Classic Meets Modern Finale!

As hard as it is to believe, we've been quilting along on our Classic Meets Modern quilts for a full twelve months, and it's time to close this baby out.  If you've kept up, all of the blocks are finished and now they just have to be put together.  Easy peasy!

I just couldn't help myself.  I actually finished my quilt right after putting my filler blocks together back in November.  I'm so glad I did since I am still on doctor's orders to rest my neck.  I absolutely LOVE how this quilt turned out with the pretty Acreage fabric collection, so different from my original version in bold solids.

I quilted this one with an allover floral pattern with my favorite 50 wt. Aurifil White, and I think the motif works so well with these prints.  The sun was casting some major shadows during my photo session which really highlights the quilting texture.

The bundle of fabric I used was larger than I needed for the blocks and included lots of low volume fabrics.  A low volume backing is a bit of a different choice for me, but I simply couldn't bear to leave them out. These softer fabrics paired with a strip of bold scraps and solid gray work really well, and though it is a different kind of backing for me, I really like it a lot.

For the binding, I pulled this print from my stash. It's the perfect shade of teal.  It isn't from the Acreage collection, but it definitely looks right at home!

I think my favorite part of this quilt is how the prints give the pattern such a different look.  In fact, seeing the pattern interpreted in so many ways throughout the year has been my favorite part of hosting this QAL, and I can't wait to see everyone's quilt tops put together.  Remember, there are a few prizes up for grabs!

To be eligible for the prize drawings, you just have to have a completed quilt top before the linky closes, and because the holidays are SO busy, I'm going to keep it open until January 15th!  You can link from a blog, Flickr, or Instagram, or if you don't have any of those platforms, you can email a photo of your completed top to me, and I will add your photo to my post and enter for you.

Okay!  You've spent an entire year putting your quilt together, and it's finally time to show off your hard work!  Remember, this link up is only for sharing Classic Meets Modern quilts.  You can link up all of your other awesome finishes at the next Needle and Thread Thursday.

Linking from IG has been finicky lately, so check out a few quilts that have been emailed to me!  These entries are numbered in the order they were sent to me, and following the LinkyTools numbers.

If you want to have your quilt top included here but aren't finished in time for the prizes, that's okay.  I would still love to show it off.  Just use the Email Me button on the right to send me a photo!  :)

  6.  Jackie (j2watson on IG)-                                                7. Brenna (bgoode29 on IG)-

8.  Joanne- (joejodub on IG)-

       














                                                                

CMM September Blocks

It's the middle of the month, and that means it's time to share our latest blocks for the Classic Meets Modern QAL, and let me just say that my design wall is officially full of awesomeness.  It's a good thing that we only have a couple more months of blocks left, because I am ready to put this baby together!

I am loving the way these blocks are all looking and I can't wait to finish them so I can start putting the top together.  

The first block this month is the Squash Blossom block, and I love the interesting shape this block makes.  The components of this block are not difficult to sew, but I will say that it took some paying attention on my part to make sure that everything in this block was pointing the correct way.  The resulting block is awesome though, and it's actually the basis for lots of the southwest inspired quilt patterns that are out there.

The second block this month is the Eccentric Star, and it doesn't get much easier that eight HST and a center square.  Even considering its simplicity, the spinning shape of this block is super cool.  

And because I'm a big ole copycat, I couldn't help but steal the brilliant digital planning method that Something Rosemade is using for her blocks.  I finally got around to it this week, and it was so much fun!  Since I have always left a little white space around my blocks in my photos (and I am just too lazy to re-crop every single one), my digital layout isn't quite as neat as hers, but I still love seeing it take shape without actually having it sewn together.  Each digital pattern includes this blank layout guide, so if you want to you can do this as well with any free online photo editor.

Can you believe that we only have one more month of blocks, and then our filler geese and snowballs left before it will be time to put the top together?  I am having a tough time wrapping my head around just how quickly 2018 has flown by so far.

Okay, y'all!  It's time to link up your September blocks!

1.  If you're a little late to the party, it's okay!  You can still join in anytime.  This is a Block of the Month Quilt Along, so we will only be completing two blocks each month.  The pace is leisurely and it will be easy to catch up.  You can get the Classic Meets Modern pattern in my Etsy or Craftsy shops (links on my right sidebar).  As long as you have a finished quilt top at the end of the year, you'll be eligible for the prizes.

2.  Remember, the link party opens on the 15th of each month, and will close at midnight CST on the last day of the month.  You can certainly link to the weekly NTT post if you like, but be sure to link your quilt along blocks to this party, so everyone is sure to see your progress.

3.  You don't have to have a blog to join in!  You can link to an Instagram post, or even a Flickr account.  Use the hashtag #classicmeetsmodernbomqal on Instagram!  If you do have a blog, grab a button to let everyone know you're participating!  You can get the button on my right sidebar.

Poolside

When I took a photo of my stash a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that my cabinet was very heavy on teals, aquas, and grays.  When I'm out shopping for fabric, I am drawn to those colors and tend to purchase them more often as stash builders (obviously), even as I show discipline with fabrics in other hues.  Of course I know this about myself, but actually seeing the evidence in a picture really made me realize that I should stop stashing those colors for awhile, and put some of those yummy fabrics to good use.  I haven't done a two-color quilt in a little while, and thought a classic Bowtie pattern would be a perfect way to tame those sections of my stash.

Before I go any further, let me apologize for not making a post during the process of this quilt.  I think it's important to do that, since we all know that quilts don't just magically appear out of thin air, but we've had some rainy days lately, and the indoor photos I took didn't capture it well at all.  This one did go together rather quickly as well.

Because I love aqua and gray, I had some larger cuts of most of the fabrics in this quilt, and I used up all of the leftovers on the back.

The quilting is done in Aurifil 50 wt. #5006 (Light Turquoise), and it adds another layer of sweetness to this one.  And I decided to bind it in one of the darkest teal prints.

The colors in this quilt remind me of a backyard oasis, with glistening water surrounded by stone, so I've decided to name it Poolside.  I'm loving the way the modern prints set off the traditional Bowtie block, and I especially love that I used up 10 aquas and 10 grays from my cabinet.

Needle and Thread Thursday

Happy NTT, friends!  I finished up my Classic Meets Modern sampler quilt, and I am super excited to share it with you today.

I had so much fun designing and making this quilt, though with so many things going on, I was a little stumped on quilting.  It would have been super cool to quilt each block differently, but I'm more of an "all over design" kind of girl.  So, I decided on my favorite fall-back, a nice stipple with 50wt. Aurifil White thread.  It adds just enough texture to give it a good crinkle, and doesn't add to the busy design.

In case you're wondering, I used seven shades of Kona in this quilt- White, Steel, Pool, Turquoise, Royal, Berry, and Parrot.

On the back, I had just enough of this awesome print for a nice center stripe, and the fabric looks like it was just made for this quilt, and I chose to border it with two stripes of the Parrot.  The low volume print on the edges is by Cloud 9, and I really lucked out and found it on clearance.

When it was time to bind the quilt, I really struggled with whether to give the quilt a frame with Berry, or have the binding disappear with Kona Pool.  Ultimately, I wanted this quilt to be cool with a pops of warmth, and I decided I didn't want to add more warm color.  I'm very happy with the choice.

The response to this quilt becoming a quilt along in 2018 was overwhelmingly positive, but I still need to work a few things out before I decide for sure whether that will happen.  I plan on making the decision with plenty of time to spare before the new year though, so stay tuned!

Before we party, take a look at some of my favorite projects from last week!  Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting linked up this pretty rainbow HST quilt-

This fun one was made by Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts-

and finally, I love the transparency illusion in this quilt by Paige at Quilted Blooms-

I can't wait to see what's happening in your sewing space this week.  Let's party!

I'm working on a quilt right now, and I can't wait to share it with you, but right now, let's party!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Classic Meets Modern

As the name of this post suggests, I've been working on a sampler quilt blending classic blocks with modern design.  Each block in this quilt is actually a traditional block in the public domain, but the block sizing and layout, as well as the fact that the quilt is made in solids, really gives it a modern twist.

I don't work exclusively with solids very often, but they really give a graphic feel to the blocks in this quilt.  I had a blast designing this top, and putting it together.  With so many different blocks and sizes, the entire process was so much fun!

I'm working on finishing this one up and writing the pattern.  Right now, I'm considering hosting this as a Block of the Month QAL next year, but that is still something I'm mulling over.