March Stitch Tease Blocks

For the past year I've had the pleasure of being a member of an international quilting bee called Stitch Tease. The bee is comprised of 12 women from four countries, and we all get a month to be Queen. When it's our turn, we decide what type of quilt block we want everyone to make for us, so we each end up with a quilt made by 12 different gals from around the world. This is the first and only bee to which I've ever belonged, and I was very honored to be invited. It's been so much fun, but I can't believe I haven't posted the blocks I've been making!

March was Susan's month to be Queen. She chose an improv block that starts out with a fussy cut and incorporates white and colored strips around it in a log cabin-ish style. The block is based on a quilt by Plum and June. These blocks were really fun to make. Susan wanted different sized blocks in multiples of 6. I made one 12" block, one 12" x 6" block, and two 6" blocks. I left them oversized (untrimmed) so that Susan could trim them down exactly how she wants. She mentioned that wonky was good, so I did my best to make some wonky strips, but I'm still trying to get better at that.

The birdie block is my favorite. It's hard to part with that one, but luckily I still have a nice big piece of that fabric! :)

Modern Sampler Quilting Class

I am excited to announce that I will be teaching a Modern Sampler Quilting Class series at the Electric Needle in Madison, WI beginning in May!

The Mod Sampler is a series consisting of 4 classes, and we will make a quilt that features 7 quilt blocks (6 on the front and 1 on the back) from Tula Pink’s City Sampler Book, 100 Modern Quilt Blocks. You must buy the book for the class, and it is available with a discount at the Electric Needle if you enroll in the class. I designed the quilt layout, and I will teach you how to break out of your traditional quilting shell. Come learn my favorite way to improv, and explore some of the qualities attributed to the modern quilting movement: negative space, solids, pieced backs, and pieced bindings.

If you are new to quilting, this is a great class to get you started. This quilt is a quick finish, and I will help you through the process. The fourth and final class will be optional, as it will be for those students who would like help with making the quilt sandwich, basting, machine quilting (including free-motion quilting), and binding.

Stop in or call the Electric Needle (608) 831-3770 to reserve your spot. Click here to visit the Electric Needle’s website page for this class.

Class Dates:

• Saturday, May 3^rd
• Saturday, May 17^th
• Saturday, May 31^st
• Saturday, June 14^th (optional)

Time:  1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Class Series Fee:  $60 (does not include book)

A supply list will be provided when you sign up for class. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions! trina@trinapeterson.com

The Dark Side

This week's Project Quilting Challenge was "Across the Universe". Well I don't know much about space…and anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a Beatles fan…because that would be like…sacrilegious…according to any true Stones fan.

So round about Friday morning I was struggling for an idea for this week's challenge. Then I connected the dots: Sexy Pants is a Floyd fan. Dark Side of the Moon!! I thought improv piecing this album cover would be fairly simple and quick.

WRONG.

I think I finished hand-stitching the binding at 3:30 am this morning, so please excuse the hurried post and photos. The up-side is…I finished the new season of House of Cards and got through the first 3 seasons of Downton Abbey for the 5,689th time while making this quilt.  :)

The Dark Side

As you can tell from the multiple shades of black, I used solids from my scrap bin for the top. I actually had everything I needed for the quilt down in my shop - which was lucky since I worked on it for 2.5 days straight. There wasn't much time to go out in search of supplies. And I pieced the top and back entirely on my Featherweight.

Pieced with Scraps

I used my new Grace Frame and trusty Juki 2010Q to quilt wavy lines.

That part was super fun! I LOVE my Grace Frame.

Pieced Back

Quilt Label

This is my first pieced back! Usually by the time I finish a quilt top, I just want to get to quilting and finishing. Piecing a back seems like such a monumental task to fit somewhere in between. However, they always look fun when other people do them…and I thought Sexy Pants was worth the extra effort…so Voila! I had to throw in a few hearts to make sure S.P. knows he's loved.

Project Quilting Challenge #4

Finally Sexy Pants has a quilt of his very own, and he can stop stealing mine. But now I feel that a Stones Quilt is in order, because I'm slightly jealous.

Quilt Name: The Dark Side
Finished Size: 53" x 72"
I create in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITES IN THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE HERE!!