Block Studies Collective | Hourglass

Truly impromptu - like on the last day of sign-ups - I decided to sign up for Tara Faughnan's @tarafaughnan Block Studies Collective. A six-month membership, it is in its second season, and honestly, I was just plain curious. Tara's gift with color has long impressed me, and I was hoping I could learn a little something. That said, it all begins with a palette and a block to focus on for the month.

Starting late as I did, I chose to select fabrics from my stash, matching Tara's palette as close as I could. 

(L-R) Konas Navy, Windsor, Harbor, Cyan, Seascape?, Cloud, Bubblegum,
Carnation, Baby Pink, Artichoke, Spice, Coral, Ochre

The whole objective is to work small and play with shape and color, this month with the hourglass block. I made some pretty precise, and others more improvisational. Here's my finished quilt top, 19.75" x 21.25".

For a quilt back, I used leftover blocks, scraps, and a bit of my original fabric pull.

And then for quilting, I did an angled grid. First I quilted vertical lines about 1/4" apart using primarily Aurifil 40wt 2730 [Delft Blue], adding in several lines of Aurifil 28wt 2710 [Robin's Egg]. Then at an angle, I quilted lines 3/4" apart with the lighter Robin's Egg thread.

And finally, it was time for binding! I was auditioning binding options, thinking that a particular blue would look good on one side, though I really preferred the darker blue over all. Then it dawned on me that it was time to try the No Tails Binding Tutorial by Linda Hungerford @flourishingpalms. That way I could do one color on just one side. If you happen to be a member of The MQG, there's a video presentation of Linda sharing the technique, which is a good supplement to her written tutorial. My one tip after trying the technique is to be sure and use coordinating thread on those mitered corners.

So I'm calling this little quilt "Sands of Time," a nod to the hourglass block. I kind of wish I'd gone a little more improvisational with my blocks and layout, but it was still a very fun exercise, and I like the finish well enough.