Sea Star: Pattern Testing + Giveaway

Back in April Cheryl from Meadow Mist Designs put out the call for pattern testers for her new Sea Star Pattern. Last Fall I pattern tested her Looking Glass quilt and LOVED how the quilt turned out. So, of course, I signed up for another. Sea Star is a great combination of a plus block and a star block. Following Cheryl's lead I also chose cool colors in a sea theme. I don't have many baby boy quilts on hand, so this one was perfect. 

Just like last time, this quilt was super quick and fun to make. I got in a couple fights with my ailing iron, but overall it was painless. The quilt consists of squares and HST, nothing difficult but a new design anyone can try out! I was able to get the whole top done in one day of sewing. The backing, quilting, and binding was another day. To me her quilts are great projects that offer more pizzaz than basic squares, but are equally as easy and have have such design flair. I really have enjoyed each and every quilt I have made using Meadow Mist patterns.

In the pattern the baby quilt is square, but I went with a 3 by 4 block arrangement to make the quilt rectangular. I like the final size of the quilt.

Check back to Cheryl's blog to see what the other pattern testers chose for colors and the link to purchase this pattern. She has also offered up a pattern giveaway! To enter, answer the question:  What colors would you made this pattern in? Good luck everyone! I will draw and post the winner June 30, 2015.

Looks like this summer has started off with at least one quilting success, I hope to get a couple more projects completed before beginning summer school in the beginning of July.  Enjoy your summer everyone :) 

-Patch & Chels 

Looking Dapper?

My summer goal was to get my WIPs down from twenty to five ... well, that didn't happen. It was a very ambitious goal! I was able to complete ten projects over the course of the summer, still calling that productive! Even if I was five shy of my goal, each project got worked on so they are all closer to completion! That should count for something. I also made a vow to myself that after I got all my projects under control I would only have five going at any given point. So, here's to project eleven!

Here's what I figure, since I got so much work done I deserve a new project! (pretty sure this justification is exactly how things got out of hand last time!) While working on my Thimble Blossom's sampler, I feel in love with Camille's Dapper block from her book Simply Retro.  Funny this is, it never drew me in until I actually made the blocks.  Does that ever happen to you? Once I saw these blocks with my own eyes, I was in love. 

She had made this pattern for her son's with two different variations on the pattern. It was a good idea for a baby/young boy pattern. For some reason, I always have a hard time finding good boy patterns/fabrics. Plus, it's only fitting to have at least one baby boy quilt hanging around. From this decision I pulled some "boy" colors, aqua/orange/gray and went with the idea.  

The backing is the blue dot behind the book in the photo above, it's flannel. I have made full quilts from flannel, but never just the back. This smoky blue dot was perfect with the colors and will be the perfect size for the backing. Plus, adds to the overall snuggle factor of this quilt.

Love it when stash fabrics work to my advantage! 

-Patch & Chels