A Win! (And Keeping Up Appearances)

I went to the State Fair Preview Night for the Fabric and Threads department last week and was happy to see my star block took 3rd place (far left).  The competitive part of me was disappointed that it didn't take first, but you can't have it all.  :)

I was glad that I placed, because it made me feel a bit better about something that has made me quite uncomfortable for awhile.  Let me tell you about it.

A little over a year ago I had to write an author bio for You Can Quilt!.  I had no idea how to start, so I googled "how to write an author bio" and got on my way.  One of the things the site said to include were any awards or prizes won for your work.  My first thought was, "None, skip to the next section" but then I remembered that I had a placed second and runner up in the State Fair quilt block contest and that a dress I made (the only one in it's category) had also placed.  Not a big deal in the quilt show world, but something, so I said something about winning a few ribbons at the state fair.

Much to my embarrassment, when AQS posted the book on Amazon they put in an abridged author bio that said in part, "Leila lives in Huxley, Iowa where she continues to quilt and win awards."  Continues to win awards?!?  First of all that is a lot of pressure to continue to win awards and second it makes it sound like I am a way better quilter than I am.  I am more of a make-quilts-to-use-that-are-pretty-good-quality quilter, but the level of perfection it takes to win awards at quilt shows is really high.  I can make one quilt block almost perfectly, but a whole quilt?  It made me feel really uncomfortable and embarrassed that someone that knew me and my quilts might read the bio and think that I was a big liar face and pretty full of myself.  Ick!  

So, I am very glad that this year I did indeed "continue to win (minor) awards" so it isn't a total lie.  :)

It was also fun to walk past the building with the frieze of quilt blocks.  This year I saw them with different eyes.  Because I have been working on the At the Fair BOM, they were all old friends and I have a real soft spot for each of them.  

I hope you all have a great week and that we all find time to "continue making quilts"!  :)

At the Fair Mystery Quilt Blocks: January-May

I thought I would share the blocks we have been making in the At the Fair Mystery Block of the Month.  The quilt blocks are based on the tiled quilt block mosaic which wraps around the Richard O. Jacobson Exhibition Center on the Iowa State Fairgrounds.  We are making 36 blocks - two a month - until June 2016 when we will put them together into an epic 96" x 92" quilt.
 

May's blocks were from Iowa and Audubon county and are 24 and 8 inches square.  I have to say it is really fun to make the bigger blocks.  They are so striking.  But then it is rather a relief to make the second smaller block.  :)    When I first saw the picture of the small Iowa county block I thought it would be a pain to cut and piece, but it came together very easily with some foundation paper piecing.

Two counties, Guthrie and Ida, submitted the same block to the fair.  I am calling it Starburst because there are stars bursting out - and because it is made with Starburst candy colors.  :)  It is 24" square.  The second block for April was from Adair county.  It is a simple little blocks but, like so many of the other blocks, I think a whole quilt of these would be great.

In March I almost froze my fingers off taking pictures of these blocks.  I am so glad winter is over!  The one on the left is 32" square and is from Decatur county.  The one on the right is 24" square and was submitted by Black Hawk county.

February's blocks were fairly simple because everyone in my house had taken turns being sick over and over.  The one on the left is from Dubuque county and measures 12" square.  The other is one of my favorite blocks.  It was submitted by Clinton county and measures 8" square.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  both of these would look great repeated in a quilt.

We started out the year with a bang in January.  The largest block - and my favorite so far - is a 36" beauty from Osceola county.  This "block" would make a great baby quilt.  But after making it, I thought we needed a break, so the second block is a simple 8" bow-tie block.

So...are you tempted to join us?  You can sign up here and on the 1st of every month through June 2016 you will receive instructions for 2 quilt blocks.  After signing up, a pdf with the first 10 block patterns will be emailed to you.  Need more info?  This post gives more details about the At the Fair Mystery Block of the Month.  I hope you will join us.  It has been fun seeing people's blocks pop up in our Flicker group and I know some people are sharing their blocks on Instagram with the hashtag #atthefairmysteryquilt.  We would love for you to join us!

Orphan Blocks + Negative Space = Quick Twin Sized Quilt

As part of Quick & Easy Charity Quilt Month here, I wanted to show how just a few blocks could be made into a good sized quilt.  I knew when our guild decided to make blankets for children in foster care I wanted to make a twin sized quilt.  (I think teens sometimes get overlooked and babies get tons of quilts.)  But I knew the quilt couldn't be super complicated or else I would never finish it.

The beauty of this quilt is that it uses orphan blocks (you know, the ones you have abandoned in the bottom of your drawer  ;) ) and a bunch of negative space to make a large sized quilt.  Since the quilt blocks are already made, the time needed to complete the quilt was minimal.

These quilt blocks were from a Block of the Month Club at my LQS from 2003.  Yeah, ten years old.  It was time to stop storing them and give them a new life.  Here's what I did:

1. I started by sewing four blocks together with 2.5 inch strips of fabric between them.  Then I sewed the block panel to a large chuck of fabric that was 44 inches wide.
2. Next I sewed the lower three blocks together with 2.5 inch stripes of background fabric.  Added a piece of fabric to the end that was as tall as the blocks and sewed that strip to the bottom of my first piece.
3. Then I added a 10 inch strip to the top.
4. And the bottom.
5. And sewed a 2.5 inch strip along the right hand side.

Here are some examples of other ways you could use your orphan blocks to make a larger sized quilt.  The possibilities are endless.   What about blocks around all the outer edges?

Now I've just got to get it quilted.  Maybe with Denyse Schmidt inspired figure eights?

I just heard that Katie at Swim, Bike, Quilt is finishing off her 100 Quilts for Kids quilt drive at the end of the month.  Read more about it here - there are lots of prizes for donating a quilt to charity.  

Don't forget that I will be having a link up - with more modest prizes :) - at the end of the month too.  Let's get sewing!

Going To The Fair!

I have always loved going to the fair.  But I never understood why adults wanted to go and see the exhibits when I was young - wasn't the fair all about the rides?  But now I am all over the exhibits and don't let my kids go on any rides - I know, so mean.  :)  But this year is extra special.   I am going to have a quilt block exhibited in the fair!

2011 Competition Blocks 

Each year there is a quilt block competition at the Iowa State Fair.  They send you fabric and you make a quilt block that is judged.  Then they take all of the blocks and make a quilt for next year's raffle.  Here are the blocks from last year. 

The 2012 Block Fabrics

These are the fabrics that they sent out this year...umm...not my favorites.  I mean, I like good Civil War reproduction fabrics, the poison greens, roses and cheddars, but not these.  But that will just make making a great block that more rewarding/challenging/impossible.  Right?

The only requirements are:

1. The block must measure 9.5 inches square unfinished (9 inches finished)
2. The block must contain all 6 fabrics
3. No additional fabric may be added



The light fabrics aren't so bad - I actually really  like the bumble bees.

I have added a few more requirements for myself - I would really like to have a shot at winning - I am kind of competitive.  ;)

1. It must have a decent amount of complexity but not over the top - the winners last year had nice simple yet effective designs with a traditional leaning
2. All points must match
3. The back must look good also - I figure when it comes down to the finalists, the judges will pay attention to the back of the blocks because all of the fronts are perfect.
4. Make sure it is well pressed and has no loose threads
5. Pay attention to fabric placement - make sure there is good contrast

Has anyone out there judged or seen judging for quilts/quilt blocks before?  Is there anything else I should pay attention to?

   

                     

Here are the three blocks I have narrowed it down to (it is really hard to find 9 inch blocks that can use 6 different fabrics!).  L to R:  Aztec Logs, Eight Point Allover and Belted Star.  All of the blocks were found at the Quilter's Cache.

Right now I am leaning towards Aztec Logs because it will be easy to use all of the fabrics, the design fits the fabric and the small 1 inch triangles add a good level of complexity.  As a bonus they are paper pieced, so I have a decent chance of making them accurately.  In fact all of the blocks are paper pieced so hopefully my precision will be better than if I was piecing them with regular cutting/sewing.  But I like the other ones too...

What do you think?