You know how quilt shops can be great places for inspiration. So much so that I have been told that they are dangerous. In 2009, I purchased the book Quilter's Dozen Plus by Janet Selek. I was inspired by the samples made from it that hung in the quilt shop I was visiting. I was a novice quilter back then. I loved applique'. Why, I don't know. It just intrigued me. So I set out to make the monthly banners that were in this book.
I tried starting with the January banner pattern and just couldn't get my head around the instructions. I had been doing fusible applique' with Patrick Lose designs so I was kind of stuck on that technique. This book called for freezer paper applique' that I could not understand. Then I met up with one of the shop people at Road to California ( a huge quilt show and conference that I will be going to again on the 22nd). She told me to go ahead and use the method I was comfortable with. She also advised me to take their class. Their shop was 35 miles away. So then I started working on the November banner, a paper pieced pattern. I had never done paper piecing. I consulted with one of the teachers at our local LQS. She confirmed what I thought was how to do paper piecing. O K Then I met Wendi through an online forum. She was working on the same book. She was taking a class so I asked her to help. One thing she told me was that each pattern gets more difficult, starting with January. So I had started with one of the most difficult. DUH! I did November, then jumped to February and on through the year. I was doing one banner a month in 2010 and getting proficient at new techniques. I even did the background wall quilt that the banners are hung on. I finished December last month - 2011. Then I was in another local shop and they had classes for all the banners. Too late! Now it is January again and I finally got up the courage to wrestle with that pattern again. Ta Dah!
They are all 16 X 20 inches, a perfect size for quilting. They use scraps. You know how I love using scraps.
I pieced the back with more scraps and used the same scraps in the binding. I quilted a loopy pattern and some highlights in some areas. I also did an echo around the applique'.
All months are now done. The book can be retired. But wait. There is a full sized quilt pattern in the book as well. Hmmmmmmm....am I done yet?
We are still experiencing a mild winter so no real snowmen will be in our future. Here is a picture of where we visited yesterday to get a whiff of the Pacific Ocean and to feel sand under our feet. Maybe I should work on a sandman?
Hope you are enjoying your New Year. Happy Quilting! Happy Friday the 13th! I am linking up with Quokka Quilt's TGIFF and with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday. Head over there to see what other quilters are doing.
I tried starting with the January banner pattern and just couldn't get my head around the instructions. I had been doing fusible applique' with Patrick Lose designs so I was kind of stuck on that technique. This book called for freezer paper applique' that I could not understand. Then I met up with one of the shop people at Road to California ( a huge quilt show and conference that I will be going to again on the 22nd). She told me to go ahead and use the method I was comfortable with. She also advised me to take their class. Their shop was 35 miles away. So then I started working on the November banner, a paper pieced pattern. I had never done paper piecing. I consulted with one of the teachers at our local LQS. She confirmed what I thought was how to do paper piecing. O K Then I met Wendi through an online forum. She was working on the same book. She was taking a class so I asked her to help. One thing she told me was that each pattern gets more difficult, starting with January. So I had started with one of the most difficult. DUH! I did November, then jumped to February and on through the year. I was doing one banner a month in 2010 and getting proficient at new techniques. I even did the background wall quilt that the banners are hung on. I finished December last month - 2011. Then I was in another local shop and they had classes for all the banners. Too late! Now it is January again and I finally got up the courage to wrestle with that pattern again. Ta Dah!
All months are now done. The book can be retired. But wait. There is a full sized quilt pattern in the book as well. Hmmmmmmm....am I done yet?
We are still experiencing a mild winter so no real snowmen will be in our future. Here is a picture of where we visited yesterday to get a whiff of the Pacific Ocean and to feel sand under our feet. Maybe I should work on a sandman?
Hope you are enjoying your New Year. Happy Quilting! Happy Friday the 13th! I am linking up with Quokka Quilt's TGIFF and with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday. Head over there to see what other quilters are doing.
1 Comments are always welcome:
So I have to know are you going to make them into a full Quilt?!! I love teh "Idea" of scrappy projects but then I end up matching all the fabrics so I am going to try better this year to make things more "Scrappy" I think 2012 is the year of scrappiness, so way to get your scrappy blocks finished!
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