quilt book · Tula Pink

100 Good Wishes Blocks

With life at a simmer and sort of getting back to normal I decided to get out my Tula Pink City Sampler quilt and finish up the last 25 blocks.  I love this book and how Tula put it together.  The blocks are nameless and you the creator get to name each of the 100 blocks.  As I have said in previous posts I have named my quilt The 100 Good Wishes Quilt.  Each block named after a good wish.  I was inspired by a necklace I have that has 100 beads on it for 100 good wishes.

 

I have done my best to stick as close as possible to the fabric/color choices that Tula did on her cover quilt.  I normally don’t do this however I love the rainbow effect the placement of the blocks gives this quilt.


I cut the fabric for the last 25 blocks and put the pieces of fabric in the book with the block that they went with.  I made a huge mess getting out and going through my Tula stash in the process of doing this.  Once I got done cutting I decided to have a mini Tula destash sale over on Instagram which is a whole other topic.  Gesh….


Blocks 1 – 75

I posted pics on IG as I finished.  I needed to keep myself motivated to get to the end.

Good & Positivity
Sing & Cherish
And then the Sewing Angels sang…..


And all 100 Good Wishes blocks were done.  True confession….  I did a touchdown victory dance when I took the last one off my machine.


I knew that I wanted to do the Gridlock layout from Tula’s book and I knew that I wanted to use Kona Ash for my setting fabric.  I am not a fan of white in quilts so I looked for something with less of a contrast and landed on Ash.



I decided that I wanted to layout the blocks on my design wall to make sure they all looked good together and that nothing was wonky or stood out.  I must say again.  I freakin love my design wall.  I have no idea how I have lived without one for so long.


I loved it…..  except for one block.



So I remade it and its perfect to me.  Love Love Love It!!!  Can you tell which block I remade?

Prior to cutting the setting fabric I had decided that I did not want my sashing to finish at 2″.  I did not want that much space between these blocks.  At first I thought 1 1/2″ finished sashing would be nice but…….  that was too much for me.  So I have landed on 1″ sashing and 3″ finished borders.  In my head it looks amazing and I hope that it sews out to be amazing.



I cut up the setting fabric and took my quilt off the design wall labeling each row.  I tucked everything into a plastic bin where it will remain until quilt retreat the first week of March.  I am super excited to see my 100 Good Wishes Blocks become a Good Wishes quilt.


In other quilting related things.  I have sandwiched my Tula Pink Fox Field Mystery quilt and it is ready to be quilted.  I am really trying to stay on top of my quilting this year by not having a pile up of tops that need to be quilted.  Besides this one I think I have 3 others that need quilting.  I think.  There might be more but I know its no less than 3.  Oh… wait… I just remembered another one so there is at least 4…….

happy sewing
Dave · http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · Tula Pink

So….. I Knit

some of you may or may not know that i knit. i took a class about 9 years ago and have never really ventured past scarves and dish cloths.  a few months ago my SIL showed me how to knit with the ‘funky yarn’ (my term because i can’t remember the real name).  so for Christmas i knitted 6 of these scarves as gifts for people.  the 6th one is a solid soft grey.  i didn’t get a picture of that one.  i think i finished it the day after Christmas and gave it to my mom.
i also knitted two other scarves or should i say cowls for Christmas gifts as well.  i kept seeing them on instagram and found a couple patterns that i could do.  again no pics.  however, i am pleased with how they turned out.  with that being said i am wanting to venture out of the ‘safe zone’ of knitting and so on my recent trip to
New Orleans
to see

play here

i discovered an super cute yarn and needlepoint shop in the French Quarter.  its called Quarter Stitch and it is filled with color and inspiration and so many things to look at.

the staff was super friendly which is always a plus.

they also gave us a great lunch recommendation.  i love to eat where the locals eat when i travel.

here are two of the three yarns i bought.  the other is a light weight solid black.  i think the purplish blue one will become a hat.  i know.  venturing out of my comfort zone.  the green one i am not sure about yet.  the shop isn’t online but the gal gave me her card and said just to call her up and tell her what i am looking for and she would be happy to help me out.  which is great since the closest specialty yarn shop is 2 hours away.  

on my trip i worked on some embroidery

as well as my Tula Pink hexi project.  i am almost a quarter of the way through it.

i will post more about my trip soon but now i have to get back to work.  being gone for 10 days makes a girl get behind…….

happy sewing

quilt alongs · Tula Pink

City Sampler QA aka 100 Good Wishes

excuse me while i wipe the dust off of this blog…….

i am back and i hope to blog on a more regular basis now. life sort of got in my way of blogging and as things are starting to settle down a bit here i am.

 doesn’t mean i haven’t been sewing. i just haven’t been blogging. so with that being said get ready for picture overload with an update on my Tula Pink City Sampler aka 100 Good Wishes blocks.

block #25


enjoy



block #26



be



block #27



power



block #28



live



block #29



optimism



block #30



relax



block #31



grace 
(a favorite of mine)



block #32



forever



block #33



thanks



block #34



believe



block #35



patience


block #36



courage


block #37



laugh

there you have it.  i have more done but no pictures yet.  shame on me.  i will work on that this weekend.  i am trying to get caught up with the quilt along.  i think that they are in the 60’s now…..  i might make it.  

fingers crossed.

happy sewing

quilt alongs · Tula Pink

City Sampler QA Blocks 22-24

where have i been?????

i didn’t realize its been over a month since i have done a blog post. man time really does fly. i have been productive during my time away. a lot of house work. i am in the final stretch of getting it ready to sell. after waiting for a plumber. being pushed back. waiting for inspections. i can finally see the light and feel a small amount of weight being lifted from my shoulders.

i have been sewing. just not doing any blog posts about it.

so here we go some Tula City Sampler blocks.

block #22
hope

block #23

integrity

block #24

bliss

i have more done and i will be posting again soon.

happy sewing

quilt alongs · Tula Pink

City Sampler QA & Block Names

here are blocks 10, 11 and 12 of my Tula Pink Modern City Sampler quilt. 
i am doing the quilt through the quilt along that is being hosted over at Sew Sweetness.  hop on over there and check out the blocks if not for inspiration at least for a little quilting eye candy.

block #10

this green fabric was my original plan.  however, plans change.  it accented the greenish color in the print really well it just didn’t read enough blue for me and since i am trying to make the quilt like the original………
i ended up switching it out to this.  i am very happy with my choice.

‘clarity’
block #11

‘real’
block #12

‘miracle’
i have finally gotten to the names of the blocks.  i knew what i wanted to name them i just had to take the time to dig out the inspiration for the names.  several years ago i bought myself a necklace that had 100 tiny silver beads on it.  it’s a ‘100 Good Wishes’ necklace.  i am not big on jewelry but this was a simple piece that i really liked.  so when i learned about Tula’s concept for the book and how we got to name our own blocks and tell our own story the idea of 100 Good Wishes came to mind.  

this past year has been a challenge for me and i could really use some positive/good things in my life.  so i have decided to take the concept of the necklace and apply it to this quilt.  it will be my ‘100 Good Wishes’ quilt.  a therapy of sorts as each block is made and named and as each day passes and my new life develops this quilt will be a reminder to me of the progress i have made and what good things are awaiting me in my future.  once its completed i will be able to wrap up in it and be surrounded with 100 Good Wishes and remember the journey that has brought me to where i am.

starting in the top left corner going from left to right.

block #1 balance
block #2 compassion
block #3 trust
block #4 luck
block #5 peace
block #6 kindness
block #7 love
block #8 strength
block #9 wish
block #10 clarity
block #11 real
block #12 miracle

i am looking forward to continuing this journey with the building of this quilt and my new life.

happy sewing

hand sewing · Tula Pink

Hex On The Beach

i have never done english paper piecing before but the moment i saw this quilt i knew it was a must for me. the name alone was enough to buy it let alone the fabric and design of it.  the kit came in a neat box with just about everything needed to make it.
the fabric is all pre-cut and organized in little bags by print.  a fabric chart was included to match the print up with the number. which is very helpful if you have bad eyes like me and are not able to tell from the picture which fabric the pattern is talking about.

the quilt goes together in rows and each row is clearly laid out in the instructions.

when i first started i put the fabrics in order for the row and then made the hexi’s and then sewed the hexi’s together to make the row.  then i watched a few You Tube videos on english paper piecing and changed my process.  i sew all of the hexi’s of one color at one time then i put the hexi’s in order and sew the row together.

i keep the hexi’s by pattern in their little bags and i have written the pattern number on the bag.  again to help with the bad eye sight thing.

i have been working in sets of 3.  so once i have 3 rows made i stop and sew those rows together.

i have rows 1 thru 3 sewed together as well as rows 4 thru 6.  rows 7, 8 and 9 are next.

40 rows.  25 hexi’s per row.  1,000 hexi’s total.

when i explain to people what i am doing they think i have lost my mind.  i simply tell them that i am getting my money’s worth from this project.  some quilts you spend money on and have them done in a week this one i am hoping to have done by the time my oldest niece graduates high school.  she is 5 now.

this quilt will all be sewed by hand.  its a great project to take on trips.  in fact it has already traveled thousands of miles.

its not about the destination its about the journey.

happy sewing

quilt alongs · Tula Pink

City Sampler QA

here are blocks 7, 8 and 9 from the Tula Pink City Sampler QA that i am doing.

block #7 gave me a bit of trouble with picking the right fabric.  like i said in an earlier post i am trying hard to stick to Tula’s color choices because i love her quilt from the book.  the browns in block #7 were not the issue for me.  it was the four corners that i just couldn’t seem to get right.  in Tula’s block the corners are Parisville.  in looking for color i picked the following for the corners the 1st time.

when it came time to sew the block i wasn’t feeling my 1st choice.  it was reading too much teal/blue and not enough green for me.  so i came up with a 2nd choice and made the block.

still not 100% happy with it but in the overall scheme of the quilt with 100 blocks it shouldn’t be an issue.

then i came across this.
a roll-up of Parisville.

side note – i have moved all of my mail sewing stuff to my new location however i have not moved all of my fabrics to my new location.  i thought all of my Tula fabric was in one container but to my surprise and luck it wasn’t.

i un-sewed block #7.  found the exact fabric in the roll-up.  cut it and sewed it and now i am at peace with block #7.

in this case the third time really is the charm.
block #8

block #9

i have blocks 10, 11 and 12 cut and ready to sew.

happy sewing
quilt alongs · Tula Pink

City Sampler QA

into the 2nd week of the Tula Pink City Sampler QA.

i highly recommend this book to anyone who sews. these blocks are fun to make and there is nothing fussy about them at all. just cut and sew.

block #4

block #5

block #6

here are blocks 1 thru 6

as you can tell from my pictures i am following (as much as possible) Tula’s quilt blocks from the book with regards to fabric choices. i don’t think that i have ever made a quilt exactly like or close to the picture that came with the pattern. however, i am in love with Tula’s quit on the cover of the book. plain and simple its all about love. i am even considering setting the blocks in white. i know. it has to be love for me to consider a light background. not to worry. i already have plans spinning in my head for a second quilt using scraps and setting the blocks in black or brown or dark grey.

hop over to Sara’s blog Sew Sweetness to check out the other blocks or to even join the quilt along.

happy sewing