Thursday, May 26, 2011

Shop Hop Quilt...Nearing Completion

Making progress on the Shop Hop blocks.

My overhaul of the blocks has been revised countless times, but this is what it looks like currently.  I'm thinking that I'll do the quilt-as-you-go approach so I can try different machine quilting techniques on each block.  As much as I've bad-mouthed this project, it is good that it has pushed me to try things I wouldn't have normally done.

Today's finishes include the Berries on the Lake from Huckleberry Patches in McCall.  The original had a pink in the center and a pale pink/purple on the outside.  I decided to make the "lake"  blue and used the purple leftovers from another block for the outside purple.

Another block that played on the name of the shop was the one from Marilynn's Pickets and Patchwork. I played with colors for hours and never really came up with anything that I really liked.  The fuschia stripe, teal and purple were from the kit, but the rest were yellow/orange.  I'm glad that I tried the technique for leaving a Prairie Point picket...but I  don't really love it.  I would have been happier with different color combos..but this was "good enough".

The "Just Like Home" block from Traditions Quilt Shop in Baker was most disappointing.  The only fabric in the kit that was a batik was the purple.  The rest were prints (weird).  I misread the measurements on the windows, which made them 1/2 shorter than they were planned.  I couldn't find my seam ripper (didn't look hard) so I just added another piece of the purple below for length.  Those windows will be far more energy efficient.

I had scads of "bonus blocks"  from creating HST.  I used leftover HST for pinwheels and just let it evolve.

My plan from here is to add black sashing around the blocks and some sort of border outside the 16 block  format that includes some of the extra scraps.

5 comments:

Marj said...

As you are getting the blocks done it is looking better. I think that you should use this project to try out the quilt as you go technique. Keep on going and you will learn a lot.

Julie Fukuda said...

Wow, that was fast. It sounds as though you have a good plan for finishing it.

Wendy said...

This is looking so good.....can't wait to see it finished......how is the big cat coming along......

Unknown said...

Looking good Marjorie - love the colours

Raewyn said...

This sure has been a good challenge for you - good on you for sticking at it and working with it till you were (more or less) satisfied. It will be great to see the finished product:-)