It's a new year. CQ2012 I am ready!

It's a new year.  It is full of promise. Most people start the new year with resolutions and many check off their 2011 lists and compile their 2012 lists while they update their contacts and calendars.  I have added another task.  New Year's weekend, while my husband watched football and my daughter tried to master another round of electronic games, I was busy at my sewing machine. 

Twelve blocks ready for CQ2012.   My blocks are 8 inches by 9 inches.  The fabrics are all from table linens found at second-hand stores. They are grouped in two sets of 6.  The plan is to have a new set of pillow shams to end the year.  Would you like to see them? Honestly, I can't wait to show them!

Pillow Sham-to-be 1

Pillow Sham-to-be 2

They were a challenge.  These are my first cq blocks that have been pieced outside of a class experience.  They are also my first blocks that are part of a bigger piece.  I am so grateful for Allie Allison's suggestion of a design wall.  She may not have originated the idea, but her blog is where I was introduced to the idea. 

Once I could look at the pieces of a part of a whole, things started getting complicated. For example, I had 5 of the 12 blocks pieced when I decided that the four corners had to have a bit of blue.  Then I decided that the piece of blue should be a curved piece. ( I had forgotten about curved pieces).  Of course, I didn't want to discard any blocks that I had already made so I settled for 2 curved and 2 triangular blue pieces in the corner.  I also used three patterned pieces for the centers.  I decided that I had to have 2 blocks of each center color in each of the two pieces.  Then I decided that the two pieces had to make a column.  Try that half way through and then have your 4 corner blocks with defined parameters.

Then I found that I didn't have enough of my first choice main blue and my medium blue to use consistently throughout the blocks.  I had to scramble for other pieces that would work.  I don't think it will be noticeable.  I also found that the sew and flip method gave me less control of the color sections within the block than I would have liked.  I am interested in exploring patterned piecing in the future.

The lace also was a challenge.  Before I could see the individual pieces within the whole of the block I didn't really know where I wanted my laces.  Then once the who block came together, I could see that a bit of lace would be good in this place or that place. I started ripping into seams to tuck in lace and then closing them back up. The only problem was that I had a self-imposed deadline.  I needed all of the blocks to be complete before the end of my three-day weekend.  Consequently, I stopped stitching on the lace for now.  I can add it in later as I do each block.

All in all, I love them!  I can hardly wait to begin working on them.  I have picked January's block.  Here is a close up.

January's Block

Some of the fun is that I am not experienced enough to know how each decision will affect the whole and with each decision a surprise surfaces. I am enthusiastic about the project.  I'll let you know how it all develops.  Don't forget to visit the CQ2012 Blog to see what other's are working on.