I like Big Blocks and I cannot lie

While in St. George in February for our annual sewfest retreat I took some fabric that had been "aging" in my stash.  I'm not really sure how long I've had it.  Maybe 2 years!?  Anyway, I had a pattern picked out and thought this would be a good time to try and come up with something concrete.  More minds and opinions together to get my own creative juices flowing.

This was also another exercise in getting out of my comfort zone.
I've never made blocks this big, or with this big of a print fabric.
I was really nervous that I wouldn't even like it when it was all said and done.

I'm happy to report that "it's all good in the 'hood."
Mission accomplished: quilt  top completed and I really like it....a lot.



It took some finagling with the placement and discussion over the little corner blocks but in the end I am really please with how it turned out.

Next step: to find the perfect backing to go with it. I already know I don't have anything in my stash that will compliment this very well.

Details:

• Fabric is Hand Drawn Garden by Anna Maria Horner
• Pattern is a modification of  "Sweet Life", pgs. 74-79 from Simply Retro by Camille Roskelly.  
• I made the blocks as she indicated, finishing at 18 inches square.
• Cut 3 1/2 inch strips for both border and sashing out of white, and the center squares of solid color.
• I also only did a 3 x 4 pattern instead of 4 x 4 as she did.  That was mainly because of what fabric I had in my stash.  Plus I do not love square quilts if I can avoid it.
• Flickr group of this pattern book found HERE.
• The finished top is 66 inches wide by 87 inches

Basic Knit Skirt Pattern

Tomorow is the first day of school for my kids.
Oh happy day!
A friend of mine said that the first day of school is actually the real Mother's Day.
So true.
It feels like it has been a very long and unproductive summer for me.
My "to do" list is long, both actual and in my mind.
And the truth of the matter is I can't get nearly as much done when the kids are home.
You all know that is true at your own homes too.
So hopefully I can get back into the swing of things and reduce my piles of projects.

In case you haven't noticed, if there is a pattern available, especially for $1 on sale, I use that instead of trying to figure out a pattern on my own.  I figure why torture myself when someone else has already done the work for me.  I can embellish it as I like with a good basic pattern.

Sometime this summer I purchased McCall's 6654 at Jo-Ann's for $1 even though I probably have a couple others that are similar.  It is just nice to have a couple different styles and lengths in one pattern--4 lengths of a knit A-line skirt and 5 lengths of a straight knit skirt.

I've already used this pattern a couple times, but wanted to show this fun skirt that I made from a thrift store piece of fabric I found for about $3.  It is a little like a sweater knit, but I just loved the color and texture of the design.  There was enough that I was able to make one for both me and daughter #2.  Here she is showing off hers.





Notes:

• To make a knee length skirt for my 6 foot + body I had to used view D to get it long enough.  We also lengthened hers too so that it would hit right at the knee.
• For the waistband we bought wide elastic and used it on the outside.  Basically just topstitching it with a double needle to the top of the waist edge.  This was mainly to reduce the bulk at the waist.
• Daughter #2's cool bracelet she made with beads bought at Jo-Ann's.