City Sampler Quilt Along :: Finally Unlocked

The most logical place for a photoshoot of a finished City Sampler quilt is of course the city.

But as lovely a day as it was at Kerry Park on Seattle's Queen Anne Hill, it was also very windy. The quilt, unfortunately held upside down in the chaos, wrapped itself around us.

 We tried another tactic with some success . . .

 But seriously, it was WINDY!

Down the road a bit, we found a quaint little garden, and had better luck.

Nine months I've traveled to get to this day. Stitching page by page through Tula Pink's book, 3 blocks a week with the City Sampler Quilt Along. Rewarded big time by being selected by Tula herself as 2nd place winner in the quilt along contest, I really wanted to do this one justice.

I thumbed through my book again, and chose Block No. 16 to recreate for a backing, with some Parisville Eye Drops as the focus fabric. Quilting one huge spiral seemed a perfect way to tie the blocks together, and I chose one of the threads I won in the contest - straight out of Aurifil's Tula Pink Premium Collection, #2843 (palm leaf). A very pale green, it blended perfectly throughout the quilt. {I referenced the immensely helpful tutorial by The Quilting Edge for the spiral quilting.}

Have you noticed yet that I did a faced binding? Weeks ago I decided this would be a great finish, and I just love the clean look it gives to this quilt! {See OPQuilt's easy-to-follow tutorial.}

So I guess this is the last chapter for my City Sampler, "Unlocked". I knew at the beginning it would be an ambitious undertaking. Yet I can honestly say it was a thrilling adventure, and I'm pleased as can be with my finished sampler. The End.

This quilt is on my Finish-A-Long 2014 Q1 list. Linking up with Fabric Tuesday.

Block No. 16

Despite the baggy and unintentionally rotated photo op, I have a quilt back. And that would be for my City Sampler quilt. Oh yeah!

I'm still {quite} a bit apprehensive about quilting this one, but I'm getting closer to just having to face it. Recreating City Sampler block No. 16 for a backing was a pleasant distraction. It started out with one of the few larger pieces of Tula Pink fabric I had in my stash - Pomegranate Parisville Eye Drops. Then I added my first piece of Modern Solids by Alissa Haight Carlton in Raspberry (dare I say, I'm impressed?), Kona Eggplant, and lastly, Egg Dots in Eggplant from Blank Quilting.

I really like when I can echo at least a component of a quilt front on the back. So progress has been made!

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday.

City Sampler Quilt Along :: The Results

I'm feeling kind of apologetic for sharing my City Sampler quilt top again.

But gee whiz! Tula Pink herself(!) chose it as the 2nd place winner in the City Sampler Sew Along contest. Yup, I'm beyond thrilled. Tula's book and fabrics definitely inspired me. It's icing on the cake for her to affirm "Unlocked".

Click here to see a collage Tula posted on facebook of all the finished quilts. And here's the overall winner!

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.

All blocks are from Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks, part of the City Sampler Quilt Along. Linking up with Sew Sweetness and W.i.P. Wednesday.

W.i.P. Wednesday

Piecing of rows has begun. I'm sewing right out of the book, and already I see a block, maybe two, that I will relocate eventually. But for now, I'm just sewing rows. Giddy.

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday.

City Sampler Quilt Along :: Blocks 97, 98, 99, & 100!

Did you think this day would ever come?

I've finished all 100 of Tula Pink's City Sampler blocks! And they are all safely tucked into my jam-packed book!

I've settled on a layout and can't wait to get to it! I certainly hope to have it done by the link up on January 31. Good for Susan/PatchworknPlay, who has already linked up her amazing quilt!

These blocks are from Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks, 

part of the City Sampler Quilt Along.

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday.

New Year Random

It's been nearly six weeks since my last {officially} random post, so it's good to join in today. First up is something I've been meaning to share for weeks - a nice little video about Geometric Quilting Designs with Angela Walters. Wish I'd remembered to watch it again before my own recent geometric quilting adventure, but during these busy times it didn't cross my mind. But it's definitely worth a watch.

And speaking of sharing, after showing off my City Sampler grid earlier this week, I just had to share the latest finish from PatchworknPlay. She's made many of the same blocks as I, but in a very neutral palette, arranging them using the "City Skyline" layout. Isn't it something? I just think it's very striking and love that it's so different from where I'm headed.

After discussion here and on Instagram several weeks back, I meant to let you know that I settled on some quilt labels! I wanted to try some woven ones this time around and settled on using a portion of my blog logo. They are from Inked Papers on etsy, and I'm really pleased with them. I found the customer service, turnaround time, and product all more than satisfactory, so just thought I'd let you know that. 

So who hasn't heard about the Economy Block Quilt-Along (#economyblockalong) on Instagram? It's a brand spanking new scrap buster that you might want to consider. Here's the basic block tutorial that begins with 3" centers. I happen to have a stack of 2 1/2" squares - some are novelty prints, but most are not - so I adjusted all dimensions for my first little block.

My block finished to an odd size of 4 5/8", but as long as I'm consistent, all should be fine, and I at least can use those centers I already have. Here's how I cut and trimmed;

• one center block 2 1/2" square
• two 2 1/2" squares, cut diagonally for inner triangles; trim to 3 3/8" before continuing
• two 3 1/2" squares, cut diagonally for outer triangles; trim to 4 5/8"

Another fun new event comes from Amy/don't you know who I am?, who is hosting a Vintage Quilt Revival Block Along based on the book by Katie of Swim Bike Quilt, Faith of Fresh Lemons, and Lee of Freshly Pieced. It begins January 21, and I've ordered the book hoping I can maybe join in.

And lastly for today, I finally managed to create a mini quilt wall in my studio! I've been wanting to do this for ages, and just seeing them there makes me smile.

From top left going clockwise: made by #breepickles/Julie@Distant Pickles, me, 
Don't Call Me Betsy, Snippets of Sweetness, & kristananne/Doodle Do Designs

Linking up with Really Random Thursday.

City Sampler Quilt Along :: Blocks 94, 95, & 96

Seriously! How can we be almost through this book?! 

#96 is my favorite of this bunch, though #95 above is fun, isn't it?

And a few of you have been clamoring for an updated grid, so here it is! I expect a bit of shuffling prior to final layout, but this is per the "Gridlock" diagram in the book, which I intend to follow pretty closely. Soon, very soon!

Gridlock layout 12/27/13

(To make your own grid, click here. To see all the blocks up close and personal, click here.)

These blocks are from Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks, 

part of the City Sampler Quilt Along.

City Sampler Quilt Along :: Blocks 91, 92, & 93

Might as well tell you straight out: knowing this week would be super busy at work and home, I made this set of blocks earlier in the month so I'd be sure not to miss making them!

Don't you just love the asymmetry? I'm swooning over this moon block!

There's not much black in my blocks so far, but it just seemed to fit with the fabrics I chose for #93. Hoping it works in the overall layout. Of course, time will tell.

These blocks are from Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks, part of the City Sampler Quilt Along. I'll be linking up with Sew Sweetness.

City Sampler Quilt Along :: Blocks 88, 89, & 90

With each new set of blocks lately, I am increasingly incredulous that we're almost through the book! 

It seems every time I use this tree print, I have a new favorite block.

I'm definitely enjoying the final chapter of "Haiku" blocks!

These blocks are from Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks, part of the City Sampler Quilt Along. I'll be linking up with Sew Sweetness.

City Sampler Quilt Along :: Blocks 85, 86, & 87

I'm so close to being done with these City Sampler blocks, I can almost taste it! The first one for this week is a winner in my very full book! I didn't have enough Space Dust for the diagonal squares, but I think subbing some Acacia worked just fine.

Same with block #86 - similar but different, but I like mine just as well. And with this block, we've moved into the final section of the book - Haiku. In Tula's words, "[These] blocks are more about composition than about the shapes that compose them."

As for #87 - love it!

These blocks are from Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks, part of the City Sampler Quilt Along. I'll be linking up with Sew Sweetness.

City Sampler Quilt Along :: Blocks 82, 83, & 84

Back in the studio last night after several days with a houseful of family, I took a break from machine quilting and before I knew it, this week's City Sampler blocks were done.

Only one more block and we'll move into the final section of the book. Hard to believe, but a perfect time to see how things are shaping up!

These blocks are from Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks, part of the City Sampler Quilt Along. For a tutorial to make your own grid, click here. Linking up with Sew Sweetness.

City Sampler Quilt Along :: Blocks 79, 80, & 81

It's been fun to have a few of you succumb this far into the City Sampler Quilt Along and purchase Tula Pink's City Sampler because you've enjoyed the blocks you've been seeing! Awesome. Glad to have you joining in the fun!

This week we continue with the squares section, which I'm really enjoying, especially when it's obvious a fussy-cut or two is in order.

 #80 here is a new favorite. What looks black in my photo is really a dark Kona Coffee (no pun intended!).

 And finally, block #81 marks a momentous occasion. Can you guess what it is?

It would be that moment when my block-stuffed book no longer stays open by itself! A few more weeks and it can take a well-deserved rest!

Linking up with Sew Sweetness.

City Sampler Quilt Along :: Blocks 76, 77, & 78

There's been some comments about my seemingly exhaustive Tula Pink stash, and I thought it might interest those of you expressing curiosity just what I'm working with.

To start off, I might as well spill the beans that I actually had zero Tula fabric when I heard of the sew along back in May. So I picked up a bit of 6 or 7 of my favorites found in my local shops, along with Prince Charming and The Birds and the Bees charm packs which I purchased online. I also managed to get into a Tula Pink Charm Square Swap, which was a great addition. And lastly, when Acacia came out not long ago, a fat-eighth pack was a reasonable way to give me even greater variety, and may just be my favorite line yet. Of course that's all been supplemented with stash dots, solids, and other prints when needed. Fair enough?

So here's this week's blocks - one of my favorite batches so far. I'm really liking this 'Squares' section!

Linking up with Sew Sweetness.