Productive Tuesday!

I managed to sneak in a little bit of sewing time between housework and playtime with Aiden, and used it to finish my fourth Swoon block.

Only 12 more blocks to go!  Quilt progress charted here.

Swoon Update

Just popping in to share my latest Swoon Along block!

Sorry for the crummy photo!  I had to snap it with my phone as my little one was just waking up from his afternoon nap.  The block desperately needs to be pressed, but my iron needs to cool off and be cleaned before I dare use it on the front of such a light colored block!  I have just one more white-centered block to make with red and blue accents and then I'll be 25% done - yay!  I think this is my favorite so far!  My progress is here (box #5).

Well, it only took me four days ...

... but I've finally finished my first Swoon Along block!

Pattern: Swoon by Thimble Blossoms
Fabric: Flurry by Kate Spain for Moda
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After making my first block with four different colorways, I decided that four was just too many ... so I ripped it apart (before remembering to take a picture) and reassembled it using just three prints/colorways.  I'm rather happy with the results and think that a solid red sashing is going to do a lot to anchor the quilt.  Unfortunately several days of rain have prevented better pictures.

How many soon blocks have you made so far?  I'm wondering if my little guy will nap long enough for me to make another one!!

***UPDATE***
Here is block #2:

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To be honest, I'm not really thrilled with this block at all.  I'm really hoping that it will look better once it's surrounded by prettier squares.  Since I've already pulled recycled most of these squares from my first, failed attempt, I'm worried that pulling them apart a second time will render them too warped to use again.

What do you do with your "ugly duckling" blocks?  Do you leave them in your quilts to add character, set them aside and see if you have enough patience and/or fabric to replace them when you're done with the rest of the blocks, or do you just scrap them and move on?

I'm about to SWOON!

The mailman finally brought my fabric!

Flurry by Kate Spain for Moda Fabrics

Thanks to the Madsens @ Green Fairy Quilts for the great deal on the fat quarter stack and the super quick shipping!  There's still plenty of time to join the Swoon-Along.  Just sign up with the Flickr group to post your progress and see all the great blocks our fellow Swooners are coming up with.  For more information about the group, you can visit Katy @ I'm A Ginger Monkey.

Waiting for the fabric has given me quite a lot of time to think about how I'm going to approach this project - after all, I'm anticipating family snuggle time under this quilt at Christmas time for many years to come ... so I had better like it!!

My first thought is that instead of using two main colors plus a background color for each block, I'm going to use four colors + background, like these inspiring blocks ...

1. that's better!, 2. swoon front, 3. Swoon Block # 3, 4. Swoon 3 of 4

If the blocks were smaller, than I think {for me} using two colors would make more sense so as not to make the blocks too busy.  Because the blocks finish so big, though, I feel like more colors will make the blocks interesting.  Plus, I'm using my go-to white-on-white polka dot print for the background -- you know how I love that fabric!! - so hopefully the four-color-scheme, plus a solid red sashing will help keep things balanced.

Secondly, Flurry has four colorways: red, white, green, and blue ... so I can use each colorway in each block.  With that in mind, I think I'm going to make the quilt using a 4x4 grid, rather than a 3x3 grid.  With the four colorways, the larger grid just makes sense.  Plus I really want this to be a BIG blanket.  

I don't want the blanket to be too gargantuan, however, so I am going to scale the blocks down to 20" rather than 24".  I was toying around with the idea of making the block as a 64-square grid, as Lynne from Lily's Quilt's has opted to do.  I like the idea of keeping the square-ed-ness to the block construction ... and to be honest, I really am not a fan of flying geese blocks ... but my fabric line has some fantastic larger prints that it would just be a shame to cut these up more than I have to.

Finally, since it's going to finishing over 90" square this quilt is going to be a beast to quilt!  Rather than spend my precious sewing budget on sending this bad boy to a long arm quilter, I think I'm going to experiment with a "quilt as you go" type technique, and then attach the finished squares to each other with the sashing and french seems.  That's the plan right now.  We'll see what materializes towards the end.

Stash Update

I can't believe I forgot to include my stash update, especially since I did really, really well this week.  Yipee!!

Stash Update: 1/9/12 - 1/17/12

• Purchased:  2.75 yards of Butterscotch & Roses for a double Irish chain quilt that I'm getting ready to cut into in about five minutes.
• Used: 8.75 yards - Holy Cow!  My Full House quilt and mug rug  are done for our January Schnibbles assignment and I just finished the quilt for my little niece.  The new pattern, called Pretty in Pink, will be available next week and I'll share pictures soon!

YTD: + 2.13 yards 


It's a good thing that I had two big finishes this week ... because I have a whole fat quarter stack coming in next week ... because I joined another quilt-a-long.


Katy at I'm A Ginger Monkey is hosting a "Swoon-Along."   We're all making the Camille Roskelley Thimble Blossoms quilt, SWOON!  I'm loving this group because the goal is to just work at your own pace and upload pictures as you finish.


If you'd like to see everyone's progress so far -- there are more than 400 participants!! -- click the button below or on my sidebar to view our Flickr group.

For more information on how to join in the fun, just visit Katy's blog.