I had a feeling that the July entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 Monthly Color Challenge was going to be a tough one for me. Aqua was the color prompt and I knew that I didn’t have a lot of that color on hand. Also, the block has flying geese in it, and to be honest, that is not my favorite pattern.

While I absolutely love that way flying geese look in quilts, I have always had a problem sewing them. I don’t know why. I think it might be because I overthink it a bit. Whatever the reason, going into the July challenge, I knew I had my work cut out for me.

When I started this process back in January, I decided to go with batiks. I love working with them and, fortunately, I have a nice collection of them to choose from. Unfortunately, that doesn’t include many aquas. In fact, I could only find one aqua and one cream colored fabric with aqua in it.

Lo and behold, the block turned out great, and with Jen’s instructions, I easily assembled my nemesis block unit, the flying geese! Now I have all kinds of ideas for a quilt incorporating the pattern.

I have been delighted with this challenge so far. I’ve learned some new quilting methods, and I’ve been pushed to use colors I don’t normally work with. In fact, with the exception of the May block, I’ve been able to use batiks from my fabric stash. Because the colors are inspired by flowers, I’ve also learned a little bit about gardening too.

What’s Next

Now that my July entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 monthly color challenge is finished, I’m ready for August, but I’m just going to have to be patient.

The color prompt for next month is red orange that is inspired by the marigold flower. It’s going to be another bright one and I can’t wait. If you like challenges, and like the blocks we’ve done so far, check out the Patterns by Jen website for more information. You’ll love it!

Here’s What I’ve Done So Far

I’m so happy to be creating again after having to take a few weeks off. My first order of business was to do my June entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 Monthly Color Challenge. I just made the deadline, and I’m glad I was able to.

This month’s color prompt was orange, a color I don’t have a lot of. I had to do a fair amount of searching through my stash to see if I had enough batiks to be able to make the block. Luckily I did, and here is the result. I think that orange will start making more appearances in my work. It’s so eye-catching!

I’ll be the first to admit that it’s a pretty busy block, but I really like the way it turned out. This month definitely challenged me because I had limited fabric choices and didn’t have a chance to go fabric shopping. There is a lot going on, but the results work.

The block is a bit tricky to put together, but Jen’s instructions are clear and easy to follow, so that helps. Many years ago I made a baby quilt using this block, and I’d forgotten how much fun it is. Just imagine all of the different color combinations you could use.

I’m glad I was able to finish my June entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 monthly color challenge in time. I wasn’t sure I would be able to, and since it’s June, that means we are half way there! Only six more blocks to go, and I can’t wait. The batiks I’ve been using really pop, and, just like the flower prompts in the challenge, my blocks are starting to look like a garden in full bloom.

Check out the this fun challenge for yourself over at the Patterns by Jen website.

Here are the other blocks that we’ve done so far. I wonder what July is going to bring? I’m looking forward to it.

Wow! The color prompt for the May entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 monthly color challenge was lime green, and boy was it a fun one. This is not a color I normally use, so I had to go out and hit the fabric stores. I can’t complain though, we quilters love finding an excuse to go fabric shopping.

Fabric Choices

I hit the jackpot with both of these batiks, the lighter one really pops and the darker green has accents with the lighter color in it. Both of the choices fit really well with my decision to go with batiks for this fun challenge. They also give a little bit of an update to the traditional broken dishes block pattern.

The flower prompt for May was the Spider Mum and, even though it’s a bit of a stretch, I think that the paisley print in the darker fabric mimics the flower.

What’s Next?

Every month I find myself getting more and more excited about seeing what the next block is going to be. I’m really enjoying this challenge and am already playing with block layout ideas in my head. That way, when the end of the year rolls around, I am ready to assemble my quilt.

This is the fifth block of the challenge, and they have been easy to assemble with the instructions provided. It’s not too late to join in if you are interested. Head over to Patterns by Jen to check out all of the details.

Progress

The month of May was the second use of green in the challenge, but the lime added a vibrant twist and a whole new look to the block. Here are all of the blocks so far. All I can say is bring on June and the orange color!

I can’t believe it’s already April and I am working on my fourth quilt block for the Patterns By Jen 2019 Monthly Color Challenge! Before I know it, December will be rolling around.

This month, the floral inspiration is Glory of the Snow, and what a glorious flower it is. It is an early bloomer that gives us all hope that Spring has arrived. It is also another blue flower, which there aren’t too many of in the garden. The white center of it makes it look like it’s glowing.

I tried to find batik fabrics that would mimic the color of the blossom, and I think I hit the mark. The color prompts for both March and April were navy and blue respectively, so I wanted to use fabrics that were blue, but not close to the navy from used in March. Using the white and light blue made all the difference.

As a result of creating this month’s entry, I’ve been inspired to design a blue and white quilt. The color combination is so a fresh and crisp, and the fabric I used gives a bit of a modern twist on the famous Blue Willow china pattern.

Unfortunately I don’t have too much of this fabric left. I’ll need to go shopping if I plan on making a larger quilt.

The Challenge So Far

So far this year the colors have been green, pink, navy and blue. Next up is lime green. I have a feeling that these blocks are going to be radiant once they are all finished and set together.

Here are the four blocks I have done so far. Every month I choose a new favorite, and this month is no exception. I just love that white and light blue print.

If you would like to join in the fun, check out the information over at Patterns By Jen. You’ll find all of the instructions, and you can see entries from other quilters too. It’s always fun to see what everyone comes up with.

Happy Quilting!

I love a good challenge, especially one that gets my creative juices flowing. So this year I decided to up my game a bit and participate in a couple of quilting ones. Here is my March entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 Color Challenge.

This challenge appealed to me for a few reasons. First, it’s all about color, and I love color. Second, the inspiration comes from flowers and besides my quilting, I am an avid gardener, so it was a natural fit. Lastly, it isn’t that difficult. It’s only one block per month, with well written and easy-to-follow instructions.

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