Jan. Saturday Sampler

I've been looking forward to sharing with you the monthly Saturday Sampler I"m doing with my quilty friend. This year we chose to play with our Quick Curve Rulers  as we create the

 Curve it Up sampler quilt by the girls at Sew Kind of Wonderful.

I'm happy to report this is also stash busting project as I'm using my "Stitchy" fabric line by Aneela Hoey that I bought as a kit on clearance about a year and half ago. 

Here's my first three blocks. They each measure 16 1/2" x 16 1/2".

Block 1: Churn Dash

Block 2: Sawtooth Star
Hmmm I think I need to practice cutting that green curve.

Block 3: Rail Fence
This one came out pretty good.

Curious if you ever make a sampler quilt? I think the thing I like best about samplers...is exactly that. 

They allow ya to sampler new techniques, patterns, even color combinations.

It's also fun to do one with a friend so you can see those different color combinations.

We did have to postpone our get together until next week due to the dumping of snow we are getting right now. But ya know what that means...aside from having to shovel the driveway later, I'll be sewing. Annndd after reading all your comments on my snowman post, I'm kinda tempted to play with making a few of those...I mean, what's another WIP right!?? LOL!

Hope your weekend finds you with some sewing time too.

Metro Rings: Lessons Learned

I had my final class last night to learn how to create my Metro Rings and 

accomplished my goal of completing one ring: (Phew!)

These blocks are 10" squares.

With that said, it's been a few years since I have taken a class, thus I learned a little bit about myself and what this quilt is going to teach me: 

1. A new patience: Seriously, Val, S L O W D O W N! (LOL!) This quilt is not going to be done this weekend, nor this month. I will enjoy the process. I may even pull out my featherweight and set this project up in it's only special place as it will take focus and soft, slow sewing. (Are you reading between the lines that I may have a heavy foot on the pedal!!! LOL!!) I'm looking forward to this. I want my seams to be better. 
2. Use the right tools: I had the wrong foot on my machine (What! I shouldn't take night classes!) Well, atleast I know why my seams were beginning to be a "slant" bigger than the desired 1/4".
3. Be confident: I'm so right brained (Creative) and always find myself unconsiously comparing myself to others when I take a class. Especially when the ladies on my right AND left side had perfectly curved seams. So, as my inadequacy started to creep in, I confidently asked the teacher to review my 24 strip sets I had prepared and to give me constructive input. (That's why I was taking a class....right!?)She was wonderfully reassuring and I realized I was just being too hard on myself as I only have to redo 5 of the 24. I felt great! 
4. Remember: Once the the top is quilted and washed, most of my errors I see under the magnified view of our sewing machine will disappear. (LOL!) I do think like that!!
5. Learn:  Enjoy the process. This is going to be a WIP. Thus the post title: Metro Rings:__________ as I'm sure I'm going to need more therapeutic posts like today! But that's okay...I like the challenge.

Quite honestly though, I'm looking forward to this process with the goal of slowing down and improving my seams. Besides, I have some long-arm projects, hand stitching, spring yard work and probably an easy piecing project to balance things out. Oh And Spring Break!

On the Design Wall....

Despite the beautiful afternoons (Sorry, Boston/Back East friends) we are having, I was able to make some progress on my polka-dots. My husband made my day when he walked in from work and immediately exclaimed: "Oh Wow! Those are cool!" These are my first attempt at curved piecing, but my intimidation of them is fading fast! 

I know I'm having fun as everytime I finish a few I immediately get them on the design wall, anxious to see how they all come together.  With that said, none of them are squared up yet...just a little peek into my process today. I plan to get eight more made and my cutting "homework" done before my final class on Wednesday. As always, thanks for stopping by! Sharing here this week: PatchWork Times, Oh, Scrap, Freemotion by the River

New Polka-Dot Quilt Under Construction

I took my first quilting class in almost two years last night, and learned how to create curved piecing. It helped so much to take the class as she taught us a little trick to the curve I'm thinking I most likely wouldn't have figured out by myself! Thank goodness....NO PINNING involved!! LOL!! Inspired by so many of you, I'm using a light background, this white with grey dot below. (I don't think I've ever used a light background before??)

 The rest of the fabric is from my overflowing stash of polk-dots.

I need to sew 96 of these pieces...four down and 92 to go. Oh my!

Geuss you know what kind of piecing I'll be up to until our next class on March 11th.