Sewin' During the Sew In

Did you have a good Friday night?  Mine was very productive, although it feels like I don't have much to show for it.  After dinner, I headed to the sewing room intending to finish a couple red & white Love In the Mist blocks for the HGTV board swap and I cut all the white parts for my nine blocks.  Then I pressed the red fabric I planned to use, but I decided it was not a nice enough quality for these blocks.  When I first got into sewing, I visited the sale section of G Street Fabrics several times and snatched up a few lengths of cotton at a great price.  Now that I've spent more time at the craft, I have learned about the different kinds and qualities of fabrics and some of my stash is just not up to snuff.  I have other red fabrics to use, but none are washed and that's required for this swap (if not for any red fabric project!), so I moved on to the next project. 

Here's my Kaleidoscope Quiltalong work in progress, which lives in this pretty box.  This past week I bought a very cheerful yellow Moda marble to try with my collection of Pop Garden, Bijoux and Nicey Jane.  Its a brighter yellow than I thought I wanted, but it seems to coordinate nicely with the shades in most of the prints.  I cut a few strips worth and was able to finally decide on my scheme, and then get four blocks pieced.  It definitely goes faster with chain piecing, but I was desperate for some instant gratification so I roughly planned these four blocks and went to town sewing.

Its starting to look like a Kaleidoscope!  I did some math and determined that I have enough fabric for a quilt that is 5 blocks by 6 blocks, and maybe even enough for one that is 7 by 9.  The Moda marble doesn't have any stock number on it, and I bought the end of the bolt at my LQS so I'm not sure if I can get more to match.  If I end up loving it, I think I'll try to make it as large as possible to fit on my bed.  I haven't done anything larger than a lap quilt, so that is a little scary but I can manage it.

Do you use a spray when you're pressing?  I bought this along with my cheerful yellow fabric, and I'm loving it.  It seems to put a nicer finish on the fabric than just steaming or spraying water, and gets the creases out better.  The citrus version smells yummy too!  Not too strong a smell though, and the scent dissipates quickly.  Love it!

Did you join the Friday Night Sew In?  What are you working on this weekend?