Planning my Temperature Quilt

One of the quilt guilds I belong to recently hosted a Zoom presentation by Jo Avery of the UK on Temperature Quilts. Jo has made several temperature quilts, and she shared all sorts of information and photos of her own quilts, plus those made by many other quilters. Check out her website HERE to see some of them.

Ever since her lecture was scheduled, I've been seriously thinking about making a temperature quilt myself. We even decided to use it as a guild challenge. I've been doing lots of research and planning, one of my favorite parts of quiltmaking. I have purchased a group of fabrics for my quilt, Glaze and Glaze II by Libs Elliott for Andover. I have over 30 different colors, and a few of them will not be included. I also have grey and black as background options. This is my current gradation.

The other decision to be made before January is choosing a block. I've been considering many different designs over the past month or so. I want it to be a block that is easy to make, but not too boring. I don't expect to make my blocks every day; I will probably save up the temperature information and make blocks once a week, or maybe even further apart.

Patty at Elm Street Quilts has made multiple temperature quilts. She shares lots of inspiration and information on how to get started at her page. One of my favorites was her quilt for 2021 (see it HERE.) I decided to try making a few sample blocks.

These blocks certainly met the requirement of being easy to construct. Mine were made with scrap fabrics and a single background instead of varying that fabric too. I like the way they look in Patty's quilt, but they don't really hit the mark for me.

I've seen several temperature quilts made with applique blocks, including circles and orange peels. I love the look of them, but I knew that making a hand appliqued block every day was more than I could handle, and I'm not really set up to do machine applique. Then I discovered this design.

The design is called Wildflower, and it is a free pattern at Andover fabrics. The fabrics in this design are the original Glaze line by Libs Elliott. I like the way those tilted diamonds sort of resemble orange peel blocks, but with straight lines instead of curves. The blocks in the pattern finish at 7", and they are foundation pieced. I needed to scale them down to less than half that size, plus I hoped to avoid the foundation piecing. 

I drew out a smaller-scale block and played around with how to cut the pieces. These were my first sample blocks for this design.

You might notice that the top left diamond is smaller than the others. I'd started by making the other three, then decided to set the diamond back from the corners of the block a bit more. The next samples were made with stash fabrics to approximate the colors I would have used for January 1 - 4, 2024.

Yes, I think that's going to be my block! The design will give my quilt the motion I'm hoping for, with those diamonds tilting up and down. It's interesting how the different color combinations work out some with high contrast and some very low. The blocks will finish at 3". I need to press up my fabrics and maybe do a little precutting, but other than that, I'm ready to get started on my 2025 Temperature Quilt!

Linking up with:

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Musings at Songbird Designs

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Lighthouse Inn Mystery Reveal

For the second year in a row, my favorite quilting project of the entire summer has been another mystery quilt by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. of Modern Quilt Studio. Last year it was the Summer Camp Mystery, and today I am sharing my version of their Lighthouse Inn Modern Mystery.

Lighthouse Inn quilt top

57.5" x 82"

It all started with choosing a color palette. We needed two distinct groups of fabrics, twelve lighter and twelve darker. The bundle offered by Modern Quilt Studio included a whole rainbow of colors and an off-white background. I decided to go with a more limited range, sticking to the colors of the sunset with Kona navy as my background. (You might notice that I've shown lots more than 12 fabrics in each group.)

We started making blocks on June 1st, with new clues posted on a weekly basis. Each week we made multiple sets of blocks with our light fabrics and matching sets of blocks (although sometimes mirror-imaged) with the darker fabrics. Here are my groups of blocks, week by week.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

After four weeks, we were done making blocks, and it was time for a "Shift Change." All of the blocks got cut in half diagonally, then each light half got stitched to a dark half to make a new block. After combining all the light halves and dark halves into new blocks, they all got trimmed down to different sizes ranging from 3.5" up to 7.25". The sizes increase evenly in 1/4" increments. . Here are all of my blocks after that part of the process was complete.

At that point, we received the final reveal of the quilt design. The blocks get set on point, graduating in size from smallest at one end of the quilt to largest at the other. Here is the layout I decided to use.

The next step was adding background strips to two sides of each block. Since every set of blocks is a different size, the background strips were also different sizes. Then to get the right look for the layout, the strips had to be sewn to the correct sides. It was a slow, painstaking process, but definitely worth it in the end. Here are all the blocks with background added, but before they got joined together.

I'm very happy with the way my quilt top turned out, and I love the vibrant colors. The navy background really sets it all off beautifully.

Finishing this quilt top was my One Monthly Goal (OMG) for August. It had been awhile since I posted a goal, and it feels great to have succeeded on this one!

If you are interested in seeing other versions of the Lighthouse Inn Mystery Quilt, you can check them out at the Lighthouse Inn Virtual Exhibition page at Modern Quilt Studio. There are also lots of posts with photos and discussions of the process at the Facebook page for Modern Quilt Studio. They had many participants in this mystery, and you will be blown away by the variety of quilts people have made. I can't wait to see what Weeks and Bill come up with for their next mystery!

Linking up with:

Modern Quilt Studio Facebook page

Lighthouse Inn Virtual Exhibition at Modern Quilt Studio

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter

Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework

One Monthly Goal at Stories from the Sewing Room

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

One Monthly Goal--August 2024

It has been several months since I joined in with the One Monthly Goal link up, hosted by Anne-Marie at Stories from the Sewing Room. I have a definite goal for August, and today is my last chance to join the party.

June 1st was the start date for the Lighthouse Inn Mystery , designed by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr of Modern Quilt Studio. I kept up pretty well with the weekly clues, which had us making 18 blocks most weeks for the first four weeks. You can see my original blocks in THIS POST. After the blocks were made, they all got sliced in half diagonally, then a light half block got joined to a corresponding dark half. Then those sets of new blocks all got trimmed down to different sizes. Here is a photo of all of my blocks after that stage was complete.

The next step was adding background, then the final layout. Every block  gets background added to two sides. Here are my blocks and background for the upper portion of the quilt. The background is sewn to the blocks, but they have not all been stitched together yet. The top edge will get trimmed straight across after everything is joined together.

My One Monthly Goal for August is to get all of my blocks and background joined together into a completed quilt top. It is slow work to keep everything oriented in the right direction, plus I have to do lots of pinning to have the diagonal rows line up correctly. I'm very eager to see how this quilt top will look when it is assembled.

For lots more great photos of other Lighthouse Inn quilts, check out the Modern Quilt Studio Patterns and Fabrics Facebook group (you don't have to be a member.) You can find out how to join the Lighthouse Inn mystery at the Modern Quilt Studio website HERE.

I'm linking up with the One Monthly Goal party at Stories from the Sewing Room. Check it out to see what other quilters are hoping to accomplish this month! I'm also linking up with Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication and Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter.

Happy quilting!

Julie in GA

Lighthouse Inn Mystery Update

Spoiler alert! For anyone considering doing the Modern Quilt Studio's Lighthouse Inn Mystery: if you want it to be a surprise, don't read this post. It is filled with photos of my blocks from that mystery. For everyone else, welcome to my latest project/current obsession!

There has been lots of progress on my blocks for the Lighthouse Inn Modern Mystery Quiltalong since I first shared them two weeks ago (see that post HERE.) At that time, all of the blocks were made, and I was in the process of slicing them in half diagonally, joining a dark half to a light half, then trimming each matching group down to a specific size. That was a nerve-wracking process with the knowledge that a wrong cut would mean needing to make new blocks. Here are all of my blocks after that step was completed.

There are 18 groups of square blocks, all of them in matching sets of either four or five blocks per group. Each set is trimmed to a different size, with the smallest blocks at 3.5" and the largest at 7.25". The sizes increase evenly in 1/4" increments. Then there are also those four triangle blocks at the bottom.

After finishing that step, I figured that we would end up framing the blocks with different size strips of background to bring them all up to the same size, and I was partially right about that. I was also pretty sure the blocks would be set on point in the final layout, and that guess was correct.

The final reveal of the mystery came last Friday. Rather than completely framing the blocks with background, they each get strips of background added to two sides. There were two different layout options we needed to choose from before starting to add the background. My first choice was the "Daybreak" layout, and that's how my blocks are arranged in this photo, with the dark side of all the blocks facing the same direction.

I thought that would be my favorite layout, but figured I should look at the other option too. This layout is called "Dusk.)

I loved the way the light and dark halves of the blocks turned into vertical columns in this version. This is the layout I will be using for my quilt.

The next step is adding background strips to the top two edges of the blocks as they are shown above. That means lots more careful work ahead! Since every set of blocks is a different size, the background strips will all be different widths. Then to get the right look for the layout, the strips have to be sewn to the correct sides. My background fabric is navy blue, and I can't wait to see how it looks with my sunset color palette.

It's not too late to join the fun (although it might not be much of a  mystery for you.) For lots more great photos and inspiration, check out the Modern Quilt Studio Patterns and Fabrics Facebook group (you don't have to be a member.) You can find out how to join the Lighthouse Inn mystery at their website HERE.

Linking up with:

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Musings at Songbird Designs

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

A New Modern Mystery

Spoiler alert! For anyone considering doing the Modern Quilt Studio's Lighthouse Inn Mystery: if you want it to be a surprise, don't read this post. It is filled with photos of my blocks from that mystery. For everyone else, welcome to my latest project.

Last summer was my first time participating in any mystery designed by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr of Modern Quilt Studio. That was the Summer Camp Mystery, and I had a great time following along and making a quilt that I love. This is my Summer Camp quilt top, inspired by the colors of the Southwest U.S. It was completed last August and is still waiting to be quilted.

There was another MQS mystery offered in January, but I had too many other things happening at that time to take part. When the new summer mystery, the Lighthouse Inn Modern Mystery Quiltalong, was announced, I decided to jump in again. The first step was choosing fabrics. The design calls for two groups of fabrics, a lighter group and a darker group. I decided to use the colors of a sunrise combined with a navy background.

The clues for the mystery started on June 1st. Each week we've been making a set of blocks with our light fabrics and a matching set of blocks (although sometimes mirror-imaged) with the darker fabrics. Here are my groups of blocks, week by week.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

After four weeks of making blocks, it was time for a "Shift Change." All of the blocks get cut in half diagonally, following very specific diagrams for which direction to cut. Then each light half gets combined with a dark half to make a new block. I've barely made a start on this step. I started with some of the easiest blocks, the four-patches from Week 3.

After combining all the light halves and dark halves into new blocks, they all get trimmed down, again following very specific diagrams. This part of the mystery definitely requires a clear head and good focus. I sure don't want to cut something the wrong way and need to remake blocks. 

It's not too late to join the fun (although it might not be much of a  mystery for you.) For lots more great photos and inspiration, check out the Modern Quilt Studio Patterns and Fabrics Facebook group (you don't have to be a member.) You can find out how to join the Lighthouse Inn mystery at their website HERE.

Linking up with:

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Musings at Songbird Designs

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Orange Peel Rainbow is Finished!

The Orange Peel Rainbow quilt has been finished for almost a month, but I finally managed to get some photos of it today. For some reason, taking photos has not been a high priority on the to-do list lately.

Orange Peel Rainbow, 39.5" x 51.5"

The applique blocks for this quilt were stitched as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge all through 2019 and up to the summer of 2020. I used to do a lot of hand applique stitching on my morning train ride to work, but of course that ended during Covid. I continued making blocks at home until I had enough for my chosen layout, then got them all joined together in August, 2020. Then the quilt top waited patiently in the to-be-quilted closet until this spring.

Orange Peel Rainbow quilt top without border

Earlier this year, I decided to finish this quilt and enter it in a local quilt show. The first step was adding the scrappy black/dark grey border.

My quilting was very simple, stitch-in-the-ditch between the blocks and around all the appliqued orange peels, all done in black thread. It doesn't show well on either the front or the back of the quilt.

I had a great backing fabric with bright colors on black that was perfect for this quilt. 

I haven't had a quilt finish since January (unless you count the little Fidget quilt I made in May,) so it feels really good to get this one done! I love the way the gradation of rainbow colors worked out and look forward to finding a spot to hang it in our home. It was great fun to see it hanging in the Georgia Celebrates Quilts show too. It didn't win a ribbon, but the judges had nice comments about the design and workmanship.

Linking up with:

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter

Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

TGIFF (Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday)

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at So Scrappy

June Favorite Finish at Quilting Jetgirl

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Learning New Skills

One of my favorite things about quilting is the huge variety of techniques and styles to explore. There's always a different way (or several) to do something and plenty of new things to learn. A couple weeks ago, I was lucky enough to take a class with MJ Kinman and try out her version of freezer paper piecing.

For those who aren't familiar with her name, MJ has become well known for her amazing gemstone quilts. Her quilts have been exhibited in galleries, museums, national competitions and private collections, plus featured in national publications. She has produced many quilts, including her Bourbon Diamonds series that "captures the fire and brilliance of Kentucky's iconic spirit."

"Between River and Sky", 69" x 71"

from the Bourbon Diamonds series, 2018

by MJ Kinman

Our guild was able to have MJ spend a couple days with us in May, with a presentation about her quilts and techniques one day, followed by a workshop the next. Our class was "Bite-Size Gems", and we learned MJ's method for freezer paper piecing which uses the freezer paper as templates, with no sewing to the paper or needing to tear it out afterwards.

"Elizabeth" 

from the Diamond Diva series 

by MJ Kinman

The inspiration for my gem block was MJ's "Elizabeth" pattern, shown above. I didn't include the blue tones shown in her quilt, sticking to all neutrals in my block. It was pieced in four quadrants, and the first couple of them (the right side) turned out too dark, but I felt like the colors in the left side quadrants worked better.

My Bite-Size Gem, 16" square

I was so glad we got to spend some time with MJ, seeing her quilts and learning her techniques. She also shared lots of great information about using colors, a topic of interest to many of us. I purchased a couple of her patterns and can't wait to give them a try!

I highly recommend that you check out MJ's website: mjkinman.com to see more of her quilts and the many patterns and kits she has available. She has also published a book, Gemstone Quilts, that includes images of many of her gorgeous quilts, plus it will teach you how to design and make your own gemstone quilts.

Linking up with:

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Musings at Songbird Designs

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Catching Up on BOMs

There are multiple different Block of the Month (BOM) programs that I've been following so far this year, and I was very happy to get caught up on two of them this week. The first one was the Chatsworth Quilt-Along, a pattern designed by Doug Leko of Antler Quilt Design, and the quilt-along is hosted by Moda Fabrics. The quilt finishes at 74" x 88", but the book also includes other size variations and layouts. It's not too late to join the quilt-along! These are blocks #7 & 8, which will finish at 16".

Chatsworth, Block 7

Chatsworth, Block 8

Chatsworth, Blocks 7 & 8

After those were finished, I turned to my Sewcialites 2 blocks. Sewcialites 2 originally ran as a weekly block program at Fat Quarter Shop from October, 2022 until April, 2023. All of the block patterns are still available on the Fat Quarter Shop's website. Our quilt guild is doing it as a BOM, with two blocks due each month. 

The Sewcialites 2 pattern includes instructions for blocks in three different sizes: 3", 6" and 9", and I've been making blocks in all three sizes. I haven't made the 6" blocks yet this month, but I did get the others done. Here are Blocks #3 - 6, our assignment for April and May, in the 9" size.

Sewcialites 2, 9" Blocks #3 - 6

These are the same blocks in the 3" size, although they will look like the same scale in the photo.

Sewcialites 2, 3" Blocks #3 - 6

The bottom left block in the 3" set was the hardest one yet. There are 48 pieces total in that block, and the small half-square triangles finish at only 1/2" each. All of the 3" blocks are very challenging to make.

It's fun to see the different block sizes together on the design wall.

I hope to get the last of the 6" Sewcialites 2 blocks done this week. Then I would be completely caught up on this project.

Linking up with:

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter

Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA