Quilting challenges

Our speaker at guild Tuesday night spoke of challenges and how they can help you grow as a quilter.  I must say that Dear Jane was a personal challenge that helped me grow a great deal and, as a bonus, introduced me to quite a few like-minded quilters all over the world.  Usually, I participate in at least one swap and/or challenge in my guild each year.  This year, I'm doing three of the five, and I may even do one more.

Tuesday night, we chose three paint chips from a bag and have to make something out of those colors.  The majority of the fabrics in whatever we choose to make have to be those colors, so today I did a little digging in my stash.  I had chosen lime green, light blue and a medium blue, and I have quite a few scraps in those colors which go so well together.  Another person I was talking to chose red, purple, and brown, so I'm really feeling lucky.  I hope to make a mini pineapple quilt.  We'll see how it goes!  I don't think it's due until June, so I have everything in a baggie waiting for a snowy day (which could of course be in the next couple of weeks, but I hope not til January).

The next challenge will be an Ohio Star block swap in any colors we choose.  We need to make 21 blocks, which shouldn't be hard at all.  I love that block.

I also signed up for a "block robin."  This will result in a sampler, which I enjoy making.  We each put fabric into a bag with a request for whatever size blocks we want.  We make three blocks a month for the other people.  Here's a sneak peek of what I made for Marie who included one challenging print that wasn't quite straight with the grain.   I needed to fussy cut the centers of the 12" blocks, but they - Cake Stand, Cypress, and Maple Star -  turned out pretty good.

This year, I chose a bunch of black and white prints, oranges, and yellows.  I'll be doing the guild's "blocks of the month" in the same fabrics while my bag goes around so that I'll end up with at least 25 blocks in the end, and maybe more if I feel like making more in between times. 

I have plenty of UFOs so may also join in the UFO challenge, which we can begin at any time.  Tuesday, several people showed their UFOs that they hope to complete this year, and it was sort of like an old fashioned "altar call."   One lady showed the blocks from last year's "block robin," but mine is already finished and we're sleeping under it.  I felt smug!