Calendar Cascade Catch Up

Back a few months when I began piecing my Calendar Cascade quilt, Seattle MQG's 2025 BOM, I didn't expect to wait quite so long to revisit the project. But time flew by, and finally I managed to catch up and make rows for May, June, and July.

Each month's assignment doesn't exactly match up with the actual month of the year when it's released. Remember, count how many shapes are in a specific row and that will tell you what month it's for - one for January, two for February, etc. So our assignments so far:

• February - make rows for January and April
• March - make rows for July and August
• April - make row for May
• May - make row for February
• June - make row for December
• July - make row for October 

Thus, we're actually 2/3 of the way through the year's rows! The bottom row for December shown above will actually receive borders along the top and bottom edges, once I order a bit more fabric. So I'll add that one day soon. Meanwhile, let's see if I can keep up a little better going forward.

Like, Totally :: November

It's hard to believe this month's #seamqgbom2024 blocks are the final blocks of this year's Seattle MQG BOM. Our BOM designer, Louise @imfeelincrafty calls them "V" blocks.

I couldn't resist putting all of my blocks right up on the design wall, so they were all in order when I was ready to sew them together.

Ends up, I had time over the weekend to finish piecing the top! Gotta say, I'm pretty excited about that!

I also started in on a pieced quilt back beginning with my scraps. I'm hoping maybe I can get the quilt finished by the end of the month. We'll see!

Like, Totally :: September

Near the end of August, I took my #1 sewing machine in for a cleaning, then promptly left for a 10 day vacation. That all resulted in over a two-week break from sewing. Period.

So over the weekend, I finally drug out a backup machine, and got to work on this month's #seamqgbom2024 blocks - a combo of striped and regular HSTs.

Boy that felt good! The blocks were straight-forward enough to be a perfect reintroduction back into sewing. Just two more sets of blocks to come in this delightful BOM.

Like, Totally :: June

Louise @imfeelincrafty, creator of this year's Seattle MQG BOM, looooves quarter circle blocks. So no surprise that a handful of them are included in this year's BOM. I can't say they're my favorite, but I don't really mind them, either. So once I got to a stopping point on my current project, I figured I'd take a break and get my June blocks done.

Fun that they were in two sizes! Also fun that Louise had us piece the block scraps together (not pictured), saying we'd be using them later. The less scraps the better, right? I could be wrong, but it would be just like Louise to encourage us to piece those 'extra' blocks into our quilt backs when the time comes. We'll see!

Like, Totally :: March

While watching our Seattle MQG zoom meeting this week, I finally got a start on this month's BOM blocks - a collection of flying geese!

I thought to go through my stash of charm squares for potential background fabrics, a holdover from my earlier quilting days, and was happy to find a nice handful of bold black and white prints. I used them in the blue block, and those three single geese at the bottom of the photo above. I kinda think they'll add a punch in the final quilt. Now they're all safely stored away until next month's assignment.

The "Like, Totally" Quilt BOM

Nothing like finishing one guild block-of-the-month just in time to start another! I'm pretty excited, though, as this year's BOM is designed by my good buddy Louise @imfeelincrafty. This year, the BOM is more of a sewalong than mystery, for a change. With a bit of an '80s feel, it's called "Like, Totally" quilt.

Louise provided a nice swatch card for us, and in addition to swatches of the fabrics I'm using, I also added the names, in case I need more along the way. As you can see, I'm using Kona cotton solids in Raisin, Rich Red, Lipstick, Pacific, and Lupine, with a variety of low volume fabrics for backgrounds.

February's blocks were pretty quick to sew up, and are all trimmed to 8.5" square. 

It's been fun to see the reaction to Louise's quilt design, and even non-members wanting to join us in the sewalong. Which is great! The link is open to all if you happen to be interested too!

Diamond Flare :: December

As fellow Seattle MQG members began to post their finished Diamond Flare Quilt tops, I got inspired to pull my blocks out and sew mine up! 

We've been working on our block-of-the-month (AKA BOM) all year, a pattern by guild member Taylor Krz @toadandsew, and the complete top measures 71" square. I still need to finish a quilt back, which I'm making from scraps left from yardage for the top. Hopefully I'll have this one quilted and done  early in the new year.

Diamond Flare :: September

Before the month comes to an end, I took some time to whip up the latest segments for my Seattle MQG Diamond Flare BOM quilt. This month's assignment - the stepping stone blocks on the sides of the pieced triangle blocks from last month - took a while and definitely demanded some concentration, but I love that they used all but one of the fabrics in my palette.

So this month's pieces were stitched together with last month's, but what comes next remains to be seen. One step at a time, right?

Diamond Flare :: August

It took me a while to sew up the latest installment of my Diamond Flare, the BOM quilt with Seattle MQG, but once I did, it was done in no time.

Of course I have no idea how those pieces will fit into the final round, but they're ready when the next step is revealed! We actually have three more installments before the quilt top is complete, so we've a ways to go. Until then, the mystery remains....

Diamond Flare :: July

Well my Diamond Flare BOM quilt with Seattle MQG is growing! Designed by guild member Taylor Krz @toadandsew, I was excited to see what this month's reveal held. My Diamond Flare went from this....

to this.

I felt like it was transformed with the addition of those corner piece, both in continuing the design, as well as the addition of those dark squares. It now measures 51" square! We're really only half-way along, as the final 'border' will take us several months to construct. But meanwhile, I like how it's looking, and am intrigued by the process. AND it's been Lego-inspected, so all is well.

Diamond Flare :: May

Those participating in the Diamond Flare BOM with Seattle MQG are really enjoying it from what I can see. (Take a quick peek!) The BOM is a mystery quilt designed by guild member Taylor Krz @toadandsew, and as the description implies, we are receiving just a bit more info each month. Here's where I left off last month, with a 31" square.

For May, we were given instructions to complete four sections and leave them untrimmed for now. 

Of course we don't know how things are going to fit together yet. So we'll all have to stay tuned to see what's next!

Diamond Flare :: April

Happily, the Diamond Flare BOM with Seattle MQG is proving to be very popular! (Take a quick peek!) And after completing March's blocks, I confess I was eager to see what was next.

A mystery quilt designed by guild member Taylor Krz @toadandsew, I was questioning my chosen palette just a bit after adding this month's blocks (the stripes). But Taylor assured me it would all turn out great, and I'm confident it will. This block will become the center of my quilt and currently measures 31" square. Now to pack it all away and wait patiently for May's block release. 

Diamond Flare :: March

Just popping in quickly to share the first block assignment for the Seattle MQG block-of-the-month, Diamond Flare. It's a mystery quilt designed by guild member Taylor Krz @toadandsew, and it started off easy with a bunch of HSTs.

It was hard to get a decent true-color photo of the blocks, but, as instructed, I used my lightest and darkest colors from my fabric pull - Kona Blue and Kona Forest.

So now we wait until April's meeting when the next assignment will be released. No worries... plenty of wips to work on here.

Seattle MQG 2023 BOM Diamond Flare

After barely finishing my quilt from last year's BOM, Seattle MQG presented this year's BOM quilt, Diamond Flare by Taylor Krz @toadandsew. Exciting, right?! 

So our assignment for February was to choose our fabrics. This was important for me to do, since the eight fabric amounts needed were larger than I generally keep in my stash. IE. I pulled from stash what I could, but then needed to order more to supplement. Here's what I ended up with:

My fabric pull is totally inspired by a piece of fabric! It's Annabel Wrigley's @littlepincushionstudio Color Wheel Confetti Green for Windham Fabrics. I wish I remembered where I first got a glimpse of this, but I knew right away that I loved the overall palette. Of course, it's more complex than what I'm going to be working with, but hopefully it'll give a similar feel.

I decided why not make myself a color panel? I find they really help with a months-long project like this BOM will be.

So hopefully tonight at our monthly meeting, we'll get instructions for March's assignment, because I'm anxious to get started!

The BOM

Oh it feels great to have another quilt finish. Especially since it's the Seattle MQG block-of-the-month that was begun last year. I worked on it in fits and starts, but when I finally decided it was time to finish it up, progress went really well.

If you remember, I filled in between the year's modern traditional blocks with Kona Pond, Jade Green, and Emerald. I had a small amount of a berry solid that was used too, and I think it really added a lot. Anyway, once the puzzling was done, I had fun making a pieced backing from some of the scraps and backgrounds I'd been using, along with a couple of coordinating stash finds.

For quilting, I finally settled on Aurifil 50wt 5006 [Light Turquoise], which may seen an odd choice, but a neutral didn't seem quite right. 

It took several hours  - between 8 and 10 - to do organic straight-line over the whole thing, and I was surprised how much thread I used! For comparison, the spool I used (which was new when I began) is on the left in the photo below; a new spool on the right. And the finished quilt is just 53" x 56". 

There's one little tip I thought I'd share, in case you want to try organic straight-line quilting. Once you are done covering the entire quilt with stitching, go back with a ruler and see how many lines of stitching are in, say a 3" section. In my case, in the segment shown, there were 12. Then I move my ruler across the quilt and see if there are sections that could use another line of stitching. If there are either too few lines or too large a gap between lines, I place a pin to mark where I want to go back and add more stitching. It's definitely not a science, rather all personal choice, but something to consider if you like.

For binding, I just had to go with matched binding. 

It took me a few minutes to decide what to use where, since obviously I didn't match in absolutely every section, but I am SO pleased with how it turned out! I think the placement of the binding adds a lot to the overall placement of the background fabrics, which pleased me to no end. 

So yay, my second quilt finish for 2023. I'm not 100% sure what's next, and that's a great place to be. Whatever, it feels good to be moving forward.

#SeattleMQGBOM2022 
#SeaMQGBOM2022 
#YearOfDoublesBOM 

Linking up with Meadow Mist Designs' Favorite Finish Monthly Linkup.

Seattle MQG BOM Final Blocks

Not quite sure what happened, but I meant to share these blocks with you weeks ago! Though I fully intended in keeping up with the Seattle MQG block-of-the-month each month, apparently doing the blocks in chunks seems to have worked best - first in the spring, more in the summer, and the final ones come winter.

September - Dresden Plate

October - Courthouse Steps

So finally, in early December, I had all my blocks completed. Just a reminder, I did take the BOM in my own direction. Named "The Year of Doubles," the official guild plan was to make a traditional and improvisational block each month, and eventually make a two-sided quilt. I obviously just made the improv blocks, just because that's what sounded fun to me. Made from scraps, I really grew to enjoy my unusual palette.

I got waylaid by my Scrappy Sparkle Punch quilt, but the BOM is top priority again, and I must say I've enjoyed puzzling the blocks into a quilt top.

54" x 57"-ish, the puzzling was actually a lot of fun. Primarily, I filled in with Kona Pond, Jade Green, and Emerald. So up next is a pieced back, and before long, quilting. I can't wait!

#SeattleMQGBOM2022 
#SeaMQGBOM2022 
#YearOfDoublesBOM 

Catching Up with the Seattle MQG BOM

Before another month went by, I really wanted to catch up with our guild Block of the Month, The Year of Doubles.

What is the Year of Doubles?

"Over the next nine months we will give you directions for one 12” traditionally pieced block each month. After you’ve made the 1st block, the traditional block, you will have the option to create a 2nd block playing off the theme of the traditionally pieced block." [from guild website] Well, that was a very clever idea, but for some reason, I just really wanted to make it my own, and focus on the improv versions of the assigned blocks.

When January's assignment was to 'find inspiration and pull fabrics,' I inadvertently found mine in a block I actually made in an abstract piecing workshop early in the year. The palette is a unique orange, aqua, and berry, and the scraps were still gathered together, so it worked for me. And yes, though not officially a part of the BOM, I do plan on including this block in some way in my quilt.

With that said, here are the rest of my blocks so far:

February - Snail's Trail

March - Bear Paw

April - Friendship Star

May - Basket

AND I enjoyed the Sawtooth Stars we are making for a giving quilt so much, that I made another for my BOM. So it's becoming quite the conglomeration. 

The blocks range from 8.5" to 20", and I'm thinking I may make more of these or future blocks - ie. not necessarily just one of each, yet maybe. I'll take it as I go, but at least I'm going, and excited about what I have so far. Now I'm definitely looking forward to June's assignment!

#SeattleMQGBOM2022 
#SeaMQGBOM2022 
#YearOfDoublesBOM