Hot mess with a side of bliss . . . .

So this is where it ends, at least temporarily, with Free Spirit Medley.

I'm just not happy with my fabric selections for the center of this quilt.  And with so much piecing yet to come with the borders, I don't think I want to risk that I might come around and like this sometime  down the road.

I do think I've figured out where I went wrong.  I'm not crazy about two of my blue choices, but I could live with them, it's the background, it's distracting and looks messy.  I think I need to use one background, not a solid, but something with a little print to it.

I do like the light blue and red geese in the pinwheel blocks and the light brown and dark blue fabric colors for the stars.

It looks better in this picture than it does in real life. 

I was working with fat quarters and a layer cake, but I really need some yardage of the simpler blue fabric pieces.

So while I regroup I thought I would work on my Spools project, have you heard, there's a Spool-Along Sew-Along going on!

I'ved decided to use some Bliss and some Marmalade for my spools. 

I'm so excited several folks have decided to sew along with us, there are going to be some very interesting finishes with some of the creative fabric choices that are in the works.

Mary Caldwell is the Spools pattern winner, Mary, drop me a note with your address, your comment didn't have your email address.

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Free Spirit Medley Update . . . .

So here's what I'm aiming for,

this is Free Spirit Medley designed by Judy Martin.

And here's where I am.

It's slow going because I'm doing a block at a time and working from the inside out.

Right now I'm a little disappointed that the design doesn't pop like the pattern, but it's not unusual for me to become disenchanted with a project, then love a project, then become disenchanted again.  I'm going for another row, maybe that will be the next love it stage.

The fabric is by Minick and Simpson for Moda.


Also, I've updated my Tools Tuesday post to reflect some information that folks shared regarding the Starmaker 8 ruler.

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It's a start . . . .

Last year I made this patriotic table topper for a 4th of July blog hop and giveaway.  The twin to this table topper lives somewhere else,  I wonder if the person who won it got it out and is enjoying it as much as I'm enjoying mine this year.  After finishing this table topper I vowed to make more table toppers to enjoy throughout the year.

And one year later, this is still the only table topper I own!  But this is the year I'll have a fall table topper, I just know it!

Well I made up my mind and I'm going with "Free Spirit Medley" from Judy Martin's book "Knockout Blocks and Sampler Quilts"

The other pattern had more background fabric, this pattern better suits the fabric I have on hand.  So that's how I decided.

Since I'm going controlled scrappy, to make sure I get the design to pop like it should,  I'm sort of starting from the inside and working my way out.

It's a start . . . . .

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