A Late Block for Lynn

It took me a while to get this block finished but I happy to report it is finished and ready to go to the post office. I am sorry it took so long but I am so happy to be feeling good enough to get back on the sewing machine. As I mentioned on my blog, my long absence was due to some serious morning sickness but I have happily turned a corner where the thought of my sewing machine no longer makes me nauseous.

I hope you like it, Lynn!

Dear Lynn

Have you been following Lynn's Dear Jane quilt progress? I'm in awe of every block she makes. When she mentioned that we could do anything this month, I knew that would be my inspiration.

I went with a small paper pieced block pattern that I had from Angry Chicken's Mailorder Club. I quickly realized that I wasn't going to be able to make every block from a different pattern AND get it sent off in time, but we had so many fabrics to work with that I think each one is unique.

This pattern was perfect for showcasing all the great motifs in two of the fabrics Lynn sent. I fussy cut my favorites. This little bird took center stage.

Once I'd figured out all the fabric combinations for the blocks, I sashed them with the neutral she'd included (thank you for the length in that one Lynn!). That column to the right didn't line up perfectly, but after all those little pieces, I was willing to live with it. Lynn, if you aren't, go right ahead and rip it out and resew it.

It'll be in the mail this week.

Blocks for Lynn

I had planned on doing a zigzag block since I hadn't done one before but when I was looking through my quilt books this morning I came across a cool star pattern block in this book.

I used the same method as I did on my Brushfire quilt blocks - just on a smaller scale.

I also copied Jacquie and Carissa and made a stacked coin block too - I loved all the fabrics and it seemed like a great way to use them.

Thanks for the freedom Lynn - I really love that about this quilting bee...it's pushing me out of my "comfort zone" of sewing and getting me to try new things.

great minds think alike...

I was so excited to use the fabric from Lynn. this was my first block:

but there was so much fabric and i was enjoying it so much.... that i made a second block:

this one started off with 4 columns of "stacked coins" but i was running short on the brown border material, and i liked the squareness of just doing 3 columns, so i changed my design. After I was all done, I saw Jacquie's stacked coins as her second block! I think that the number and the size of the fabrics that Lynn sent lent themselves to this type of block very well. and I've always wanted to do a stacked coins quilt and this is my first. thanks for such inspiring fabric and creative freedom to explore, Lynn!

Lynn's Orange-y Lecien Anything Goes Quilt

Wow, I need to come up with a better name for this quilt. Since Rebekah has already received her fabric, I thought I would make my post.

I saw this fabric, and LOVED it. It's one of those that I love so much that I didn't want to cut it. So I decided it would be perfect for the quilting bee!

I went ahead and bought the fabric, along with a few coordinating prints from etsy. I paired them with fabrics in similar colors, mostly from Sew Mama Sew. Most of the solids are amy butler solids, and I believe the linen is essex cotton/linen blend. I tried to note all the fabrics in the flickr photo.

Now, I bought the fabric a few months ago now, and cut it up then too. In retrospect, I probably should have split up the fabrics a bit differently. Everyone gets a piece of every fabric. Some pieces are fat, some are long.

Now for the fun part. I have been debating what to ask all you fabulous, talented ladies what to make for me, and I've decided that a free-for-all would be great. Anything you want. All I ask is that there are no raw edges as this quilt will be used and loved quite a bit.

I've put together a flickr mosaic, but I really love everything. I like traditional blocks, modern blocks, curved, wonky, applique, nature-inspired, free-pieced, pinwheels, triangles, etc. I've noticed that recently I've been attracted to blocks that are mini quilts in themselves (like the zig zag block and the hexagons) and the texture quilts.

As for size and shape, anything goes. I will get them all to fit in the quilt somehow, and I kind of like the idea of a haphazard quilt. Oh! And if you love the fabrics, by all means keep the extras. But otherwise, please send it back, as I want to make a scrappy binding and possibly a panel for the back. And let me know if you need more.

Have fun, can't wait to see what you make!!