Zonnah's got curves

{Plan A, which didn't come to be}

Zonnah asked for 7.5" square blocks with curves and circle featuring the floral print and the red as an accent. I sketched out several blocks, but decided on this half flower. It was inspired by a magazine ad for a spa in Savannah. I used the freezer paper method to piece it and colored the paper with colored pencils to see how the finished block might look.

{The block that is}

Somehow the block ended up 7.5" tall but only 6.5" wide, thus the orange strips flanking the flower. This was my first flat work with curves. I've sewn curves in garments, but this was a lot different. Zonnah, you really stretched my skill on this block and I was very happy for it. I hope you like it!

September. It's my month for the quilting bee. I've changed my mind a million times over the past few months . . . what to do what to do. I picked out the fabrics a while back and a lot of them are batiks, which I've never really used before. I like the mix of red and blue and turquoise and green, I just didn't know what to request from these Uber-talented ladies. I've finally decided on something, though! I am asking my fellow Quilters to make me any kind of block they want, there are only two rules. Number one, try to use each kind of fabric I send (I'm sending each person, like, eight different large swatches . . . hey, I LOVE scrappy patchwork and this quilt qill be no exception). This might be tricky, because while I love jumbled up randomness, I know some people like things to be more simple and ordered, and too much fabric might go against their artistic sensibilities. I'm sure everything will work out, though. Number two, please put at least one star somewhere on the 10.5X10.5" block. The stars can be pieced, appliqued, embroidered, five-pointed, six-pointed, 25-pointed. Whatever you come up with! I think it will be awesome. I can't wait to see how it all comes together. Let me know if you have any questions, and have a wonderful month! ~Lisa

Geese on the brain

After the last couple of months of doing everything at the last minute with no small amount of stress (I swear, I'd blink and then the month was gone!), I decided I needed to try something different and finish my block before the end of the month. Crazy!

August is Zonnah's month and she requested a 7.5" block that included circles and/or curves. I've had flying geese in my brain lately (in more ways than one, maybe!) and I decided to try and get them out of my system.


Inspired by this and this and Gail Garber's book, Stellar Journeys: Flying Geese and Star Quilts, I drew this block.

Then I used freezer paper foundation piecing to create the geese (a la this fabulous tutorial from Twiddletails).


This was my first time trying this technique, and I was super happy with how well it worked. I can see why many prefer it to traditional paper foundation piecing-- no dulling of the needle and no having to tear paper away!

I decided to go ahead and applique the geese onto the background. This may not have been the best decision because I had a very difficult time trying to position them (I did them needleturn, using freezer paper on top) and there was a lot of bulk in the seams. I had to do a couple of the points twice before I was happy with them. I suspect it probably would have been easier to just do some curved piecing. Live and learn!


The points are still not perfect, but I'm feeling okay about them at this point and I am happy with the overall look of the block. Hopefully, Zonnah will be happy too!

I heart circles!

I really liked that Zonnah challenged us all to circles. I pieced a circle and used fusible interfacing to applique the circle. I figured that would be easier with all the seams around the edge. I hope she likes it!

A block for Chen

July is Chen's month and her instructions were to just go for it. How could I not be inspired?

I received 6 strips of fabric, ranging in size between 3 and 5 inches wide and then 18 to 22 inches long. Eeep! That's not a lot of fabric to play with. (There goes that idea for an applique block! Not enough to to really piece a background and have any left to applique... close, but not quite.) Fortunately, she sent along a couple of links to check out for inspiration, and in one of those I found a link to Andover Fabrics' free quilt designs. It was there that I finally found my muse:


I drew from the Sugar Snap Quilt design and scaled down the blocks to create a 12" block. It was only after I stitched it all together that I realized I had created a sort of nine-patchy look in the way I placed my fabrics. Funny how that worked out!

It's a simple block, but I was happy to find something that I could use all the fabrics in and that could easily accommodate the fabric pieces I was given. Hopefully, Chen will be happy too!

I broke the rules. I used white on the outside of Chen's block . . . but I couldn't help it. As soon as I read the words "please don't use white on the outside of the block" I got the image an incomplete block in my head. Just the corners of a block with a big strip of white in the middle that would blend in with the sashing when the quilt is finished. So thats what I did. A big ole' diagonal strippy block with white in the middle. I used some solids from my own stash to compliment the pretty fabrics and I think the final product is simple but nice. And of course if the white on the outside bothers Chen she can add a strip of something to the outside of the block to frame it in :)

I've really loved looking at everyone's designs for this quilt. You guys are so creative!!!

Mail Delivery

It is August and my turn :) The finished quilt will be for my sister. I have already informed her how it was going to be made by 11 other random people that I have never met. She just looked at me like I was a crazy person. Lol. I would like the theme to be circles and or curves. Get creative and make whatever you want. I would like the size to be 7 ½ by 7 ½. The floral is the dominate fabric and the red is just for an accent. Please just use the fabric provided, if you need more or made a mistake just let me know and I will send you some :) You should be getting your fabric soon since I sent it off today!