Sunday 10 August 2014

classic meets modern {catching up}


The good old sampler quilt... like many, it's where I started my quilting journey, way way back!  We were living in Christchurch for a year & I went every week to a wonderful old home in Merrivale for lessons. The lady there was set up in a large room, with tables lined up down the midddle & we all sat around looking thru' her many books, choosing our next block. She would help with advice and drawing up the patterns, & then we would go away and hand piece & hand quilt over the week. I was around 30yrs at the time, one of the youngest in that little group, but I loved going! That first quilt is of course very dated & faded now but I still treasure it.




Since then I've made more sampler quilts for family & little friends. I have found they are a good way to learn new techniques, to try out different colour combinations, and to use up that stash! 

row-by-row turtles for 4yr Jared

improv leftover blocks quilt for Olive

BOM Material Obsession/pretty in pastels

DYOS a little bit of pink

And the sampler quilt is still an old favourite of mine.
There are so many different ways to revive this concept ... Back in January I joined in with the "Classic meets Modern" QAL to make another sampler! Each month a very classic/traditional block gets a bit of a modern fresh spin added - be it in composition, style, or fabric choices. I have been very much focused with the gypsy wife lately but now that's finished, I thought I'd get busy this weekend and do a bit of a catchup.


 
wonky starflower

churn dash

I have also been wondering about different setting possibilities while I've been sewing
but there's still a few more months to go before I need to make the final decsion. 





Linking up with Erin  {click here}
and
Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

8 comments:

Karyn said...

I love my first sampler quilt, even though my tastes have changed. They are such good quilts to learn and to practise skills that are useful in other quilts.

Julie said...

I have never done a sampler quilt - maybe one day .....

Megan said...

I love the colours you are making these blocks in.

Robyn said...

The turtles!!! So cute :)

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

You have quite a variety of blocks happening here - it must be fun to try so many different ones.

Ruth said...

My first pieced quilt and first group quilt were samplers - I loved how the blocks co-ordinated! looking forward to see what layout you come up with.

Maryse said...

I like the color combination you chose for the sampler quilt, it's going to be beautiful! :-)

✄ Erin @ Sew at Home Mummy ✄ said...

Oooh! Exciting!! Looking really good!!!