Post number 225 and a Crafty Class giveaway!

My 200th blog post came and went and I didn't even notice!  This is in fact my 225th.  I've published 212 posts on my blog and guest posted 13!  A lot of advice given to new bloggers is to be featured or write a guest post for another blog.  Partly because it pushes you to create your best content and partly to talk to new readers who might not know you.

I've been writing for the Modern Quilters Ireland (formerly Modern Quilt Guild of Ireland) for about 7 months now and I've enjoyed it a lot.  It's been a really fun exercise to think of topics I wouldn't normally write about on my own blog, maybe for fear they wouldn't be read or of sounding like I know a lot more than I really do about quilting!  I'm still learning lots myself and like to share this aspect of learning by doing on my blog. 

Trying to think of topics that would appeal to people who have been quilting for a while and attract beginners too, in addition to people like myself, who like to play with colour and design has been quite different.  I've been thinking of them as explorations rather than articles to be written and in the exploring I have learned quite a bit.

I've learned that there are more than 10 ways to make Half Square Triangles and had great fun playing with layouts with just 16 of them!  I learned the Dutch Rose/Swoon block is over 100 years old and that the Log cabin block is probably the most versatile block there is!

So to celebrate 225 posts, 22 months blogging, just under 3 years quilting and the fact that I'm still 40 not 41 for another 3 weeks, (no I'm not having an age crisis - went through that when I was 25!)  I'm having a giveaway!  In keeping with the love of learning and exploration theme, I am gifting a Craftsy class of your choice from Designing Modern Quilts by Weeks Ringle or Amy Gibson's Twisted Irish Chain.

I've chosen these two as Weeks Ringle's class encourages explorations in colour & composition and I really loved the lesson titled Beyond the Block.  Plus my cousins in Chicago live near week's Studio and gifted me some of her fabric and Week's husband Bill wrapped it up in a fabric bag with a hand written note! 

I was gobsmacked when she gave the bundle to me and so was she when I pulled two of their books from my bookshelf!  Perfect present.  So I am paying it forward by selecting Week's class as an option for the giveaway!

I love Amy Gibson - I learned much of what I know about quilting through her Craftsy Block of the Month class in 2012.  She has a block of the Month club too called Sugar Block Club that I subscribe to and has a lovely friendly website in Sticherydickorydock.com.

So to win either of these two, please leave me a message telling me which class you would love to receive.  No need to follow my blog but if you do that's great!  The giveaway will stay open until midnight Irish time next Wednesday and then random number generator will pick the winner.  Good luck and thanks for entering!

Beyond the block

I think I'm addicted to Craftsy!  I've signed up for a few free and a few paid courses on their website and Designing Modern Quilts by Weeks Ringle is one of my favourites.  One of the concepts of this course is Beyond the block.  It involves looking at a design concept as a whole first and then breaking it into smaller units to construct rather than repeating blocks to make a pattern . 

One of the thoughts I had in my head the whole time I was watching this specific lesson was "stars".  Weeks had a quilt with very specific curved shapes in it called Tankini and I guess it inspired the giant red star in the foreground.  I had an idea of the colours I wanted, rich oranges, yellows and reds against a navy blue background so I started playing with shapes and graduated colours in this Photo and came up with the the design in the image above.

I have no idea how to make this, no clue at all.  Week's suggestion is to make a mini version first to test the design.  I know I want insert circles rather than applique and probably should use graduated dyed fabric and I know the curves, dimensions and placement are super important or the design won't work the way I want it.  I know quite a bit but not how to start so I'm winging it!

In order to make my mini version I ordered this beautiful Kona solids fabric bundle from Cindy at Fluffy Sheep Quilting (it's called sunrise!) and I'm going to print my design 1:1 A2 size and get out the ruler and calculator.  Wish me luck!