Are You Up for a Good Fabric Challenge? 2015 Riley Blake for MQG

Months ago I signed up for the Modern Quilt Guild's 2015 Fabric Challenge with Riley Blake Designs. A list of guidlines came along with the fat quarter bundle I received, and I took the challenge to heart.

#1. It needs to be fantastic and quilted. 

#2. Something I've never done before. I've never done a project that involved curves. I learned how to sew them, but I've never used them in a project. 

#3. I've never made a medallion quilt.

#4. The fabrics in the fat quarter bundle were the ones shown on the card above. I had to add to them after I saw the rest of the line. The pinks were just as gorgeous as the blues and greys.

The design was next. I worked on graph paper, and came up with something I thought would enhance the prints. To make it all easy to calculate, I used a 2" block. Making my own template was easy with a basic compass. Just make sure you have a 1/4" overlay for the seam in both directions. I made my template for a 3" block, and it gave me leeway to trim it down to 2 1/2". This will finish out as a 2" block. 

The center is sewn together here below, and you have a rough idea of the curved pieces in the top picture. This is going to be an easy and fun project on a smaller scale. I should have more to show you in the next day or so.

Are you working on the same challenge? July 31st is the last day to link up. Details are on the Modern Quilt Guild website if you want to check them out. Be sure to follow me on Instagram if you want to see projects evolve more quickly. The button is in the right side bar at the top of the page.

Until next time...

Come on, Doxie girls.

Let's go sew.

Linking up with~
Patchwork Times
Show and Tell with Bambi
Cooking Up Quilts

Here's what I'm looking at next for those 
of you who have asked.

The Farmer's Wife 1930's Sampler Quilt

In the Studio with Anglea Walters: Machine-Quilting Design Concepts Add Movement, Contrast, Depth & More

By the Block: 18 Surprisingly Simple Quilts

Pet Project Show #27-Happy 4th of July!

The 4th of July weekend is here! Many here in the U.S. have a 3 day weekend so I thought we should start our Pet Project Show a day early. If you're like me, we'll sneak peaks at our online media in between lawn parties and parades, and maybe a little stitching, too. 

While I was searching for fireworks pictures, I noticed how visually similar they are to neon lights. I had never put the two together before, but when I came across the following pictures from our trip last week, it was like the lights came on!

I'm sure it's a color attraction for me, too, but you get some of the same patterning with hand-dyed fabrics and batiks. I have always liked a radiating pattern more than random designs.

Pinterest and Etsy are full of gorgeous examples. This is from JenJeans Colorful Fabrics. Visit her Etsy shop to see more.

The first Saturday of each month is when I highlight some of the Doxie's and my favorite link ups. There's so many to pick from now. I changed the format of the link party a few weeks ago, and encouraged you to link up as many posts as you'd like, as long as you'd posted them in the past week. That's what I would want in a weekly party, and many of you have said you did, too. Favorites first, then link away. And may your weekend be memorable and safe. 

We picked multi-colored projects for the weekend celebration. We hope you enjoy them.

Katy Quilts: Grafitti Practice

Busy Hands Quilts-Spangled Stars

Alycia Quilts-Rainbow Scrappy Challenge

Maartje Quilts

I invite you to add as many links as you've posted over the past week. Feel free to link them all if you'd like, and show off your latest Pet Projects. Don't be shy!

    

Thank you to each of you who link up with the Pet Project Show. It's a pleasure to see your work here!
***********

Come on, Doxie Girls.
It's Saturday, and time for the weekly 

Pink Doxies 

Pet Project Show. 

Add your link here every Saturday-Monday. 

Rules

Do we have to have rules? 

No worries! It's EASY.

1. Use the blue 'Add Your Link' button (below left)
to upload a picture of something you've created 
in the past week. Any kind of handiwork--
share it now! It can be a work in progress, 
finally finished, or even your fab new fabric. 
Whatever it is that inspired you to create this 
week, we'd like to see it here. 

2. Please link to a specific post, and not just your
blog address. It makes it easy for anyone following 

your link to find the project.

3. Provide a backlink to Pink Doxies with a link in
your post, or pick up our Pet Project Show
button in the sidebar. Copy the code, then 
create a Pet Show widget with 'Add by HTML' 
on your Layout page.

-OR-

1. You can link up to your Instagram. 
Click on the Instagram icon at the bottom 
of the link up screen. The URL of your Instagram 
feed will be your link. 
Please hashtag #pinkdoxiespetproject

Either way you link up, remember it's a party
here, so schmooze with the crowd! Visit others 
who've linked up. Leave a comment so they 
know what you like about their work. 

Don't miss a post! 

Follow me on Bloglovin' or by email. 

The Linky Party starts now, and runs until
Monday, July 6th at midnight. 

Spread the word, and tell all your stitchy friends.

*The first Saturday party of each month will
feature several of the Doxies and my
favorite link ups.
By linking up, you are giving permission for me
to post your picture with a link back to your 

blog or Instagram account. 

An InLinkz Link-up

The Red, the White, and the Blues

The 4th of July is a few days away, and there are signs of it everywhere. This little town attracts huge crowds of people the same day each year. They come for bingo, carnival games, and chicken barbeque. The kiddie rides pulled in today, and more will follow. The parade is at 2 in the afternoon, and if you sit near the curb, you might get lucky and score an icy treat handed to you with a smile. Until a few years ago, it was entirely horse-drawn, if you can imagine. Things stay busy here until 10 p.m. when the real show begins. We love our fireworks, and put on a good show! This is the quintessential Small Town, U.S.A. 

Early in the morning, blankets start covering the hillside at the park. Tarps if rain threatens, but I've also seen old quilts laying there. Yes, it stops my heart, too, but at least they are utility quilts. I remember one done mainly in red, white, and blue, and how it stood out among the others. The colors were beautiful.

I decided to recreate something with the same feeling. I wanted a very simple quilt, so I pulled some prints in red and blue, and solid whites from my stash. 

If you look closely at the reds and the blues above, you'll see there is a deliberate mixing of tints and shades. I did not try to match one color. My goal was a variety of lights and darks with small prints, mediums, and at least one large. I did not have a very large print in the reds, but there is a wide selection in scale.

I used my June Taylor cutting grid to make 5" strips of blue and white in the width of each fabric. The grid makes cutting go extremely fast! I sewed one of each together, and then went to pressing. Staying organized helps. Here's my process: Lay the strips on the far side of your ironing area. As the first one goes on your board, spray the underside of the next one in line with starch. Back to the one on the ironing board, just bump the seam to one side, then flip and press on the right side. This gives your starch a chance to sink into the fabric. By not pressing on the side you've sprayed, you won't have flaking. Lay them to the side in order when you're done.

Over to cutting table and June Taylor grid, and cut them into strips again. I laid up to 3 in a stack to cut 3 at a time. With the cut out grooves in this ruler, I cut around 4 widths without moving the fabric or the ruler.

This is my layout on the floor at the end of a short time investment. It is my only option as my design wall is completely full at the moment. I've done a simple checker board of blues and white.

Today's work is waiting. I used the same grid, but used the 2.5" cutting lines. The longer I cut, the less enthused I was about making this the backing. I believe my one idea will grow into 2 quilts, but we shall see. I'm running short on time.

Do you have plans for the weekend? Is the work starting to pile up, and you think you might not get it all done? That's me already. The weeds keeping growing, the mulch pile has not been touched, and the rain keeps coming. Will people notice my weeds and yard that looks like I made hay? Probably. Is it worth stressing over? No. Life is real. Family is real. Memories are real. I guarantee in 20 years no one will remember my windows need a good cleaning, but they will remember the laughter that filled the house, and the toasts to our last one's graduation. It will be wonderful no matter what isn't 'just perfect'. Be kind to yourself, and live in the moment this weekend. I will, too.

Happy Canada Day, and an early 
Happy Fourth of July!

My oldest daughter and I many years ago in the 4th of July Parade. She won "Best of Parade" for horses that year with Buck the Wonder Pony. Such fun memories we have!

Linking up today with~
My Quilt Infatuation

Peek Show: The Surprise Inside! Mystery Boxes and Mini Swaps

Let me start this post by saying I am an affiliate for Craftsy. What that means is I advertise for them here on Pink Doxies. If you choose to click on their link, and then buy something after clicking through this site, I receive a small payment. That's what advertising is all about, but not this post.

I also buy through Craftsy myself. They are one of my favorite online stores, and often carry fabric sales of Mystery Boxes. Did you ever try to guess what the fabrics might be? I've always been curious, and couldn't stand it any longer so I bought one to see. Care to peek inside with me?

This was my bundle, shrink-wrapped in plastic and boxed. There were 14 bundles, each a full yard. Total price was $48.07 making each yard cost $3.43. Let's have a look.

This is a Free Spirit bundle, and I generally like Free Spirit fabrics--a point we should consider first. I think their fabrics are just a little bit different from the mainstream in a good way. They definitely appeal to my style.

 Riddles and Rhymes by Tina Givens

Anna Marie Horner, Denise Schmidt, and Parson Gray

Fox Playground by Dena

Garden by David Walker

Paw Prints by Kathy Davis

What I thought: I was glad to see some coordinating prints. They might not all have been exactly what I would have chosen in walking through a store, but if I saw them for under $3.50 a yard I would likely have picked many of them. The ones that are a little less my style will expand my stash. Not a single one disappointed me, and I will definitely try it again. This was a good surprise.

Here's another wonderful surprise! My Anna Marie Horner mini quilt swap package arrived last night. Isn't it beautiful? Thank you, Tracey in Florida! I'm so thrilled.

There was an entire goody bag inside! I didn't send extras to my own partner, and regretted it after I was so spoiled with all of this. Tea, a mug rug, wrist strap for my billfold, charm squares, and home made dog biscuits for the girls.

#annamariehornerminiquiltswap

My own cone flowers burst into bloom just days ago. It seems as if their timing was just perfectly matched with the special delivery. 

Doesn't this make you want to surprise someone with something fun? It does me. I have a surprise of my own I'm working on, and need to get done before this weekend. Can you get yours done to share on the Pet Project Show this Saturday? I hope so. You make the most beautiful things!

Come on, Doxie girls.

Let's go sew.

Linking up with~
SewFreshQuilts