Splendid Sampler Blocks 3, 5, 6

I'm still enjoying working on my Splendid Sampler blocks. It's so fun to see the variety of techniques which the different designers are using! It's also fun to see the multitude of color combinations that quilters around the world are using to make their blocks!

I've gotten three more SS blocks finished. Block 7, released yesterday, is embroidery, so I'll be working on that in the evenings little by little.

Here is my version of block 3, Lots of Love, designed by Melissa Corry:

Melissa said that she made 6 hearts to signify the people she loves most in the world: her husband and her 5 children. I was thinking of my family when I chose my fabrics. The large heart is for my husband. I used a chevron fabric because, during our 25+ year marriage, we've had our ups and downs, but I wouldn't trade him for anything.

For my smaller hearts, the plus fabric is for my older son, who loves loves loves math and is majoring in computer engineering at university. The heart under that is for my daughter who loves reading and writing and is majoring in English Literature. This fabric has letters all over it, although they kind of got cut off in the process of sewing the heart. The heart in the lower right corner is for my younger son, a football fanatic. Those ovals remind me of footballs.

Since I only have 3 kids, the other two hearts are for my cat and dog. The lower left heart is full of fun dots, to represent my dog whose only goal in life is to have fun and be loved. The central heart in the bottom row is for my calico cat. This is the closest fabric to a calico that you'll find in this quilt!

Here is block 5, Simple Simon, designed by Celine Perkins. I really love the simplicity of this block!

 Block 6, Focal Point, was designed by Natalia Bonner:

Since my blog is called "Crazy 4 Red," I'm sure you're not surprised to know that I have Kona solids in several shades of red! I decided to play around with two of those Konas for block 6. I also used some of Pat Sloan's "Hometown Girl" text fabric. Isn't it fun? I love all the cute drawings of houses, flowers, coffee cups, etc, mixed in with the words.

These are my first 6 blocks all together. Like I said, I'm loving this sampler so far!

I'm linking up to Judy at Patchwork Times. Go visit her to see what other quilters have on their design walls.

Happy stitching!

March ~ One Monthly Goal

My March One Monthly Goal is to make the 2nd border on my Autumn Medallion quilt, which I'm making for a medallion challenge at my quilt guild. According to the randomly drawn specifications, the 2nd border needs to have curves (sewn curves, not just curves in the design of your fabric) and at least a bit of "carnation pink." Although we need to put 4 borders on the quilt, the borders do not all have to have curves or pink, and the borders do not have to be the same width.

Here's my medallion quilt so far:

When "curves" was first announced at our guild meeting, I thought "UGGHHH ~ I don't like making curves!" Then I remembered that some of my friends from guild have been raving about how wonderful the Quick Curve ruler and Quick Curve Mini ruler are. So after work the other day, I stopped at my local quilt shop and bought a Quick Curve Mini ruler. I'll have to play around with it and see how it works.

While I was at the quilt shop, I *may* have succumbed to temptation and bought three more red and white geometric fabrics for my Splendid Sampler. :)

 

 

I'm linking up to Heidi at Red Letter Quilts for One Monthly Goal.

 

Happy stitching!

Splendid Sampler ~ Blocks 1, 2, 4

I told myself I wasn't going to start any new projects until I finish a few of my numerous WIPs. I was
doing so well, being so strong, resisting some great quilts...then I went to my quilt guild meeting last week and heard about the Splendid Sampler. Some of the girls had brought their blocks in to show. When I got home, I looked up the website and I realized that resistance is futile: I HAD to start this project!!!

If you haven't heard of the Splendid Sampler, it's a quilt-a-long being coordinated by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson. Twice a week, they are releasing a free pattern for a 6" (finished) block. They have gotten over 80 quilters to design a block; there will be a total of 100 blocks over the next year. You can go to the Splendid Sampler website for all the info and to sign up for email alerts when a new block is posted.

I decided this is the perfect project for all those red and white polka dot and geometric fabrics that I've been hoarding collecting. Here are some of the fabrics I'll be using:

I'm also going to occasionally use a bit of turquoise fabric for added interest. Not in every block, but in some of them. Here is block 1, designed by Pat Sloan and called "Hearts Aflutter." I hand-appliqued the heart onto the background:

Here is block 2, designed by Jane Davidson, called "Wings." I didn't want the background as busy as the original, so I made it all out of Kona Snow, and I eliminated the four-patches in between the butterflies. I'm still undecided if I'm going to embroider the butterfly antennae or just keep the block as is...

When I saw block 4 by Jen Kingwell, called "Happy Happy," I couldn't resist starting it right away. I think it's such a cute little block. Some of my hand-appliqued circles didn't come out perfectly, but keep in mind that those tiny ones are about the size of a dime!

 

Although I've skipped block 3 for now, I do plan on making it. Since I started this a week late, I'm playing a bit of catch-up. Of course, I don't realistically think I'll stay on top of these blocks during the school year! My plan is to print out each pattern and make it as I have time, for now. During the summer I should be able to make more of them.

 

I'm linking up to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching and Judy's Design Wall Monday.

 

Happy stitching!