My little quilt group and I meet together once a month.

We've done some fun projects over the last few years but one of my favorites has to have been the Around the Block Samplers we made.

(You can see pictures of mine HERE.)

 

Well this month we all brought our finished samplers to get a group photo.  It was really fun to see the different color schemes and layouts people chose.  Each one says so much about each person's personality.  They're all so different even though they all started with the same 12 blocks.

 

Here's Jacque's quilt. She really went above and beyond with her sashing and pieced border.  She recommends the book, "The Border Workbook" by Janet Kime to help you determine the size blocks needed to make a pieced border.

I definitely want to get this book!



 

(Jacque also brought this quilt for show 'n tell.  It's not a sampler but I have to throw this picture in anyways! It's my Mod Medallions pattern that she finished up recently.  She did a fantastic job.  I love her fabrics and all the fussy cutting she did for the medallions!)

 

Here's Vicki's sampler.  She had only made a couple quilts before this one and she definitely decided to "go big" on this one.  She made waaay more blocks then what the rest of us had planned on doing and probably finished it before any of us.  She is a go-getter for sure!

 

Robin's quilt turned out gorgeous.  She made extra blocks too and set them all on point.  Robin had only made a couple other quilts before this, as well, and she really out did herself. 

Barbara came up with a unique layout for her blocks, leaving room for some custom feather quilting in the lighter colored spots. I think her fabric choices made for a really striking quilt.   

 We had some good laughs taking this picture (telling each other to "say cheese!")  We're easily amused.

Left to right: Barbara, Vicki, Me, Robin and Jacque.

 

I have a fun time with these ladies and hope there are many more projects like this in the years to come!  I hope you too, have some fun quilting friends that inspire you to stretch yourself.  If not in your own community then here in Blogland!

 

Happy quilting!

~ Amber

 

 



Around The Block Sampler {Finished}

 Oh my gosh.  It has been forever!  Happy Monday everyone!  

I have missed you guys and have been thinking about you!  

I have been a busy little girl, doing a little of this and a little of that.

I'm hoping to be able to share some of the fun things with you over the next week or so.  If you haven't forgotten about me??? :)

Today, I thought I would share with you my newest finish.  This actually has been quilted for quite some time.  It took me FOREVER to bind it though (as it was my first time doing a scalloped binding and I was trying out a new stitch I learned that took me some time to get down).  Then, she sat in my quilt cabinet for a week or so, wondering when I was going to find her a good home and take some pictures of her!

 Even this, may be a temporary home, because my sewing room is under a little bit of "construction" (or maybe "rearranging" is a better word...) but I know she will definitely be on full display in there because the colors are perfect!

 

 

There is more information about the beginnings of this quilt HERE. 

It's fun to look back and see how the quilt has evolved...

 

I decided to use a solid white for the outer border because I knew I was going to get some fancy custom quilting in there and yet I still wanted to leave the emphasis on the blocks themselves.

 

 I used the same solid white on the back, as well.  My quilter said she hates solid white backs because you can see everything but I think it turned out great!  Wren Woodland in Highland, UT. quilted it for me.  She is a custom, free-hand quilter that I reserve for my most special quilts!  She does a fabulous job, always.

All of the blocks in this quilt, came from the book, Around the Block with Judy Hopkins.  It's a great book with tons of block patterns each in several different sizes.  My blocks all finished at 10".   

 

My little quilt group picked out these blocks together and then each of us made our own quilts in our own color schemes with our own settings.  Each quilt is so different and lovely (maybe someday I can show you pictures of all of them together!)  We started them a long time ago and I think I'm one of the last to get hers done.  I'm happy with the end result though and enjoyed the process of making this sampler style quilt.

{NOT} Flying by the Seat of My Pants

I don't normally do this, but since I'm making this scrappy sampler I thought I needed to have a plan.  Are you proud?  This is a project I am doing with my quilting group and I'm using up leftovers.  So I'm killing two birds with one stone - yay!

I couldn't "wing" this one because I want certain blocks and certain colors in certain places.  The ones that have big stars in them need to be spread apart and the ones that are simple need to be spread apart, as well.  I thought I better make a plan before I get in too deep and end up with one block that really should have been somewhere else.

So, after making another set of copies and doing a quick cut and paste job, I now have my master plan.  I'll figure out the exact colors/fabrics block-by-block (you know I'm not that much of a planner).

As you can see I'm missing one block.  It was suppose to be a basket block, but our group decided it kind of looked out of place, so it's up to me to come up with another block for that space.  I might put the basket on the back of the quilt (for added interest).

[these are out of order but they give you the idea...]

After a little bit of sashing and some simple applique, I should have myself a dreamy little sampler. 

All fabrics are from my stash.  Red and white dot is "Polka Party Petite" by Holly Holderman for Lakehouse Dry Goods.  Yellow chicken scratches are "Sweet Broderie" by Rosalie Quinlan Designs for Lecien.  All other fabrics are Daydream by Stitch Studios for Riley Blake Designs.