Shadow Block Mini QAL & Hop

It is finally time to reveal one of my secret projects that I have been working on and I couldn't be more excited.

A few weeks ago, Janice, from Color Creating and Quilting, and I found this great tutorial for a Shadow Block Mini quilt over at StudioDragonflyQuilts.  After talking with the writer of this great tutorial, Debora, we decided to invite others to join us in making this cute, quick mini quilt.


I am so excited to see what fabrics everyone chose.  I have had these pieces setting around for awhile. They were leftover from a some small bags that I had made and I didn't really have enough of them to make anything too big,but I had too much to cut into scraps. This was the perfect project to show off the bright fun colors.


I am ashamed to admit, but I was so anxious to see this complete that when I thought I had finished the top I took it out for a photoshoot.  When I got home, I realized that I completely forgot to put the lengths of sashing in.  And while this didn't look bad at all, I knew I wanted to do it right.  So, the question was whether to pick new fabrics and start over, or to rip the four long seams and put the sashing in its place.  I knew that I loved these colors and wanted this one for my wall, so ...to the seam ripper!

Actually, it wasn't too bad.  I had the sashing in place in no time.


There was one other SNAFU (thanks for the spelling correction :)) on my way to finishing this mini.  My machine was not cooperating when I started to quilt it.  I decided to quilt densely back and forth in the grey shadows and my foot was hopping around ALL over the place.  It was horrible.  So, I decided to finally bite the bullet and order the proper free motion foot for my machine.

Best investment ever!


It is so smooth and easy to use.  I couldn't believe it.  My free motion still needs some work, but it looks pretty good.


This beautiful mini quilt is certainly going up on my wall and I will be making more for sure.




Make sure to take some time to visit the blogs of everyone that joined us on this fun little quilt a long. You can also check out #shadowminiquilt on Instagram to see some pretty amazing photos.

Debora Exum at Studio Dragonfly
Amanda Everest at Quiltologie
Susan Arnold at Quilt Fabrication
Bonnie Stapleton at Institches with Bonnie
Jennifer Fulton at Inquiring Quilter
Jennifer Strauser at Dizzy Quilter
Joanne Harris at Quilts by Joanne
Anja Clyke at Anja Quilts
Mary Schuberg at Needled Mom

One of these lucky bloggers (whomever has a birthdate closest to mine) will receive  a little prize from me.  Janice will be doing the same. AND some of you lucky visitors will have a chance to win a prize as well. So make sure to stop by all of the blogs and leave comments on them. (If you are a no-reply blogger, make sure to leave an email contact)

I had so much fun doing this little hop and making the quilt.  Thanks Janice for all of your work on this and Thanks Debora for the great tutorial!

Oh, and I'll be linking up to some link parties as well:

Happy Quilting everyone!

Comments

  1. Your blocks definitely appear to be floating up off the mini quilt, and I'm sure the dense quilting in the shadows really help emphasize that, too. I think the effort to put in the sashing was well worth it and how awesome that the new foot made so much difference in the quilting - yay!

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  2. Yahoo, Jennifer! I love the bright happy colors you chose. Great pics too! So funny how our lives seem to parallel each other. I had trouble with my sashing too! I am determined to make another one and learn from all the mistakes I made on this one. It was too easy and fun. Thanks so much for collaborating on this blog hop with me. I have so enjoyed this!

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  3. This is such a fresh and beautiful quilt! I love the fabric you chose! Gorgeous!

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  4. It turned out wonderful...love the fabric you chose!

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  5. That is beautiful. I, too, LOVE your fabric choices.

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  6. Jen, it's beautiful! Congrats on your finish! Going to visit other stops now!

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  7. I love your colors - your mini is so pretty! Thank you so much for organizing the hop.

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  8. so pretty! I love the colors and fabrics you used. Thanks for organizing the hop!

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  9. This is beautiful. And the quality of your photographs is amazing. Such, clear, crisp pictures of everything. Thank you for hosting a fun quilt along.

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  10. Lovely quilt--such great colors! And what a perfect solution to having both too much and too little of the fabric. Your shadow quilting worked out well and I'm glad. I know it was giving you trouble! But the result is a great looking quilt.

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  11. one day i plans to make a queen sized one for us , love your colors

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  12. Beautiful. I am lost for words at all the shadow quilts. I must try to make one.

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  13. Lovely colours, and you nailed it. You have a great eye for photography too. Congratulations on a great blog hop.

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  14. Love the 3D effect the shadows make.

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  15. I love it! A shadow quilt is definitely on my bucket list!

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  16. Your fabric colors are amazing-the 3D effect is marvelous & I will have to try this one.

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  17. Stunning quilt! I love the colors you choose. Funky!

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  18. So beautiful! I love the colors and Batiks are my passion. birthday Jun 7
    gandn74@ymail.com









    b

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  19. LOOOOVE your Summery colors!!! This is a fun HOP...love the different fabrics & ideas being shared! :)

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  20. Very pretty, this is a great looking quilt, I will put it on my bucket list.
    cork@pa.rr.com

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  21. The more I see of this quilt design, the more I like it! I especially like the bright colors you chose for yours.

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  22. Love it!! I wish I had started earlier so I could have done something different for the quilting.

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  23. The dense quilting in the shadow was definitely a great choice, and I agree--the sashing needed to go in. It was definitely worth the seam ripping! Beautiful finish :)

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  24. The gray 'shadow' really sets off the bright colorful blocks. Lovely!!

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    1. Thanks Kathi! I think the color of the shadow definitely goes well with the bright colors.

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  25. Beautifully done! Love the colors. The green shines mixed in with all those hot colors.

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  26. Love how this finished!! You were right to add the forgotten sashing. Glad I'm not the only one who does these types of things!

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  27. Lovely colors! Your squares look very 3d, especially with the mini draped over the rock!

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  28. Very cute quilt. I've always wanted to try one of these. They look like fun.

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  29. Great contrast and I love the bright colors.

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  30. Great contrast and I love the bright colors.

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    1. I love the bright colors too. It has been my "thing" lately. :)

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  31. Good job of sticking with it until you got it just the way you wanted it. The finished quilt looks great!

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  32. This has turned out beautifully!! I was sorry not to have the time to take part in this QAL - it looks like you had a lot of fun!

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  33. The blocks are just floating, great look

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    1. Thanks Donna! I love the finished look of this pattern. It is one of those that you don't know how great it is until you are finished. :)

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  34. Ooh orange and lime green. I love the bright colors. Such fun. I have always admired shadow quilts. I need to try a mini.

    tushay3 (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  35. It's beautiful. Great job picking those fabrics. And don't you love it when you have the perfect project to use for fabric that's been hanging around a while waiting for the right thing?

    SNAFU is how you spell that word. It means "Situation Normal, All Fouled Up," except the original (military origin) uses a different F-word than "Fouled." ;)

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