Audition Report

From  comments on yesterday's post, here and on Facebook, #1 was the main choice in every remark,

 'tho #3 was a close second! 

Just something about damask that is pleasing...and I'm going with #1, as it really "spoke" to me at the store!

Many thanks to everyone who "opinionated".

 

Since you're here, have a look at 2 lil bargains I picked up when getting swatches: 

A couple of 50% off of half price remnants (double bargain!)

A sumptuous pink flannel, plus a watercolor cotton, and both are just under a yard!

I also thumbed through studied these books while there:

 

Yes, I was there a long time!
 I

these
books!

So, I went this afternoon to make the big purchase for backing, armed with my coupon for a single cutting...I bought 4 yards, and as there was only 1/2 yard left on the bolt, she offered half price to take it, so I did ;-)

and had a 2nd coupon for this book!

(with thanks to Mr. for going with).

 Just feast your eyes on these beauties!

Drool!

Auditions!

Went back to Joanne's today, and I declare these choices weren't there last time!

I'm so excited to find these 4 options for backing on my Jacob's Ladder quilt ~ and one of these WILL be the winner!  I like them all really.

This one reminds me of the pink ladder fabric...it's a damask:

This one is leafy, and I think would be appropriate:

Also a strong candidate:

My least favorite, but wanted to include it:

And now the line up all together:

Which do you think?

"Summer in the Park"

I finally busted open one of the batik jelly rolls purchased from Tuesday Mornings.

For a few days, I've been studying a tutorial for Summer in the Park jelly roll quilt, designed by  Missouri Star Quilt Company.

  

It's an easy, enjoyable design to sew and cut (yes, in that order), and I do love these bright batik strips!

I'll probably break open the sister roll to make a queen size quilt top.

I've also had my eye on these books:

There are others, but I've had a chance to thumb through these.  

    

And I've got a coupon!

Flimsy!

Woo hoo! 

A little late toward the finish line for the Jacob's Ladder Quilt Along, tho I don't think I'm last.

20 blocks ripped-and-resewn, I then sewed all 56 blocks together (7 across x 8 down).

I'm delighted to complete my first large quilt top!!!  

These colors are hard to photograph...tried shooting outdoors and indoors. And yes I did iron it, but after all the moving around here to there...well.

Still auditioning fabric for the backing ~ maybe some green on white.  

And, I have a few embellishment blocks for the back.

 

So happy to be this far!

FNSI: What's wrong with this picture?

  Do YOU see it?

Participating in the May Friday Night Sew In, I spent the evening re-sewing and re-pressing seams in my Jacob's Ladder blocks.  I had finished all the blocks Wednesday...or sew I thought.  That evening I spread them out on the floor, arranging them in prep for sewing together and was confounded when they wouldn't match up.

Sing with me now: 

"One of these things is not like the other...

                              one of these things is kinda the same."

Finally figured out that the problem was my incorrect piecing on a few of them.  Grrrr!  But I found more and more until frustration set in and I had just decided to go ahead and sew them all together and be done.

BUT...

Fortunately, before sewing blocks together, I made a quick *whine* to my buddy,
the quilting Empress, who  graciously commiserated with me.  She encouraged me to work on a couple blocks each day ~  I'm so thankful for that!  Think I woulda regretted leaving them wrong.

I've ripped and resewn all of them.  

 Yep, this many.

I figure what happened is, upon shifting to the new floral fabric, I lost my focus and attended to the floral path down one diagonal, and the damask path down the opposing diagonal...ignoring the all important ladder effect.  Phooey (and more).

All pressed and ready to sew rows together. 

JL QAL Progress

About time for an update!  Here are the previous 35 blocks...the design wall is full.

I've managed to make 12 more blocks for a total now of 47.  

The rest of the pieces are cut, sewn, and ready to make 9 more blocks.  

I should end up with 56 total.

Check out my twisted mind...major slowdown.

  Wrong sides together! 

                                                                                 I spent some time ripping.

In all, I have less than 1/2 yard of leftover floral, and the damask is all used up!

Hoping to finish all blocks before the weekend.

Three Words....

SCORE!

 "Tuesday Mornings".