect since it is 4 monkey wrench blocks nestled inside each other. Bubba and Miranda have 3 girls but at the time were expecting their 4 child, a boy!!
I thought Bubba could use a little blue in his life with all those girls around.
This design is from a quilt-along with Jane Davidson, of quiltjane.com.
While on vaca, I wanted a picture of the family with the quilt. Mom was so cute and did not want to get the quilt dirty or sandy. I told her my quilts are made to use, build forts, and drag on picnics.
But the very best thing is to take brand new baby pictures on them.
As Granny Kay says, my cup runneth over.
Little baby Wyatt is here and all those girls are going to spoil him rotten.
I am sure you have seen this quilt all over the Internet by now.
A very talented and uber creative Jane Davidson of QuiltJane has started this quilt along and today is my day to post my version of this quilt.
First I have to tell you a little story. Jane participated in my Low Volume Burgoyne Surrounded #APQquiltalong project.
Quilt Jane’s version
Here is my version
The Fabric and value placement that Jane used in her quilt creating an entirely new design. The quilt is not even recognizable as the traditional Burgoyne Surrounded pattern.
So when it came time to make my version of Jane’s Nested Churn Dash, I thought I would get all artsy fartsy and make the fabrics start as a pinwheel in the middle and spiral out to the edge. I was going to shade each piece as if you were looking into the eye of a tornado.
I was going to ….. was the tricky part of that plan. Didn’t happen!
Instead I opted for Positive Negative.
I am really into that right now.
Everywhere there was a light I used dark instead and to keep the design simple I used Bella Snow in place of the prints in the design.
Now let me tell you this did get a little tricky because I was actually sewing backwards from what the pattern said and what my mind knew of the design. I loved how one single block came out.
That is all Jane asked us to do, one single 24″ block to make a mini quilt.
But, of course I saw that Miss Rosie was making a big quilt and Jane had done that super duper quilt for the #APQquiltalong. I couldn’t just stop at one block. I am a little competitive like that.
For the big version, I made every other block positive backgrounds and the other negative backgrounds. Confusing?
In cutting the fabric pieces the only thing that changed was what I used for the center square, so this was actually quite easy once I got the hang of it.
Here are the pieces for one of the 4″ blocks.
Here is a different block design. I just rotated the bar sections.
Now I have flipped the half square triangle sections.
Then by swapping out the center square, I have a negative version of my first block.
It really was fun playing with the simple possibilities to achieve a few different block designs.
If you are making this quilt, Jane has given all kinds of options to make your
Forgive me, because it is really hard to tell from a single picture what exactly this ruler does. It is called Bloc_Loc. It comes in a variety of sizes. I just happen to own the 2 1/2″ and the 4 1/2″ ones which is exactly what I needed to make this quilt.
The center of the ruler has an 1/4″ indentation. The ruler slides right up to the seam allowance and locks in place. This ruler only works if you press your seam to one side.
Here is a video that explains how cool this is.
Once you square up the blocks you will have this cute little pile of scraps.
I love the 4″ blocks all by themselves as well.
Just to update you on the list of blogger’s participating. Check them out.
Is Quiltalong one word or two? I guess it depends on if you are using a hashtag or not, right?
Other than in the social media world, I believe quilt-along should be 2 words or at least hyphened, since you need more than one person to quilt along with you.
This is one of my favorite quilts for many reasons.
1. It is scrappy!
2. It uses a bunch of different moda designers’ fabrics.
3. It was inspired by a new friend’s antique quilt.
4. It makes me happy just to look at it.
5. I am going to have a few friends, old and new making this quilt right along with me thanks to the team at American Patchwork and Quilting.
(thank you Jennifer and Elizabeth)
6. I got out of my box and tried something new.
Some of the crew that will also be doing the APQ quilt-along
is the über-talented,
Camille Roskelley of Thimbleblossoms.
The queen of shabby greatness
Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill.
The gal that invented the energizer batteries,
Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life.
The quilt/wordsmith that is sure to entertain us all,
Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie’s.
Big or small, this one does it all,
Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings.
The princess of fat quarters,
Kimberly Jolly of the Jolly Jabber.
Any low volume/neutral project, should include
Amy Ellis of Amy’s Creative Side. side note: Amy is a new designer with……Moda! Yes, you heard it here. more info coming soon.
How about quilting from down under with
Jane Davidson of Want it, Need it, Quilt?
(APQ is also available as a download so everyone can quilt-along)
There may even be a surprise as one of the APQ editors quilts-along.
Join back on the November 25th as I share
about how I got out of my box and tried something new.
In the meantime use the hashtag
#APQquiltalong to keep informed.
and
7. I would be thrilled if you decided to quilt-long with us.
Follow each of us to see all the color options on the first of each month .
I will also be posting some of the ways this ruler can help your day to day sewing.
I hope you enjoy this project as much as I have already enjoyed being a part of it.
Upload your block pictures on the Blogger Girls Flickr site.
I look forward to seeing your block progress.
I hope you are enjoying the Mini Quilt Along. Today’s post is from Freda’s Hive.
Mark your Calendar for the Quilt Along.
There will be a quilt along Sep 11 – Apr 2.
You will make 4 mini quilts- one every two weeks and then the next two weeks will be for quilting them or getting caught up. Then four more quilts, and a break and four more quilts then a break. So we will make 12 of the mini quilts out of the book. This will give you plenty of time to make the mini quilts from this book. Nothing like a deadline to get things done!!
I decided to jump on in and add one more thing to my plate. I want to make all of the schnibbles anyhow, so why not. I am good with deadlines so here goes.
I have a bliss and a vintage modern charm pack that I am going to combine for March’s project.
(vintage charm will be in stores May 2012)
Hope to see you all at the Schnibbles parade that Sherri and Sinta host on their blogs.
This is Kay’s second child, first son and his precious family. I wanted to give each of the families a quilt that I had made and I knew this one was perfect for the Mayor family.
But the very best thing is to take brand new baby pictures on them.
