Woohoo! I was in purple heaven when I made my December entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 monthly color challenge. Finishing this block also meant that I did it…I finished all 12 blocks of the event.
Throughout the year, I had a couple of personal set backs, but I made sure to get the blocks done and I am so pleased with how they all turned out.
I stuck to my own challenge of only using batiks. As a result, every block has that deep saturated color that those fabrics offer.
An additional bonus was that, with the exception of one choice, I had enough fabric on hand so I did not have to make a lot of trips to the quilt store. That is my kind of quilt top.
Here is my November entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 monthly color challenge. That means that there is only one month to go! I can’t believe it. I also can’t wait for December to get here so I can see the final block.
This challenge has been a joy, and the emphasis on colors has really made me think about my fabric choices and placement.
When I started this project way back in January, I decided to use batik fabrics, and this month was no exception. Yellow was the color prompt, and it was a bit of stretch for me fabric-wise. I don’t have a lot of yellow batiks on hand, so I had to use two different ones for the darker parts of the block.
If you would like a fun and whimsical wall hanging, then my Swimming Upstream quilt pattern might be just what you are looking for.
The finished quilt measures 28″ x 40″ so it is great for a smaller wall space.
Start digging through all of your fabrics. Because of the design, this pattern is an ideal scrap buster.
I used various corals for this version, but I can picture this in so many other color waves. Wouldn’t it look great hanging in a mountain cabin or beach house?
This piece was professionally quilted by Adria Good Longarm Quilting and it makes it shine. As a result of using turquoise thread, the quilted water ripples and bubbles add dimension and movement to the quilt.
I have always been a
huge fan of scrap quilts and the majority of my pieces are done this
way. My scrappy swimming fish quilt block is no exception. It is a
whimsical block that is fairly easy to make.
I came up with this block while I was designing the quilt “Swimming Upstream”. I had a large stash of coral fabrics and, for some reason, they reminded me of salmon. The fish has a long body and I added background sashing around it to make it look like the fish was swimming in water.
In the quilt I made
using this block, each fish is made up of one coral fabric and the
beige sashing is from various fabrics. For a different look, you can
easily make the fish out of various fabrics and keep the sashing one
fabric, or you can change it any other way you would like to.
A couple of months ago a post on Instagram caught my attention. The hashtag used was Quilts for Ocracoke. That really hit home for me because my family has been visiting this special place for many years.
Best know for its’ pristine beaches and pirate lore, Ocracoke is a tiny island on the southern end of the Outer Banks. It’s only accessible by ferry and, once you’ve arrived, you never want to leave.
Sadly, in early September 2019, it was devastated by Hurricane Dorian. Many of the businesses and homes were damaged or destroyed by the high waters that flooded the island.
Through it all, the locals, and those who love the island, have rallied, and are working hard to bring Ocracoke back.
The Ocracoke lighthouse at sunset
Quilts for Ocracoke
When I saw the hash tag, I had to see what it was all about. Lori Millsap from Island Time Quilting came up with the idea for Quilts for Ocracoke, an event to make comfort quilts for the island residents.
She accepts blocks, backing and finished quilts for the project. From the results she’s been posting, it looks like it has been a big success so far.
Here are a couple of the blocks that I made. It was an easy block to make, a great scrap buster, and it was for a good cause. That is my kind of block.
#OcracokeStrong
I have been following Ocracoke’s road to recovery via social media and news reports. Their sense of community is inspiring, and I have faith that this beautiful gem along the Outer Banks of North Carolina will come back stronger than ever.
Hopefully many of the residents will be comforted by a special quilt too.
