Quilt around the Clock {Quilt Camp Review}

I'm back home after a wonderful few days sewing my heart out!

Let's review my project progress:

My first project was to make two quilt tops using our Hip To Be Square pattern and Island Batik fabrics for my November Island Batik blog hop project. I won't show off the full tops until the blog hop, but here is a sneak peak:

As an Island Batik Ambassador, I am provided with samples of various lines of Island Batik fabrics, Aurifil thread, and Hobbs Batting to use and share with you

My second project is my September Island Batik project -- I cut all of the pieces using my Accuquilt cutter to make Ohio Star blocks. I finished all of the blocks, but haven't set the blocks into a quilt yet.

My other projects were my "just for me" projects!

My Moxi charm packs were turned into this darling little quilt top. It is 40" by 48" -- perfect for a little baby quilt.

I also started working on my Marigold quilt. I realized that unfortunately, I can only cut two leaf arches per 10" square, which means I need to order more green fabric. I made my test block and am extremely happy with how it came out. I will need to add the applique sections at another time.

I'll take a little diversion here before I show off my last project. In the first two years I went on retreat, I worked on rather time consuming projects and only got through a few things. This year I knew my projects were not as labor intensive and I actually seriously underestimated how fast those projects would go!

So on Tuesday morning, I took a quick ride to one of the local quilt shops and picked up some fabrics for a totally new project. I had actually brought my Pave the Way pattern and I picked fabrics to make that quilt! I started working on the flying geese for the different blocks.

I made a lot of progress on my projects and had a wonderful time with my mom! Hopefully these new projects will become finished projects before too long!

Sharing at Wednesday Wait Loss and Moving It Forward!

Into the Wild {Quilt Camp Prep}

I am so excited to head back to "Quilt Camp" aka quilt retreat with my mom next week!

As I have done the last two years, today I'm sharing about the projects I am planning to work on while I am off in quilting land next week.

My first project is actually two projects. For my November Island Batik blog hop project, I received a very large bundle of fabric and split it up into two colorways to make two different versions of our Hip to Be Square pattern. I've actually never made our Hip to Be Square pattern before (shocking!) and this collection's larger prints are going to be a perfect fit for this pattern.

As an Island Batik Ambassador, I am provided with samples of various lines of Island Batik fabrics, Aurifil thread, and Hobbs Batting to use and share with you

My second project is my September Island Batik project -- another baby quilt, but this time using the new block-on-board die I received recently. I will be using the Quiet Shades fabrics to make some sort of Ohio Star block quilt, final design to be determined. I cut enough block parts for 16 blocks, but I'm going to take some of the fabrics with me so that I can decide on the layout and setting once the blocks are complete. Here are my fabrics, prior to cutting:

My third project is turning these two charm packs into a smaller version of the older Moda Bake Shop pattern, Four Squared.  The original quilt is larger -- 56" x 64" -- and I am hoping to just use up all of the charm squares to make as big of a quilt top as I can.

My fourth project is making a small version of the Marigold quilt using some fabrics I have been hoarding for years from the Joel Dewberry Bungalow line. (I have the purple colorway of the line set aside to make an epic Double Wedding ring.)  I have used this pattern before to make a mini quilt, but I have always wanted to make a larger version.

Let's see how many of these projects I actually accomplish and how many tops that I finish!

Needle, Paper, Scissors {Paper Piecing with Island Batik!}

As an Island Batik Ambassador, I am provided with samples of various lines of Island Batik fabrics to use and share with you!

If you've followed me for any length of time, you know that I absolutely LOVE foundation paper piecing! I've been looking forward to this challenge since we got our project calendar all the way back in January.

When we got our July shipments, I decided that I wanted to use the London Fog fabrics to make a new version of our Christine's Kitchen pattern. This pattern was our 2017 QAL -- when I made my original version, I also used Island Batik fabrics in greens with a cream background.

This time around, I pulled out the yardage and strip pack of London Fog and decided to use a grey solid for my background.

This is one of the projects that I started while I was at quilt camp in August. I used the larger cuts of two different fabrics from the line for the piecing of the larger pieces and used the dark strips for the accents in each block. Here are the first three blocks that I made:

For the largest blocks, I made half with the floral print and half with the speckled print. For the smaller blocks and the center coffee pot, I used just the 2.5" strips for the piecing. This meant that for a few of the blocks I had to get creative in piecing the blocks -- like for the sugar bowl and creamer where I made them look "dip dyed" instead of just one color for the majority of the block.

Here are most of my paper pieced blocks for this project all laid out together:

Next up will be making the applique flower blocks and then putting the whole quilt top together. I cut all of the background setting pieces before I started the blocks, so putting together the top will be quite quick!

Interested in the Christine's Kitchen pattern but scared to commit? We have a two block preview that is free on our Craftsy site! The preview only contains the pattern for one teacup and one coffee pot and has no setting directions, but is a good way to practice paper piecing with scraps until you're undertake the full pattern!

Sharing at Let's Bee Social and Needle and Thread Thursday!

Here in the Real World {Retreat Round Up}

I'm back in the real world after a few days in the happiest place on earth -- Quilt Camp!

I was able to make a TON of progress on the projects that I took to Michigan with me!

1. Secret Test Quilt

This quilt top is done, and I can't show it off, but here are some work in project pictures.

2. Jolly Bar Meringue Quilt

This quilt top is done and I can't wait to share more about it! The quilt is made up of half square rectangles and I took a little bit of a creative detour with my color placement to give the appearance of pinwheels!

3. Christine's Kitchen 2.0

Lots more pictures of this one will come in October, but I am absolutely in love with the the London Fog line for this project! I've used the larger cuts of yardage for the paper piecing of the teapots and pitchers and grey solid for the background.

4. Radiant Jewel Quilt

This was my "just in case" project -- I ended up making more progress than expected on my other three projects and got to start some of the blocks for this quilt! I managed to finish nine of the 17 "diamond" blocks and start on the flying geese and HSTs for the next two. This was a mystery quilt at Craftsy about 5 years ago and my mom bought the kit on clearance for me. I have the "Jewel" colorway and the fabrics in the kit are a mixture of Kona solids and Grandeur prints from Robert Kaufman.

Now I have two tops ready to quilt, I'm ready to make the applique blocks for my Christine's Kitchen quilt, and I actually got to start a project just for fun! But here in the real world, I'm back to prioritizing deadlines, making do with what I have on hand for finishes, and having to fit in my sewing in between work and chores!

Alison in Wonderland {Retreat Prep}

Saturday I fly to Michigan to spend some time with family and go on retreat with my mom! Quilt retreat is the perfect combination of my favorite things: quilting, massages, junk food, and wearing comfy pants all day.

I've been making a serious effort over the last month or so to finish up a bunch of projects before I go on retreat. I have finished my Donuts quilt top and my Breezy Blooms quilt top over the last week and I also finished my Pansy Garden quilt and my Jungle Cruise version of Summer Patio which I will finally get to show off on August 28th!

Last year while on retreat, I worked on the piecing for my two Blue in Bloom quilts. This year I have three projects that  I am going to be working on.

1. Secret Test Quilt

The details of this quilt that I am testing are still a secret but I will at least tell you about all of the fabrics! I pulled everything out of my stash and the color scheme is orange/coral, brown, chartreuse, and purple with a Kona Oyster background. This one is actually baby sized so this should be a relatively short project. All of the cutting is done, so this will hopefully go together quickly.

2. Radiant Jewel Quilt

A long, long time ago, I managed to get my hands on a kit from Craftsy on sale for what was at the time a mystery quilt along. The fabric has sat in my stash all of this time, and I thought it was the perfect project for retreat! The quilt is called Radiant Jewel by Kimberly Einmo, but it looks like most of the original links are now expired. Here's the fabrics in the kit:

3. Christine's Kitchen 2.0

Our Island Batik Ambassador theme for October is paper piecing. My current plan is to use the London Fog fabrics that came in my most recent Ambassador box to make another version of our Christine's Kitchen pattern. My original version is green and cream; this version will be grey and blue!

4. Jolly Bar Meringue Quilt

I just got the supplies to make this upcoming Fat Quarter Shop Shortcuts quilt and I'll be showing off the finished quilt in early October! I'm using the Sweet Marion line.

I know that these are all new projects and I am trying to cut down on the new projects, but both the Jolly Bar Meringue and Christine's Kitchen 2.0 quilts will be done before the end of October. The Radiant Star Quilt is my "maybe" project -- but you can't go on retreat and then not have enough projects to work on!

What do you think of my project list? Which fabrics are your favorites?

Quilt Camp {Retreat Round Up}

In the days leading up to leaving for quilt retreat last Saturday, my husband started telling me that I was going off to "quilt camp". After I told him that the place had on-site massages and pedicures, he asked if I planned to come home!

My mom and her quilt friends have been going to a few different retreat locations throughout Michigan for the last ten years or so. She has been wanting me to take the time off to go with her, and this year was the first time I have been able to make that happen.

We stayed at (and essentially never left!) Creative Passions in Chesaning, Michigan. CP opened in 2005 with one building that accommodated 16 people, and soon will be able to accommodate 101 people in 4 buildings! The owner and her team have done an amazing job remodeling two churches as well as a former mill into amenity filled retreat spaces -- which I was too busy sewing to take pictures of! We stayed in CP2 -- one of the church buildings -- and took advantage of the local restaurant that brings catering right into the kitchen for you.

I would totally, absolutely, positively go back to retreat here. The price is fabulous and there is almost no reason to leave the retreat center between being able to cook in the kitchen and order food in! I just wish it wasn't so far for me to go!

Now onto the sewing! I took my two cut Blue in Bloom projects as my main retreat projects and was able to finish one top completely and complete about two-thirds of the second!

I worked on my green version first -- and little did I realize how much longer it would take than I had originally thought! With the main green print being directional and me being much too much of a perfectionist, I spent a lot of time making sure that all of the green print pieces went in the same direction throughout the entire quilt!

The second one went together much quicker than the first but I still wasn't able to complete the quilt top before I left for the airport on Wednesday. I was able to finish the first pieced border and all of the units for the second and third pieced borders are sewn but not pressed nor trimmed yet.

I am hoping to have the second quilt done soon so that I can quilt both quilts at my leisure between now and the beginning of December! I will need to get a backing for my blue version, but that will be no problem at all!

Have a happy Friday and wonderful weekend! Sharing at Finished or not Friday!