It’s all about the color lilac for the September entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 monthly color challenge. That is such a pretty color and, since I have a fair amount of it in my stash, I didn’t need to go out and buy any new fabric.

Depending on who you talk to, that could be considered a good or a bad thing. It’s not a problem though, I’ll still find an excuse to go to the fabric store.

This month’s block was fairly simple to put together, but I definitely had to work on my points for the pinwheel center.

I find that it’s easier to get sharp points when I work with batik fabric, but that might be because I love working with it so much. Because it is a little bit stiffer, I think my points come out sharper.

Picking out the fabrics for this month was fun, especially the lighter lilac. The darker purple was a different story. With a fair amount of fabric to choose from, I couldn’t decide if it was too dark or not.

Ultimately, I’m really happy with the results. The block fits in well with the others.

I just can’t believe that there are only three months left for this challenge. It’s gone by so quickly.

I keep pulling out all of my blocks and trying to come up with a layout I like. One option in particular draws me in, but I have to wait until the last blocks are done before I make my final decision.

If you want to join in the fun, head over to the Pattern by Jen blog and check out all of the details.

So far it’s been a lovely challenge, with every color of the rainbow represented.

Here’s what I’ve done so far. Three more blocks to go, and I’m ready for them!

August is here and so is my August entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 Monthly Quilt Challenge. If I do say so myself, I love the way this one turned out.

I wasn’t too sure about this month’s red-orange color prompt for a couple of reasons. First of all, orange isn’t a color I work with a lot. Second of all, because I don’t work with it much, I don’t have a lot of fabric to choose from. Because I challenged myself to using only batiks, it was a stretch finding fabric that was suited.

Luckily, it didn’t turn out to be a problem, and I have added this beauty to my ever-growing stack of the other months’ blocks. Only four more to go, and I’m already playing with some quilt layout ideas in my head.

What fun this challenge has been so far. Not only have we made some terrific blocks, but the prompts we’ve gotten from Jen have been inspiring in the garden as well.

Each month’s color choice is based on a different flower, and this month’s selection hit the nail on the head. My block definitely reminds me of the orange and red marigolds that are blooming in my garden as I type this.

Challenge Progress

Here’s a look at what I’ve done so far. If you are inspired to give it a shot, check out the Patterns by Jen website for all of the challenge information.

Next month, the color prompt is lavender, and that is definitely a color I have plenty of batiks in. Depending on the design, I’ll just have to decide if I want to use lighter or darker lavenders. I can’t wait!

If you would like see more about my blocks other than my August entry for the Patterns by Jen color challenge, you can find them here.

January, February, March, April, May, June, July

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!