MONTH 1 — Show Your Progress Here

[Lori M.]

This was a great challenge, using skills I haven’t used in a long time and trying new skills. Glue basting was an absolute must for me

[Monique G.]

So I completed month one with a few differences. I feel like I'm totally out of my element. After watching Alex's live you tube with Freddy Moran, she inspired me to just work with your ugly fabrics and enjoy the process . . . .put it together and learn. Once I felt I had freedom to just do it, this is what I came up with. I added a 4 inch border on each side because I would like to surround the block with 5- 8" squares to enlarge the quilt. Not sure about the colours for the next round by I will take it as I go. A big thank you to 'Freddy, Barbara, and Helen for all you encouragement and help

[Helen W.]

Monique, Loving where your natural instincts are taking you. Smart math to make a 4 inch border since it works well
with this quilt being 8 inch squares. Most quilters grow their quilt size by adding borders at the end of the pattern
so they don't have to adjust everything after the center until they get done. If your goal was to just make a bigger
quilt you could still do that. If you like the intrigue of just winging it, that is not a bad thing to do. I do it all the time.
Your block looks elegant with that dark inner border and the mitered corner with that pattern in it. Good Job!!!
HelenW

[Marilyn M.]

Monique.......Your so-called "ugly" fabrics are looking quite splendid in your different and very clever arrangement.

[Connie S.]

I am mainly a hand-quilter. Had to make my own templates because they were sold out. When I sewed this block, It puffed up and looked like a cute hat. I stretched it on my wool iron mat, like blocking and it worked great, now I am ready to sew on the frame

[Connie S.]

[Stephanie B.]

This is my first BOM with The Quilt Show. It’s taking a while to navigate my way around the website but I eventually found this page!
I’m using fabrics that I’ve been collecting for years “because I love them “. Including some Jen Kingwell fabrics. I’ve just been waiting for the right project to use them. I followed the instructions to resize the outside pieces and this photo is taken before trimming to size. I’m going to wait until the next round is ready to be joined just in case I need the wiggle room.

[soniasimone]

It looks great! It's very "Jen"!

[lehab375]

Woo Hoo! I got finished before the end of the month. I'm not quite sure how the corners got cut off, but they are marked on the back side with the quarter inch seam allowance so I know where to sew when the next pieces get added. These are all batik fabrics from my stash. I'm so not looking forward to all the outer border fan shapes with that tight curve to add the quarter circle to the fans. I thought I would never get all the fan shapes cut, but finally got them done. I'm not thrilled with the one fan piece that is the darkest at the bottom. It doesn't look quite so jarring in person. I'm not taking it out, though, so I'll just have to be not thrilled. Everything was sewn by machine as I can't hold the needle long enough any more to sew by hand.
Linda

[Helen W.]

Linda, I really like the contrast of the darker star and scrappy fans. HelenW

[Marjo R.]

Month 1 completed, part hand sewn and part machine sewn. This is going to be a lot of fun

[AmyE]

I hand pieced this center, which wasn't as hard as I expected it to be. I enjoyed the process. I would like to quilt-as-I-go with this one, but I have never done that with a medallion style quilt before. Has anyone here done that, or is anyone else trying it with this one?

[Ellen L.]

Your center is lovely. I've done quite a few quilts using Quilt-As-You-Go, and will probably do this one that way. The trick is to choose the sections you want to quilt together, and assemble those and quilt them. Then take those sections and put them together. This one should assemble easily. The center can be sewn to the next round of blocks and quilted together. Then you can make two side strips of four lighter blocks apiece, and then two strips to go across the top and bottom with the rest of your lighter blocks. You'd then be able to do all the embroidery and embellishment that go there. Then do the same with the outer two layers, doing two strips for the side and two strips across the top and bottom. Keep in mind that the term "Quilt As You Go" doesn't necessarily mean you start quilting before all the blocks are made, as you may want to move blocks around to find the most pleasing combination. I'll probably have all my blocks done before I put anything together.

[Helen W.]

Ellen, Great description of how to tackle the quilt as you go. The big take away for me was you
don't have to quilt as you go before you have all your blocks done. I was thinking of the traditional
way of make a section, quilt a section. I really like the idea of just not assembling until everything is
arranged the way you want. Then make into sections; quilt each section and assemble. HelenW

[Cynthia L.]

Finished my block. First time hand sewing the entire block. Enjoyed the process.

[Bonnie B.]

Tula Pink fabrics. I might redo it with a less busy background fabric.

[Helen W.]

Rather than a whole redo, why not just take off the background like Melanie did in the next post.
Love the pastel-ish colors. HelenW

[Melanie H.]

The picture on the left is my first attempt at adding the background. When I finished, I cried! I put it up and came back the next day. I VERY carefully unsewed it and then meticulously pinned it, matching all the seams, points and curves. I thought I had done that the first time, but eventually not carefully enough. I sewed it on the machine very carefully and it worked! This was not a block for the novice or the speedy...

[LORI M.]

It looks so good now!

[soniasimone]

You did the same thing I did -- you had the background oriented incorrectly the first time. You had those diagonal joins lining up with the diamond points.
It looks great now!

[Helen W.]

When an idea strikes I have to act before I forget about it. I went to the photos of Pick and Petal and on the way
saw Jen's Daisy Do. I thought how I like the shape behind the petals and decided to make a sample block called
Pick A Petal and Daisy Doo Too. Here is how it came out. HelenW

[soniasimone]

Love it!
I'm the same, never one to stick to the pattern exactly as written.

[Carole B.]

That worked like a charm. I taped off a 16.5" square on my design wall (foam insulation beneath grey flannel) and pinned the wet square to it.

Glad to hear this worked! My block is 1/2” short. I’ve been at Road to California and had the opportunity to talk with Jen Kingwell about it. She told me I should be able to fudge it. Think I’ll try blocking it first when I get home.

This was my second time meeting Jen. Love her to pieces!

[soniasimone]

So glad you got to meet her. I've met her once virtually, and she was so lovely and kind.

[sewskeel]

On my wat to 32

[Helen W.]

Looking good Susan!!! HelenW

[Vesta C.]

I gave up last night completely exhausted from thinking/working so hard. The curved seams, y seams and making my own templates did me in. Couldn’t face piecing the outside ….this morning I cleaned and tidied my sewing room and gave myself permission to finish the block within my skill (or lack thereof!) level.

machine appliquéd the center onto a single piece of fabric and called it good enough and DONE!

[soniasimone]

It looks terrific!

[Ellen L.]

Lovely job! It's so much fun to see all the different methods that can be used to make the same quilt.