Sow-Along Quilt top completed!

Last spring I started the online "Sow-Along" with Randy of Barrister's Block.  Originally, she was going to do a sew-along of the Farmer's Wife quilt, but she was asked by the author of the book to not do it.  So instead, she selected blocks that are in the public domain - some of them are in the book, some aren't - and decided to call it a "Sow-Along" quilt.

I used some 30s reproduction fabric for this. I really don't like 30s reproduction fabrics, but I picked up a half-yard bundle in Oregon about 4 years ago that I needed to use. It had the blue, the red, the white-based multi-colored floral, and a black and white gingham (which I didn't use on this quilt). I wanted some other colors for this quilt, so I found a nice green at JoAnn, and then Donna Sheridan at Calico Horse helped me find a good cheddar.  I decided to use Kona White for the background, and I think it really makes it look "modern."  All the blocks are traditional blocks, the fabrics are 30s' repro, but the quilt looks contemporary (to me).

My next task is to make a backing - I think I'm just going to piece together the rest of the yardage of the 30's repro fabrics - I said I don't like them - and that way I'm DONE with them.

Sow-Along Blocks - June

I made these before we left on our trip:

Anvil

Flock of Geese

Exquisite

Flutter Wheel

Clay's Choice

Miscellaneous

Star from an idea I saw in a swap

In Color Order's HST Block of the Month for June

Bloggers' BOM - re-do of a star I didn't like the first time (I made two)

Barrister's Block Sew-Along - Modified Lemoyne Star

received from Alicia - Quilters' Board Monthly Bee

for Sew Bee Wonky Flickr group

for Sew Bee Wonky Flickr group

Bloggers' BOM block for May

Modern Monday - Week 34 - Checkerboard Skew

Traditional Tuesday - Week 34 - Unequal 9-Patch

Modern Monday - Week 35 - Kansas Dugout

Traditional Tuesday - Week 35 - Kansas Dugout

Modern Monday - Week 36 - 4H

Traditional Tuesday - Week 36  - 4H

More Sow-Along Blocks

Sow-Along blocks for the second Wednesday of May:

Yankee Puzzle

Aunt Sukey's Choice

Road to Fortune

Sowing Along!

I've also been using my time to catch up with Randy's Sow-Along.  It's the only project that I'm using 30s reproduction fabrics on - I really am starting to enjoy the bright, modern fabrics that are so popular. I just placed another order for more - it really is an addiction, isn't it?!

Dutchman's Puzzle

Sawtooth Star

Milky Way

Hooker's Hot Patch

name unknown

Birds in the Air

Fruit Basket

Union Square

Battlegrounds

Battlegrounds variation

Assorted blocks - online groups/swaps

Liberated string blocks for my Sew Bee Wonky Flickr group

Granny blocks for Stash Bee

Contrary Wife block for Monthly Bee on the Quilters' Board

Star for Mauve Challenge on Bumblebeans...15 Minutes Play

12.5" Star for Ochre Challenge on Bumblebeans...15 Minutes Play

6.5" Star for Ochre Challenge on Bumblebeans...15 Minutes Play

 

Star - bonus block for the Barrister's Block Sow-Along

Friendship Block for Barrister's Block Sow-Along

Steps to the Altar for Barrister's Block Sow-Along

Cups and Saucers for Barrister's Block Sow-Along

 Re-do of Step 1 - Liberated Round Robin

Step 2 - Liberated Round Robin

Sow-Along blocks and a mystery begun

I had to re-do the Sow-Along sickle block from this post, and in the process I made a decision about the white-based fabric. I've decided to use it for a border on the finished quilt and to no longer use it in the blocks. I'm going to use Kona white as the background. It makes the other fabrics "pop."  Here's the new sickle block, using the Kona white. Wouldn't you agree that the little blocks look better now?

Randy gave us two bonus blocks last week. The first one is called Papa's Birds.

The second one is a star, and I'll add the pic after I make it!

I have another project that I've started - it's a mystery quilt.  (A mystery quilt is merely a quilt that you make step by step, not knowing what the final layout will look like until you're ready to make the final layout.)  I joined a Yahoo group called Mystery Quilts 4 Military.  To be in the group you must commit to making at least one quilt a year from the mysteries given, and to give that quilt to an organization or group that collects quilts for active duty or retired military.  A new mystery is started about 3 times a year. I WAS going to do the current mystery, number 27, but accidentally printed the cutting directions for number 26. But that's all right - I'll do #27 some other time.

Here are the fabrics I'm using for the mystery:

The background fabric will be the black/gold.  Nearly all of the quilts done for this mystery used a white/neutral background, but one gal used black and I decided to give that a try. I get to use up some yardage I've had for over 5 years!  The two "main" fabrics will be the turquoise prints and the golds.  These are all different designs from the fabrics I was given by my friend Linda. They all come from the same line of Egyptian-themed fabrics and therefore go together well.  The accent color will be purple - which also comes from the same line of Egyptian fabrics.  So far I've completed cutting all the pieces, and in the next couple of days I'll start making the first set of blocks.