Choose Your Own BlockAlong 11/24/2014

I have neglected my City Sampler quilt the last few weeks, not that I haven't been busy quilting. I have entered my marathon Christmas quilting season and have been very busy trying to get quilts made for my kids. But I do have two more blocks to share. I think I am up to 21 blocks. However, I also have at least 2 (maybe 3) blocks to do over. One of them is this block:

Somehow I lost my point on the blocks on the right side...

*sigh*

I am enjoying HST much more than I did a couple of years ago, but I still miss the point occasionally.

I did a little better with the points on this block; however, two of the blocks on the right end lost their points as well. 

I don't know that I will ever make the perfect quilt block, probably because I don't really mind the mistakes. How horrible is that? ;-))))

I'll add these two blocks to my grid later...right now I am on babysitting duty, and my grandson has very little patience :)

Rene' and Cindy have some beautiful blocks to share this week, so be sure to head over to their blogs!!

~ Michelle ~

Choose Your Own BlockAlong 11/3/2014

I can't believe it is already November!!! I am entering my panic mode, thinking of all the things I want to make for Christmas. Yikes!! I am thinking it was a wise decision on my part to commit to only two blocks each week towards my City Sampler quilt ;-)))

I love the two blocks for this week.

 I have added the blocks to the grid I've been using, with placement according to block number from the book.

I have created a second grid where I will be moving blocks around, testing different block arrangements for the Gridlock quilt (yes, I finally decided on the layout).

I'm sure this will be a challenge for me, but it is time for me to stretch myself and become more comfortable in making design decisions.

It's been a busy week, so I haven't received my usual sneak peek of Rene's blocks. But I know she has more amazing blocks to add to her Dear Jane quilt. And since I have Christmas on my mind, I know that Cindy's blocks will keep me in the spirit. So head over to Rene' Creates and Live A Colorful Life and see what they have been up to ;-)

Thanks, as always, for stopping by!!

~ Michelle ~

Choose Your Own BlockAlong 10/27/2014

I only have two blocks to show today. I have started my marathon Christmas quilting and spent most of the weekend working on my youngest son's quilt (which, by the way, I am so excited about).

I still haven't decided on the layout for my quilt. I think I need to spend some time this week really thinking about this and possibly start playing around with different layouts on my grid.

Don't forget to check out Rene's and Cindy's progress!!

Thanks, as always, for stopping by!!

~ Michelle ~

Choose Your Own BlockAlong 10/20/14

After taking last week off from blogging for a quick trip home, I have three more blocks to share from my City Sampler quilt using Cotton+Steel. Have I mentioned how much I am loving my blocks?

My last block will probably need a do-over. I'm not sure if my measuring was wrong while cutting or if I was thrown off cutting on the bias for the first time. Maybe I have forgotten how to stitch a straight line ;-) In addition, I realized after taking pictures that I didn't even piece the blocks together correctly. No worries, though. It's one of my favorite combinations of prints and solids, and I certainly don't mind a do-over!

I finally placed all my blocks on my excel grid sheet.

Right now I have them placed in order according to book. I hope this week to start playing around with color combinations and finally decide on the layout/quilt assembly I want to use. For those familiar with the City Sampler quilt, I am wavering between the Sliding Scale, which uses 70 blocks to make a queen size, or the City Planner, which  uses 100 blocks to make a king size quilt.

Don't forget to swing by ReneCreates and LiveAColorfulLife and check out their progress!

Thanks, as always, for visiting my blog!

~ Michelle ~

Choose Your Own BlockAlong 10/6/2014

I was very productive this past week, piecing 6 blocks of my City Sampler. However, I was also busy with MeMe duty, so I only have three blocks to show ;-)

I love the way they are coming together!!

I hope that next week I can not only show the other 3 blocks I've done, but also share my plan for the layout of my City Sampler quilt.

Don't forget to check out the blocks made by Rene' (Renecreates) and Cindy (LiveaColorfulLife).

Thanks, as always for stopping by!!

~ Michelle ~

A Whim and A Winner

I'm not usually one to purchase on a whim, especially when it comes to fabric for quilting. Generally, my fabric purchases are based on some idea of a future project. This summer, however, all I heard on social media was Cotton & Steel. Everyone was talking about it. I had no idea what C+S was, but, for the first time, I decided to purchase some...completely on a whim.

My first purchase was from the Homebody line, totally because I am such a homebody ;-))) Really, for no other reason. Soon, my whim became a complete obsession! And I think it is way cool that the designer of Homebody, Kimberly Kight, is a fellow Speech Therapist!!

Here is a mini quilt I made for my sister for her birthday using Kimberly's Homebody line. Bless her heart, she had to wait almost a month before getting it.

The pattern is Mini Spools, by Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms.

I think it looks great hanging in her quilt studio!! The quilt below it was gifted a couple of years ago for her birthday.

And now for the winner of the RJR Cotton Supreme Solids fat quarter bundle of the solids I used in my Twinkle Twinkle quilt.

The random number generator picked Michele, who wrote, "The quilting! Swoon! Such a pretty quilt." Thank you Michele!! I will be sending you an email shortly. And thanks to all of who left such kind words about my quilt. A big shout out to RJR Fabrics for introducing me to their wonderful solids and hosting my giveaway!!

~ Michelle ~

Choose Your Own BlockAlong 9/29/2014

Welcome to another week of the Choose Your Own BlockAlong. I am really excited about this week's blocks! I think I hinted last week that I may be using only Cotton + Steel for my City Sampler. It makes perfect sense, as I am totally in love with this collection (I feel almost stalkerish...haha). But it also makes sense as all the lines from the collection coordinate so well with each other. 

My first block is actually a repeat. No. 100 was the first block I made, and I loved it. But, at the time, I was not planning an all C + S quilt, so I had used another one of my favorite fabrics. Here is my do-over:

No. 100

My second block of the week:

No. 53

And my third block of the week:

No. 82

I am now up to nine blocks,

and boy am I excited about where this quilt is going!!

I have actually started taking notes of my quilt (a first for me) to help me stay organized. I still haven't decided on a layout. This may be a problem, as the layout/assembly involves choosing colors, which I really haven't thought about yet. I've been having too much fun playing with my C + S ;-)))) 

Don't forget to check out the blocks that Rene' and Cindy have made this week. I know they will be amazing!! 

And if you are on IG, we'd love for you to join the fun there! You can find us at @frustratedquilter, @renecreates, and @liveacolorfullife. Be sure and hashtag the blocks you are working on

#chooseyourownblockalong

Thanks, as always, for visiting my blog!!

~ Michelle ~

RJR Cotton Supreme Solids Blog Hop and a Giveaway

 I am so excited to participate in the RJR What Shade Are You? blog hop. For those who follow me on Instagram, you know how obsessed I am how much I love the new Cotton+Steel Collection. Lately, anything and everything I've been making has been with Cotton + Steel, especially the Homebody line.  A couple of months ago, I was asked by RJR Fabrics if I needed some RJR Cotton Supreme Solids to go with my C+S. Well, of course I did ;-) They kindly sent me the following solids to play with:

(Blue Bayou #300, Navy #30, Proud as a Peacock #289, Rio RP #311, Carnation #135, Tropiacana #339, Turks & Caicos #292, On The Rocks #283)                                          

And I had the perfect pattern to showcase their solids.

Twinkle, Twinkle is one of Megan Nichols' patterns from her Quick-Sew Baby Quilt Club (I have been itching to make this quilt to hang in my therapy room at school). Megan's club runs from June through November, with a new quilt pattern delivered each month. You can still sign up for the club...previous patterns will be sent out within one business day. I have received four patterns, and they are beautiful and wonderfully written!!

I usually bombard IG with lots of progress pictures, but I was keeping this project under wraps.

I used Jacquie Gering's sectioned curves technique for quilting. I love the way the gentle curves add movement to the quilt.

I love hand stitching the binding to my quilts!!

I absolutely loved working with RJR's Cotton Supreme Solids!

They are a perfect combo with the C+S collection.

I found that there was less fraying than with other solids, which has always been frustrating for me.

And the colors!!!! Oh, my...beautiful!!

So, what shade am I? I have no idea ;-)))) But I do know that I really love the Cotton Supreme Solids and can't wait to get more! Luckily for me, Pink Castle Fabrics has a Color Inspirations Club that is calling my name!!!

One of my favorite parts of a blog hop is the opportunity for a give away ;-))) RJR Fabrics has been generous in offering a reader (US and Canada) a bundle of the solids used in my quilt. If you would like to win these gorgeous solids, leave a comment and I will randomly pick a winner next Tuesday. Be sure and leave an email address if you are a no-reply commenter.

You can also see other wonderful quilts from their blog hop on RJR's Facebook page.

I'm linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts finish it up Friday!

Thanks, as always, for dropping by!!

~ Michelle ~

***The giveaway is now closed***

Choose Your Own BlockAlong 9/22/14

Welcome to another week of our Choose Your Own BlockAlong. Please forgive my brevity this week...I've been burning the midnight oil lately, trying to finish a project with a deadline,  and I am beat ;-) 

 I am continuing with my City Sampler using my much loved Cotton+Steel. 

Here are my six blocks: 

For those of you keeping count, I should have 8 blocks. It didn't take long for me to realize I wanted all my prints to be from the Cotton+Steel collection, so I already have 2 orphan blocks. I'm sure I will find a way to use them in a future project.

Don't forget to head over to Rene' Creates and Live A Colorful Life to see their progress. I had a sneak peek of Rene's blocks, and they are gorgeous!!! And be sure to stop by Friday for a finish and a giveaway!!

Thanks, as always, for visiting my blog!

~ Michelle ~

Choose Your Own BlockAlong 9/15/14

Welcome back to another week of our Choose Your Own BlockAlong. I have two more blocks to share from the Tula Pink City Sampler.

Both blocks were made using my current favorite line, Cotton + Steel. I'm beginning to see a pattern ;-)

No. 44

No. 38

I am loving the C + S blocks...

Six down, 94 to go ;-)

Don't forget to drop by Rene' Creates and Live A Colorful Life to see their progress.

Thanks, as always, for visiting my blog!

~ Michelle ~

Choose Your Own BlockAlong

Welcome to this week's Choose Your Own BlockAlong! I sure enjoyed seeing the blocks that Rene and Cindy made last week!! And I can't wait to see their newest blocks!

This past week was a challenge for me. Between work, family, and end-of-Summer colds running through the family, I wasn't able to even think about my blocks until Saturday. Fortunately for me, Tula Pink makes it easy to choose blocks based on available time ;-)

Each block has the required number of fabrics and pieces.

 Needless to say, I chose blocks with very low numbers ;-)))

Both blocks were pieced using Cotton + Steel...my favorite!! I had some difficulty with the first block. I'll attribute my cutting and/or piecing errors to the cold medicine. It may end up as an orphan block, which is a shame as I ended up liking the mustard colored solid used. 

Here are my four blocks placed on the City Sampler grid.

My blocks look so lonesome...haha!!

 As more blocks are made, I will need to decide the layout I want to use. In the book, Tula provides 5  possible layouts. The number of blocks and setting fabrics vary according to the layout. I also need to be thinking about color choices for the blocks. So far I've been winging it ;-)  I need to be making some decisions very soon!

Rene' was kind enough to make a button for our BlockAlong. Be sure and grab it from my sidebar if you want to play, which I hope you will. 

 And don't forget to head over to Rene' Creates and Live A Colorful Life to see their blocks for the week.

Thanks for stopping by!!

~ Michelle ~