I’ve had this quilt done for a bit now…but the weather had been pretty crumby out for so long and this quilt really needed an outdoor picture to do it any sort of justice.
And then FINALLY the weather was perfect for a photo shoot – nice light, not too windy, and no rain. Perfect. Except…it was when we had about 75 folks over for my husband’s 35th birthday party. I had already conferred with Diane though to see if she thought it would be rude if I snuck to the fence to take a few pictures with the perfect weather. Since everyone there knew me, knew my ‘methods’, and my photo spot is technically where I could be watching the kids’ playing, it would be kosher. In fact, I grabbed a couple of our friends to help me hang the quilts and got to spend some time with them while I was at it!
I pieced the 100 different Tula Pink Sampler Blocks in 2013 along with the Sew Sweetness City Sampler Sew Along. It was a great pace to work at the quilt, 3 blocks a week, and I had all my blocks done before I knew it!
I made blocks using fabrics from my scrap bins. For my ‘white’ background I chose prints on white/off white. I seem to have LOTS of it in my stash but never seem to use it. I like the crazy depth and interest it created. Every time you look at this quilt you’ll find something new…like that bird peaking at you in the lower/mid left of the picture above.
I did stray from the book when it came to the final layout of the blocks. I created my own layout that someone said reminds them of a quarter of a log cabin block. After looking…I completely agree. When I was about 3/4 of the way through the 100 blocks, I grouped them by color and saw where I was at. From there I was able to determine how many more purple, orange, red, brown, etc., blocks I needed to make my original layout work. I sashed the blocks with the same white prints that I used as my background fabrics in the blocks.
When the top was finished – I sent it to Marcia Wachuta of Marcia’s Crafty Sewing and Quilting where she used her long arm to free motion quilt the piece. She switched thread colors for each of my lines of block colors – orange for orange, brown for brown, etc. Each block is ‘fussy’ quilted and I am really happy about the interest it added!
So what do you think!? Have you made the Tula Pink’s City Sampler? Has this inspired you to give it a try?
Head on over to IHeartTulaPink to get your very own SIGNED copy of her fabulous book and get started right away!
(PS. Her book ‘Quilts from the House of Tula Pink’ is pretty fabulous too!)
Linking up to Finish Up Friday and SewJo Saturday!
I love sampler quilts, and I adore log cabins, so this one really takes the cake. You did a magnificent job!
I think you have inspired me, I have the book but keep making excuses. A few blocks a week wouldnt chew up a lot of time 🙂
This is on my bucklist and I bought the book when it came out, I love all the scrappy and this would give me scrappy without doing just regular squares, something I can learn, I followed the QAL and enjoyed alot of pretty quilts, but I love the scrappy interest you've given it .. I had begun the Gyspy QAL but lost interest so I have alot of scrappy goodness.
I really like the way you set the blocks. I got this book at spring market last year and had Tula sign it. Been collecting ideas for settings on the net as different quilters finish. Lots of great ideas! Yours is one of my favs.
Your quilt turned out great! I have both of those books, with one of them being signed 🙂 I've started on my sampler but it's a very slow process and I'm probably going to change my fabric choices. Yours is so beautiful and inspiring!
Yes, you have inspired me to make this quilt. Yours is beautiful!
I love your layout! So fabulous and a great way to make it all yours!
I think this is my absolute favorite version of this that I've seen so far! Not necessarily colors I would've chosen, but the layout is spectacular – really adds a whole other layer to all the other design elements. Just stunning, Kim!
I love this idea for your blocks. I could use up my RSC blocks.
This seems like infinite variety and order out of chaos, I love it. Congratulatons on using your stash and creating something so pleasing and amazing.