Pages

Saturday, January 18, 2014

City Sampler Quilt Along :: Unlocked

Nearly 8 months after starting my City Sampler blocks, I have a finished quilt top! I began with some trepidation, but amazingly was able to keep up every step of the way. I began using stash fabrics following the colorways in the book, but it wasn't long before I began collecting more Tula Pink fabrics. A few charm packs, my proceeds from the Tula Pink charm swap, and a fat-eighth bundle of Acacia made up the bulk of my fabric. I added stash solids and other miscellaneous fabrics as inspired, all along planning on using the Gridlock layout. But the more blocks I added to my block grid, the more I liked the blocks nestled together edge to edge. So in the end, I sewed them together just like that and came up with my own Gridlock variation: "Unlocked."
There was one block that just was not 'right' in its original placement - a very purple block in the middle of some reds - so I swapped it with another. Otherwise, for better or worse, the blocks were placed according to the placement for the Gridlock layout. 

As I pieced each block, I placed it in my book for safe-keeping. Then all these months later as I sewed rows together, I pulled blocks from the book as they were called for. And happily, my book is in great shape, surviving to inspire another day.

70 comments:

  1. Wow, Debbie, I am so impressed. I love everything about your quilt top. Can't wait to see it finished.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So so fabulous Debbie. I don't know how you keep the pace you do. It's so pretty!
    It inspires me to keep going on mine

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is a fantastic variation on the Gridlock design! (In fact I like it better…sshhhh!) The colours flow so well from one to the next! Brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Debbie. it's beautiful. I love it without sashing and it flows together so well :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. When I saw the block appearing I did not like them but all together just look stunning! This top is amazing

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is so lovely! I like the way of the colours goes.

    ReplyDelete
  7. WOW Congratulations! That is stunning

    ReplyDelete
  8. Absolutely stunning! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I just love the riot of colour in this, fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This has been so fun to follow and the end result is breathtaking - and I mean that! Thank you so much for allowing us to week by week watch the progress of this quilt. I'm sure the finish will be amazing too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. So absolutely dripping with saturated color! A modern quilt for sure :) I like your "unlocked" variation.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Debbie, it turned out stunning. It's been so much fun following the progress and seeing your book bulging with new blocks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow that is a massive quilt. LOVE how it turned out.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It was fun to watch the progress of your quilt. It turned out beautiful as expected. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Congratulations! I have just started this task and I have t tell you I am not in love with all the little piecing...may abandon, but you are inspiring me to continue

    ReplyDelete
  16. You did it! It looks great! It will be an interesting one to quilt. Will you do it? Long arm?

    ReplyDelete
  17. what a fantastic quilt Debbie. It looks amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This quilt is so full of colour and geometric lines, I love it. I think all the solid bits you included really make this layout work as there are places to rest in all the riot of colour.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Really amazing quilt! What a fantastic layout and use of color - congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  20. this is really quite breathtaking. It's always nice to see all of that hard work really pay off!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love how it finished up - the colors are wonderful. You did great with your fabric selections and they look remarkably different to the other quilts being created out there !! Congrats on the finish

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love these! such a perfect way to use scraps and your stash.

    ReplyDelete
  23. This turned out fantastic!

    I was also thinking of doing my (now derailed) quilt with sashing, but seeing this and a few others unsashed might sway me to forgo the sashing. Of course, I only have about 75 blocks to go and don't actually live in the same country as my sewing machine right now, but those are just details ;).

    ReplyDelete
  24. Go Debbie go! You continue to amaze me. This top is beautiful and I know it will finish even better.

    ReplyDelete
  25. What a beautiful quilt Debbie!! Incredible to look at. I could stare at that all day!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Amazingly good! Congratulations on another stunner!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Well who wants to sit in gridlock anyway? Gorgeous top! And glad the book's spine came through the project okay. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Gorgeous! The placement of the blocks is perfect! I am collecting Tula fabric and coordinating solids so I can jump in with momentum!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Awesome the way you made this quilt! Such fun colors and neat blocks!

    Susie

    ReplyDelete
  30. Yippee! I can't wait to see it quilted.

    ReplyDelete
  31. So beautiful! Your fussy cutting looks awesome and I love your layout!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Absolutely gorgeous, I love your variation from the original.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Fantastic job, Debbie! Way to stick with it. It was so fun to watch it come together. You must be thrilled!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Too fun, Debbie. I love blocks banging up against each other, too, as they bring an energy and tension to a quilt top. This is really beautiful. Well done!

    Elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  35. Congrats on finishing the top. Looks great. And I can hardly believe the book held together as full as it was stuffed.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Debbie, you quilt is just wonderful...the setting better than the original, imho!

    ReplyDelete
  37. This is really stunning! Do you think you will do another? Maybe in prints other than Tula Pink? Just curious if you think the book is worthwhile. Nettestudio23@blogspit.com

    ReplyDelete
  38. Congratulations on an admirable finish! So many wonderful places for the eye to go :o)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Just gorgeous! I love it without any sashing! The colors are so vibrant and fun!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Beautiful quilt! I received Tula's book for Christmas and plan to make some blocks. Don't know if I'm up to the whole book though!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Absolutely stunning! I love this quilt without the sashing! It puts all the focus on those beautiful, saturated colors. The mix of solids and prints is perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  42. It is GORGEOUS! Amazing that you only had to move one block, that is so cool!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Apparently, I was away from my computer longer than I thought! I love, love, love how your blocks came together. What an inspiration. I was thinking this morning that I need to get going on my blocks. Priorities here kept me away from my book too long. Today I think I will put some more blocks together. Beautiful quilt top Debbie!

    ReplyDelete
  44. It's incredible, Debbie! Have you decided how you're going to quilt it?

    ReplyDelete
  45. Absolutely stunning Debbie - such a great achievement to have it all together!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Absolutely amazing, Debbie! <3 I am hoping to start my version in the next few weeks. Yours is inspiring!

    ReplyDelete
  47. This is stunning! Wonderful work! I'm about to start my own city sampler and yours is such great inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  48. So great - congrats on the finish!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Congratulations!!!! It is incredible!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Absolutely gorgeous top Debbie, well done!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Looks great! Congrats on finishing it!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Stopping by from WIP, sharing the love..

    ReplyDelete
  53. Love your version with no sashing. I also joined in the quilt along and found doing the three blocks per week a perfect goal. I still need to finish attaching sashing... but getting there.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Congratulations!! I just really love your version.

    ReplyDelete
  55. WOW Congratulations! That is stunning

    ReplyDelete