November 2022 PBJ Monthly Color Challenge

 

Cloves!

It's another fun month for the 2022 Monthly Color Challenge from Patterns By Jen where she brings us the scent and flavor of cloves in our quilting endeavors. Many think of pumpkin pie when cloves are mentioned as it is one of the key spices used to create the delicious fall dessert. Cloves are also used to add yummy flavor when baking a delicious ham. What do I use cloves for? I find them useful in canning, pies, dessert bars, and even homemade tomato soup - not from a can, but completely from scratch. Thinking about all these yummy foods makes my mouth water. 

 

Don't they look delicious! I have used both of these recipes - even the pumpkin pie recipe with home processed pumpkin in place of canned - and the results are always top notch.

We are here to talk about the color of cloves in quilting, so let's get to it. Cloves also have a rich neutral color with which to work. They are a rich shade of brown that easily compliments other earth tones or brings out the joy in vibrant colors. 

When choosing fabrics for this month's color, I chose a line that I felt comfortable turning into a quilt using all the fabrics included in the fat quarter pack. I'm looking forward to using only these two months block patterns to create a fun and adorable throw quilt. Check my August blog post for more on the fabrics. 

The little mice are so cute!

This is where I tell you that neutrals are typically not my jam. While I can appreciate quilts constructed by others using neutrals, I typically find them to be constraining. When signing up for our chosen months this year, I decided to challenge myself by intentionally choosing neutral colors. I knew that I needed to get beyond my own feelings to make these shades of brown bask in their rightful glory.

It has become practice to starch the fabrics before cutting to help ensure accuracy. Currently I use Purex brand but have used others getting the same results. 

That accuracy can be seen in the photo above. There is much satisfaction in having measurements turn out so nicely.

As you can see, there is a proportional difference between the 12" block on the left and the 6" block on the right. I can honestly say that I prefer the incorrect version of the 12" block knowing most of those corners will disappear in the remaining construction. Uniqueness also tends to be the way I lean, so...ha!

The colors are gorgeous and block fun to make. 

Here are a couple of pictures showing more shades of "clove" in a set of coasters I made that is the start of a bigger set going to a special someone! They are currently my favorite quilty item featuring these beautiful browns.

Remember to head over to Jen's blog for her post and to learn how to get your instructions. Then take a trip to visit my fellow November bloggers and see what their wonderful blocks.

Jen @ Patterns by Jen

Kathy @ Kathy Kwilts

Raylee @ Sunflower Stitcheries

Andi @ True Blue Quilts

Always remember to keep on quilting - even if life brings a few hiccups along the way. 

~ Fawn ~

 

August 2022 PBJ Monthly Color Challenge - Cinnamon

 August 2022 Patterns By Jen Monthly Color Challenge - Cinnamon

I hope you have enjoyed the first half of the year of quilt blocks shared with us from Patterns By Jen for the 2022 Monthly Color Challenge. There are a few things I have been able to squeeze time in for working on during those first 6 months. One of those will be featured in another post later this year. The others are my Monthly Color Challenge quilt blocks for this month, which is cinnamon, and November (stay tuned!) 

Bloggers were given the option to make a 6 inch block, 12 inch block, or both, which is the option I chose. The colors assigned to "cinnamon" varies greatly. They can be found in oranges, reds, and browns. This made choosing fabric a bit difficult. I was able to find a patterned line of fabric that had colors which met the needs for both challenge months I am blogging for this year. Yay!! 

Fat Cat from Windham Fabrics is that perfect fit. 

After a few years of struggling with the lighting in my house, I decided to purchase a light ring for getting true colors to show in my photos. It is nice to also get rid of pesky shadows. Below are three "progress" photos taken prior to the purchase of the ring. 

    

It is nice to have those shadows gone and the colors display as true as seen in the remaining photographs.

I love the fun and simple pattern of this block. Both the six and twelve in blocks went together quite fast. Using one of the directional fabrics makes the blocks even more interesting as I was able to play with various ways to assemble the finished flying geese units.

Jen tasked the bloggers with referencing their favorite quilt in the month's color. While this was no easy feat, I was able to choose a favorite pattern for some fabric I recently purchased that happen to meet the color scheme. The quilt pattern is another Patterns by Jen creation (I just love her patterns!) called Pinwheel Pivot. I chose to make the 22" x 42" table topper for our kitchen table that has been completed just in time for the upcoming change of seasons. This is where I was also able to capture photos displaying the color change in tricky lighting compared to using the light ring. Here are a few of my favorite photos:

The top is true to color using the light ring in the first two photos. While the quilting is more prominent on the bottom, the color is off, and everything is full of shadows.

The above three photos show progress on quilting, my first-time getting quilting completed using the stippling foot with a nice meander to show for the efforts. Figuring out the tension was key. Now to get that bigger machine for tackling those large projects sitting in my WIP stash.

The runner looks beautiful, and I am excited to display it on my dining room table this fall.

Take a look at my finished six- and twelve-inch blocks below. I think another table runner is in order using these and November's blocks. With having drawn up a pattern for a table runner, I think it would be good to make it. I'll post more about that with the November block!

I hope you'll head over to Patterns By Jen to get your block and join the fun!

Make sure you check out the other blogger's posts for even more quilty inspiration:

Patterns By Jen

Katie Mae Quilts

Anja Quilts

Textile Time Travels

Sunflower Stitcheries

I am going to spend some time in my garden and tackle finishing up a few surprises for future blog posts. Thank you for reading and keep on quilting!

It's all a Sham!

It's all a Sham!

 

These Art Gallery fabrics have been hanging out in my sewing space for a couple of years. Originally, they were purchased to build my stash with fabrics that were outside my typical pallette to use as needed. Over time that changed, and they were then going to be used for making masks. My chosen mask patterns never did turn out quite big enough for me to wear comfortably to warrant continuing with that venture (though many sit there half finished). There the fabrics sat waiting for inspiration to hit once more.

An annual quilt challenge season resumed January 2 and inspiration struck. Not for a quilty project, but a new pillow sham! 

How I needed this project. Not tied to a challenge. Not tied to an obligation. Very quick and easy to assemble, this was perfect for getting me back to my sewing machine after such a busy 2021.

The fabric I had to work with was 5"×43" for each color. I cut those to 2.5"×43", then stitched them together on their long sides. With six fabrics, this gave me one large piece that was 24"×43" - perfect for most of the sham. 

All that was needed was fabric for the overlap of the sham. A couple of the prints had extra cuts, so I cut four strips to add just that little extra. Six strips were truly needed for the size of the pillow, however, I found a work-around. Bring in the one snap I had in my stash for the win!! A little hand stitching with a LOT of patience (my fingers do not like hand stitching anything), and the sham was complete. Yay! 

Have a jelly roll that needs a project? This one is quite simple. You can create any size sham. Make sure the sham finishes at the same size or even 1/2" narrower than the insert you want to use if the insert is not too firm. The overlap on the back should be 2 1/2"-3". (Mine was only 1 1/2" at best.) If the insert is firm, make sure the sham finishes at the size of the pillow.

Do you make shams? What is your favorite way to close them - overlap, zipper, something else? Share your ideas in the comments. 

On to finishing a WIP for the end of the year.

Keep quilting!

Fawn

June 2021 Monthly Color Challenge - Pumpkin!

June's block is beginner friendly from instruction through construction. Jen of Patterns By Jen has, once again, made a perfect pairing with block choice, colors, and food. To get your free block with instructions and "how-to" video, head over to her blog any time this month! After the end of the month, you can get this and past month's blocks for a small $1 fee in her Payhip Shop, plus find past years challenge blocks and her quilt patterns. So much quilty goodness is there.

There's always something satisfying when chain piecing - especially when making flying geese units. 

 

The 12" block completed:

The 6" block completed:

Both blocks - aren't they just great?!

For the couple of months I am participating this year, I carefully chose my blocks based on color so I could later make them into a fall table runner. Each month I have made the 6" and 12" blocks. They compliment each other nicely and will adorn my kitchen table come fall. 

The background fabric will be the smaller floral print, backing the larger floral, and the stripes will be the binding for a bit of flare. 

You'll have to come back later this year to see that runner in use with a fresh pan of pumpkin bars adorning its top. Here is a link to my go-to recipe: Pumpkin Bars 

Of course, I just couldn't wait for the table runner to be completed, so we have fresh baked pumpkin bars for dessert tonight! 

Yummy!

Please head over to the other bloggers' and see what they created for their June blocks and pumpkins:

Jen - Patterns By Jen

Wendy - Pieceful Thoughts

Crystal - Daybrook Designs 

Raylee - Sunflower Stitcheries 

Andi - True Blue Quilts 

Patti - Patti's Patchwork 

Ashli - Quilt 2 End ALZ

Joanne - Everyone Deserves a Quilt

And...

Let's take the time to give a final "Thank You" to our second quarter sponsors. 

Daybrook Designs - 2 PDF Patterns

Fat Quarter Shop - Gift Certificate

Patterns By Jen - Tucker Trimmer 1 Ruler*

Appliques Quilts and More - $10 Gift Certificate

The Warm Co - 90 x 108 Warm and Plush 100% Cotton

Quilters Dream Batting - 60 x 60 Dream Poly*

Benartex - Fat Quarter Bundle*

Island Batik - Fat Quarter Bundle*

Make Modern Magazine - 6 month subscription

True Blue Quilts - Book: Monochromatic Quilts Amazing Variety*

For The Love of Geese - PDF Pattern

Bea Quilter - PDF Pattern

Dragonfly's Quilting Design Studio - Goodie Bag*

Those marked with * are for US residents only. Prize laws vary throughout different countries.

The final link-up for this quarter will open at Patterns By Jen later this month.

With that, keep quilting, take breaks as needed, and maybe enjoy your favorite pumpkin treat just because. 

Thanks!

Fawn

***Bonus Recipe***

I just have to share this second very delicious recipe that our family loves. Please note that for all recipes I share you can substitute your own frozen or home canned pumpkin (fully baked before freezing is what I do) in 1cup equivalents to every 8 ounces. If you have an extra ounce, it just adds flavor and moisture to what is being baked. Anyway...Old Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies for more baking pleasure. Enjoy!

March 2021 Monthly Color Challenge - Yams!

Yams....or sweet potatoes? That is the question at hand when looking at March's focal color - red orange - for the Patterns By Jen 2021 Monthly Color Challenge . While the two are technically different, the names are interchanged for sweet potatoes. Let's take a closer look.

From the Library of Congress, "Yams are closely related to lilies and grasses. Native to Africa and Asia, yams vary in size from that of a small potato to a record 130 pounds (as of 1999). There are over 600 varieties of yams and 95% of these crops are grown in Africa. Compared to sweet potatoes, yams are starchier and drier.

The many varieties of sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are members of the morning glory family, Convolvulacea. The skin color can range from white to yellow, red, purple or brown. The flesh also ranges in color from white to yellow, orange, or orange-red. Sweet potato varieties are classified as either ‘firm’ or ‘soft’. When cooked, those in the ‘firm’ category remain firm, while ‘soft’ varieties become soft and moist. It is the ‘soft’ varieties that are often labeled as yams in the United States.

In the United States, firm varieties of sweet potatoes were produced before soft varieties. When soft varieties were first grown commercially, there was a need to differentiate between the two. African slaves had already been calling the ‘soft’ sweet potatoes ‘yams’ because they resembled the yams in Africa. Thus, ‘soft’ sweet potatoes were referred to as ‘yams’ to distinguish them from the ‘firm’ varieties."

Where does that leave me on color with the challenge? I chose to follow the sweet potato color way, and this year I am only making 4 blocks total. The 12" and 6" blocks for this month plus the same sizes for June. When looking at my stash, I did not want to use what has been seen - this was not about stash busting. So I searched for fabrics that called to me finding three old lines designed by Sandy Gervais for Moda through one of my local quilt shops, The Quilt Shop, called "Fall Back in Time", "Sweet Potato", and "Mix and Mingle". The colors coordinated perfectly and I formulated a plan to turn my blocks into a fun table runner. That table runner will be revealed later in the year.

I finally had the chance to use my new, wool pressing mat. It was time to truly test it by not using any type of sizing product. All my research suggested it should not be necessary. The two photos below demonstrate that using steam and the wool pressing mat, sizing products are not necessary. Not only was I able to press all fabric with success before cutting, it played well while sewing and pressed well (even on the bias) after piecing had been done. The pressing time compared to before had been significantly cut down with not needing the sizing product, but also due to the process working faster from the heat and steam coming back up through the mat from under the fabric working at both sides. This is one purchase I am glad to have made. 

The cut pieces for both blocks came out beautifully.

This perfect cutting helped my blocks assemble perfectly. First is the 12" block:

And the 6" block:

Make sure you head over to Jen's blog linked at the top of this post for instructions that include a how-to video for making the block. Jen's block instructions are always wonderfully written for quilters of all skill levels to follow. 

All this talk of sweet potatoes makes me hungry. Here's my go-to recipe for preparing them. It is a basic roasting roasting recipe I wrote up myself after researching many and settling on what would work for my family.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

(serves 4-5)

Ingredients

3-4 medium sized sweet potatoes

2-3 tbsp. olive oil (can use virgin or extra virgin)

pink Himalayan salt (optional)

Tools

peeler

large mixing bowl

cutting mat or board

crinkle cutter or large chef knife

non-stick baking sheet or stoneware bar pan (large size for either)

Preheat oven to 425°

Bake time: 25-30 minutes

Directions

Peel and wash sweet potatoes.

Cut into 1" to 1 1/2" cubes.

Coat with olive oil in bowl and toss until even coated.

Spread evenly on baking surface.

Roast at 425° for 25-30 minutes. 

(Potatoes should be browned or even lightly blackened on sides and corner edges to show a crispy roasting has been accomplished for the exterior of each piece.)

Season with pink Himalayan salt if desired. 

Cool for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

I will roast and serve these with anything from chicken to beef to pork to venison or even fish. They are easily spruced up by adding different spices if you like. Other vegetables can be added (such as potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, onions, and more) to expand on this recipe. In our house, we generally keep this simple and to sweet potatoes only enjoying the wonderful flavor they offer. 

Make sure you head to the other bloggers pages to see what stance they took on the yam vs sweet potato conundrum. Also check out their blocks and any recipes they have shared for the month. 

Patterns By Jen

Dragonfly's Quilting Design Studio

Create with Claudia

Love to Color My World

Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Sunflower Stitcheries and Quilting Blog

True Blue Quilts

DayBrook Designs

Quilt 2 End ALZ

Make sure to head over and visit all the sponsors for this quarter thanking them for their very generous prize contributions. We are so appreciative! Here are the prizes:

$10 Gift Certificate 

PDF Pattern

Goodie Bag

Fabric Bundle and Book

Fat Quarter Bundle

60 x 46 Dream Angel 100% Flame Retardant Fibers

60 x 46 Dream Wool

PDF Pattern

Mini Monty (Fabric Bundle)

55 x 60 batting 80/20

PDF Pattern

2 PDF Patterns

Whew! That's a lot of fun information. Thank you for joining me while I take a break from college life after work to get back on top of my quilty world. I appreciate everyone who visits and leaves a comment. Let me know what your favorite recipe for sweet potatoes is, or if you like yams better. I can honestly say that I don't think I have ever eaten them, nor am I sure if there is a local source to buy them. Do they taste like potatoes? Someone needs to let me know in the comments, please.

Keep quilting, no matter what's going on in life....take that break.

Thanks!

Fawn