Spicing up the Farmer's Wife sampler with more AGF prints

Picking up the Farmer's Wife block project... and making progress. These 9 have hit the finish line.

Farmer's Wife blocks (from top left): #75 Rosebud, #55 Linoleum, #39 Friendship
Middle Row: #71 Kitty in the Corner, #48 Homeward Bound, #35 Flower Basket
Bottom Row: #56 Maple Leaf, #40 Friendship Block, #61 Northern Lights

A benefit of tidying up my studio space is that more Art Gallery prints (were uncovered) have been introduced to the fabric smorgasbord for these blocks. Close-ups of my latest favorites are:

Farmer's Wife Block #39: Friendship 

Farmer's Wife Block #40: Friendship Block

Farmer's Wife Block #55: Linoleum

Farmer's Wife Block #71: Kitty in the Corner 

This sampler quilt project started with a fat quarter collection of Art Gallery's Color Masters, but the addition of the Elements blenders and prints from other AGF collections has made this sampler more robust. Each block is a gem on its own and I believe the expanded range of values and prints will add complexity to the composition and delight to the eye.

Plus, it's just more interesting and fun for the maker!

100 Blocks 100 Days City Sampler sew-along approaching the end

Just a few more days until the end of my 100Days100Blocks2018 journey. The sew-along started on July 7 and the last day is October 14. I'm using batiks from Majestic Batiks for all my blocks. 

100Blocks100Days2018 sew-along. Majestic Batiks.

After seeing all the blocks together on the design wall, I decided the last remaining blocks should have lighter values. Here are the pieces for Blocks 97 - 100, laid out and ready for piecing.

Blocks 97 - 100 ready for piecing.

These last four blocks found their places among the others—beside the yellows, pinks, seafoam greens and the light aquas.

Oranges, magenta, yellows, pinks. Merging from warm colors to light.

City Sampler. Blocks from the book, "100 Modern Quilt Blocks."

I am researching settings—sashing/no sashing/on point/alternate blocks—and deciding whether to put them into one quilt or several smaller quilts.

100 Blocks: City Sampler.

The 100 Days of making blocks may soon be over, but there is more to be done.

25 out of 100: The City Sampler blocks

These are the first 25 blocks of the 100 blocks of the City Sampler quilt. This sew-along—hosted by GnomeAngel—started July 7 (see my blog post here) and we are a quarter of the way through it... making steady progress.

Blocks 1 to 25 out of 100.

I do keep ahead of the Instagram post dates. Blocks 1 through 39 are in this pile. Closeups of each of my blocks are on my Instagram feed at veronica.fiberantics.

Blocks 1 through 39 for the City Sampler quilt.

It's been a delight to experiment with the various designs and color combinations from Majestic Batiks that I'm using for this sampler challenge. At first, I was following fabric and value placement shown in the required book, "100 Modern Quilt Blocks." Now, I come up with my own color and value placement and I'm finding this more interesting and engaging. It is a more mindful process for me. And because each block is a different pattern, I like the focus on making just a single block from that pattern.

One block at a time... the sampler continues...

100 Days 100 Blocks: 15 day progress

Anyone else doing (or following) the 100 Days 100 Blocks 2018 Sew-Along? I'm making my 6" blocks with a variety of Majestic Batiks and I'm quite pleased with the results so far.

Progress on my City Sampler blocks.
#100days100blocks2018

The process has been fun and there's wonderful daily camaraderie out on Instagram (follow #100days100blocks2018) from other quilters participating in the 100-day project. The book that the sew-along is following starts out with blocks that have crosses.

Here are my first 9 blocks.

First 9 blocks from the book, "Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks."

Getting to knooow you, getting to know all about... color

It has been great getting more familiar with the beautiful colors and designs that Majestic offers in their batiks. With each block, I challenge myself to audition different color and value options. It's been a good learning experience in working with the subtleties of color hues.

Auditioning and cutting batiks for my City Sampler quilt.

I'm seeing a colorwash quilt top in the future.

City Sampler 6" quilt blocks using Majestic batiks.

I'm veronica.fiberantics on Instagram. Be sure to follow along to see daily quilt block progress.

100 days and 100 quilt blocks—can you do it?

Sew-alongs are excellent sources for motivation, inspiration and assistance for completing a project. A little peer-pressure and daily, weekly or monthly deadlines don't hurt, either, in keeping one "on task."

"Block 1" and "Block 2" out of 100 blocks.

I've decided to take part in the #100days100blocks2018 Sew-Along hosted by blogger, Angie Wilson, of GnomeAngel.com. There are tons of quilters from around the world engaging in this daily, 6-inch block-making activity from July 7 to October 14, 2018.

100 quilt blocks in 100 days?
Not that I need another project... but a recent Instagram "reminder" post from a new quilting friend, Angie, at Stitch Morgantown said that the First Day of #100days100blocks2018 was nearly upon us. I didn't analyze it or debate it with myself... I just jumped right in.

The guidelines and materials needed to participate are outlined on Gnome Angel's blog. So, outside of downloading the Kindle version of the book, "100 Modern Quilt Blocks" by Tula Pink (you need to the book to make the blocks), I had everything to get started. You probably do, too.

"Block 1" will finish at 6 inches.

My "100 Days 100 Blocks 2018" 3-point Plan

• I'm using Majestic Batiks to make my blocks
• I can "sew ahead" (as time permits) to keep up with daily #100days#100blocks2018 Instagram posts [I'm veronica.fiberantics on IG—come and follow me]
• and... it's OK if I don't post daily... or maintain the pace... or finish all the blocks... 

The plan is to enjoy what fellow quilters post, send out supportive energy, and be inspired by everyone's creations.

Note: even though the title of the book has the word "modern" in front of the words "quilt blocks," it doesn't mean anything. Use your fabrics of choice and make a quilt that suits your tastes and speaks to your quilt-making vision. Check out the Instragram feed to see the variety!

For now, I'm having fun picking the colors to make these little 6" blocks. Cutting and sewing with the Majestic Batiks has been easy—especially with the little pieces used in these blocks. And, I have two quilt blocks more than I had yesterday.

Hey, to my blog stalker... have you ever done one of these kinds of sew-alongs?