HST Options : :

After finishing up my Diamond Weave quilt top using my Fleet & Flourish blues, aqua, creams, peach, and reds, I pulled the plum prints from my basket, adding in AGF's new Aurora Red Pure Element, plus a pretty variety of purples and golden yellows. These colors are certainly bold, vibrant, and attention getting! A perfect project wake-me-up for these stark Winter days!



When I pulled these fabrics I had a very specific pattern idea in mind. Something I dreamt up while working on the last quilt, that sadly left my mind since. I know it involved HSTs, again, so I've started there, hoping to summon up my lost plan. But, nothing is coming back to be...

And so, I've been playing with HST's, lots of them! Below is the first block option I put together. Something simple with endless possibility!



Setting four together could be the start of a very pretty medallion style quilt... But I wasn't in love, so I couldn't commit to sewing my units togther. What do you think of this design?



Then this morning, with fresh eyes, I happened upon this new layout option. 



Both work beautifully as a center medallion beginning or as a repetitive block style quilt, maybe set on point? Do you have a preference? 

I'd love to know!

 ♡ Maureen 

A Criss Cross Diamond Quilt in Fleet & Flourish : :

I'm so excited to have finally photographed a new quilt to share today! I actually have four completely finished quilts folded and waiting for pictures. I decided to start with this happy, colorful version of my Criss Cross Diamond Quilt pattern that I teach in my Craftsy class, Quick Quilt as You Go!



This one was made using my Fleet & Flourish collection strike-offs and a rainbow of coordinating AGF Pure Element solids and blenders for my International Quilt Market space in Houston this past October!

I think the colors look so pretty against the Winter white landscape!



This is the third Criss Cross Diamond quilt I've made now. It's a super fun and quick pattern, plus I love that by simply changing the size of the patchwork, strips, and block size you can create such a new overall look! The color-blocking made such a beautiful effect and really highlighted my colorful Fleet & Flourish collection. I hope you like it as much as I do!



With this QAYG pattern, once you finish making and sew together all of the quilt blocks, you attach the quilt back using very minimal quilting for an extremely quick finish. I used a pale blue Aurifil 50wt and secured the layers by sewing 1/4" from each of the seams that were created when I sewed my blocks together. Easy peasy!



For the binding I chose AGF Prisma Element in Solar Quartz, a beautiful sunny yellow to make the Empire yellow solid I used throughout my quilt really shine!



I especially love this bright yellow combined with the reds & purples in my Fleet & Flourish collection! I'm working on a new quilt right now using this same color combination, so be sure to keep an eye out for it!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I wish you all a wonderful, creative start to your week!!

♡ Maureen

Sewing Room New : :

This week one of my BIG goals is to work on organizing my sewing room in between projects so I can finally share photos of all that's changed. And to stitch up something pretty with Amy Sinibaldi's beautiful Paperie collection for Art Gallery Fabrics Limited Edition. Every time I hop on Instagram I see at least one amazing Paperie fabric project and this morning I'm feeling inspired to finally cut into the lovely bundle I've been admiring since it arrived at my door!









How about you, what are your sewing goals for this week?

p.s. Paperie can by found at Fat Quarter Shop, The Intrepid Thread, Lady Belle Fabric, and Llama Fabrics!

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!  



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My sponsor the Knotted Thread is run by Jenn, a fabric lover with a passion for sewing! In her shop you'll find both bundles and single cuts of Fat Quarters, Half Yards, Yards, and Yardage, as well as some of Jenn's very own handmade items up or sale!! Designer fabrics include many of our favorites -- Free Spirit, Moda, and Riley Blake Designs just to name a few! 

Be sure visit the Knotted Thread blog to sign up for the new monthly Newsletter, HERE!
  
SHOP  *  BLOG  *  FACEBOOK  *  INSTAGRAM 
 

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We hope you enjoy visiting the Knotted Thread sites!! 

For this week's Fabric Giveaway Friday, the Knotted Thread is offering a generous $30 Gift Certificate to one lucky MCH reader!

In addition, the Knotted Thread is offering my readers 10% OFF any order from the shop throughout this Giveaway, just use coupon code "Maureen10" at checkout!!

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Enter to win

Here's how,

 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post! (one entry)
2. Visit The Knotted Thread HERE and sign up to receive their new monthly Newsletter! Just let me know that you did by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
3. My followers get a third entry! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
4. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Whether by Instagram, tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (optional extra entry) 

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday, January 15th!! Winner will be picked at random and I will announce their name at the bottom of this post, here on the blog!

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment!

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Thanks to all who entered our Giveaway! ! This week's lucky winner is commenter, Lori H! Congratulations Lori, I will be in touch shortly!!

♡ Maureen

2016 Block of the Month : :

Do you remember this start? It's the Modern Chrysanthemum block I designed to be the center medallion of a new quilt pattern idea I had back in March. I was so excited about where I was headed with this one and somehow it still managed to get lost in the shuffle for a little while!

Then my friend Julie, owner of The Intrepid Thread, suggested a new plan for it that I'm so excited to share with all of you today!







Several weeks ago I sent my block to Julie and she recreated the medallion using newly available fabrics, featuring my newest collection Fleet & Flourish, to be the start of a brand new 2016 Magic Friendship Block of the Month exclusive to the Intrepid Thread!

Take a look at what Julie made, I love it!

I can't wait to see how this quilt turns out! You can find all the BOM details HERE on the Intrepid Thread blog. This will be a 6 month BOM starting later this month, and the deadline to register is tomorrow!! Be sure to sign up today if you're interested, you can reserve your spot right HERE!

♡ Maureen 

Red & Blue & Something New : :

My Diamond Weave quilt top is done! It was such a fun project and block, one I know I'll want to use again to create one of the alternate patterns I shared. You can look back through my posts about this project by clicking  HERE. I tried my best to share all the details for those of you who'd like to make one of your own! Yesterday I did some last minute shifting to balance out the darkest shades of blue & coral red, before sewing all thirty-six blocks together, and I'm really happy with how it came together!



While I worked on this quilt throughout the last week or so, sewing with shades of red and blue became quite the theme. These recent Fox Pillows are the first I finished using Fleet & Flourish and should be arriving to their new homes any day!









Now I'm ready to start something new! This time I'll be using my Fleet & Flourish purples with AGF Pure Element solids in Cabernet, Verve Violet, Mauvelous, Empire Yellow plus some newer colors I'm really excited to add in -- Turmeric and Aurora Red.





I'm sure more prints from my stash will join the mix, while I work on my plan. There's nothing quite like the excitement of starting something new!

What do you think of this color combo?

Options : :

Thank you all for your input on my Lost Ship post from last week, as always, your comments were incredibly helpful. These days, due to a nasty cold I've had since New Years, I'm working much slower than I'd like. I had hoped to have a finished quilt top by now, but instead I'm here again today with more options to share! After taking the photos that I blogged last week, I continued with making blocks until I had twenty four, a much better amount to play with layout choices. I knew right away that regardless which one I chose, I'd need to make quite a few more blocks to create a balanced quilt. To help me determine just how many, I started experimenting, using both straight and on-point settings and discovered several possible variations for each. Still, the two options I mentioned last week were definitely my very favorites. Since many of you mentioned how nice it would be to see more than just the four blocks put together to help you decide, I'm excited to share more of each today. Especially for those of you who mentioned wanting to make these same blocks!

First, I arranged the blocks via the Country Living image.



While I like the look and think it would make for a beautiful quilt, allowing each individual print to shine. As the designer of these fabrics, of course a part of me LOVES that! Overall, I think it would have worked much better had I chosen to create my blocks with a consistent light and dark contrast, rather than simply choosing the color combo of cream + peach + coral to pair up with aqua + blue. As mentioned within the comments, I agree that more neutrals and a calmer color palette would work much better with this layout!



After making my very first block, this next layout is the one I envisioned and is the one that felt the most me.



This center pattern that is created when four blocks are placed together is exactly what I had in mind when I started this quilt!



It was the secondary pattern that emerged that I was most unsure about.



Now this is where I surprised myself and ended up agreeing with the majority of opinions shared last week -- the diamonds or squares that form within this layout are now my very favorite parts of this option! I had mentioned that I would be tempted to add in a little more pattern to break up the big diamonds, most likely by adding in more of the blue and aqua prints to form smaller center diamonds.

Well, I was wrong!



Over the weekend I made twelve more Lost Ship blocks to add one more final row. Before I sew them together to finish up my quilt top I have to work on the symmetry and balance within this quilt layout, but I really love it!

How about you? Now that I've shared more, which option do you prefer?

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!  

With over 15 years of experience in ecommerce, The Intrepid Thread is a family owned business employing 5 amazingly creative quilters and sewists. Julie, the owner, is dedicated to offering quality quilting fabrics at competitive prices and takes special pride in knowing her customers receive unparalleled service!
  
SHOP  *  BLOG  *  FACEBOOK
 

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We hope you enjoy visiting The Intrepid Thread's sites!! 

For this week's Fabric Giveaway, Julie at The Intrepid Thread is offering a custom Fat Quarter bundle including TWELVE prints that I selected to pair up with the peach main floral in my brand new collection for Art Gallery Fabrics, Fleet & Flourish!

I started with my Fleet & Flourish What Awaits Above
main floral, added in my Roadside Guides in Opal, Sacred Amulets, and Lace in Bloom in Sky prints, included two new AGF Round Elements in Apricot Yogurt and Lemon Peels, Woodburn Groove prints from Artisan, Abundance prints from Succulence, a Hello Bear print, and one last blender from Curiosities. I love these colors together and hope you do, too!!



You can find Fleet & Flourish newly available right HERE in The Intrepid Thread Shop!! All Fleet & Flourish orders will receive this exclusive 5"x7" Coloring Post Card while supplies last!


 

Enter to win! 

Here's how, 
 

 1. Simply leave a comment here under this post! We'd love to know which color scheme is your current favorite!? (one entry)
2. Follow The Intrepid Thread on Facebook, their blog, Instagram, or sign up to receive their Newsletter. Just let me know that you did by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry) 

3. My followers get a third entry! If you follow here, on Instagram, or on Facebook just let me know by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)

4. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Whether by instagram, tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (optional extra entry) 

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday, January 11th! The winner will be picked at random and I will announce their name at the bottom of this post, here on the blog.

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment!

A BIG thanks to all who entered our Giveaway! This week's winner is commenter, Irene spiezio Congratulations!! I will be in touch shortly!

♡ Maureen

Lost Ship : :

After sharing the photos of my Fleet & Flourish yardage Monday, I stood in front of my rolls feeling overwhelmed in the very best way. Looking at that much fabric, with limitless possibilities, was making it all the more difficult for me to decide on just. one. quilt plan. Then I thought of all the traditional quilts that have caught my eye over the past few weeks, vintage and thrifted, being used as holiday decor by many of the home design bloggers I follow on Instagram, layered onto the foot of a bed, draped over a sofa, re-purposed into stockings. Almost all of them comprised of HSTs (half square triangles) and so that's where I began.



I pulled my Fleet & Flourish rolls in cream + peach + coral and those in aqua + blue, adding in a little Wild & Free and a couple Prisma Elements to make eight prints in each color assortment.



When it comes to making HSTs, my go-to has always been the method used for making eight at a time. It's fast, efficient, and I find making them fun! For this quilt I started with two 9" squares in contrasting colors to yield eight 4" HST after trimming. I played around with block pattern ideas and decided to join my little HSTs with one larger 7.5" HST to create my quilt block.



After sharing a snapshot of my work on Instagram, assuming I didn't just stumble upon a brand new block design, I asked if anyone recognized the pattern. Soon someone shared that this block is called the Lost Ship block and a quick Google search lead me to it's many beautiful variations.



Before all of that I had finished just enough to play around with block arrangement and took a couple photos to share before deciding. This first one I really love! I wouldn't necessarily put these exact four blocks together, but I like the pattern that emerges.



This photo below shows the additional design and large diamond that will form if I join my blocks this way. While I love the look in the photo above, I'll be tempted to add in a little more pattern to break up this big diamond. Most likely more of the blue and aqua prints to form a smaller center diamond.



Then, this morning on Instagram I see this photo re-shared from Country Living and notice the very same pattern I'm sewing up! Keeping the blocks arranged like this isn't an option I gave much thought to -- until now, I love it!!

My blocks look to be a little larger at 11" unfinished, but I'd still have to make MANY more to finish a quilt in this pattern!



I'm twenty four blocks in right now, which might be just enough for a new top, depending on which layout I choose, if I add in sashing, etc..

SO... I have to ask, which would you choose?