September Color Challenge

Welcome back to the 2018 Monthly Color Challenge!  This month we are exploring Red-Violet.

The 2018 Monthly Color Challenged is hosted by Jen, of Patterns by Jen.  Check out her blog to see her block design for the month.  Later this month, you can join the linkup and enter the prize drawing.  This month the prize has been donated by Phat Quarters Fabric.

Some lucky quilter will win this beautiful bundle of Vibrant Violet, by Art Gallery Fabrics.

Be sure to check out my fellow bloggers.  Some have original patterns, and others have eye candy.  This group is a wonderful source of inspiration.

Jen at Patterns by Jen
Sherry at Powered by Quilting
Dione at Clever Chameleon
Jen at A Dream and a Stitch
Nancy at Masterpiece Quilting

Circle Play

This month I was so excited to receive this gorgeous fabric, generously provided by RJR Fabrics to use in my block.  It is from their Midnight Garden line, designed by the amazing Jinny Beyer.

These are the four pieces I chose to work with.  They are even prettier in person.  The lighting in my new space was not meant for photography.  I’ll be improving it eventually, and maybe even finding the power cord for my overhead photography rig.  Until then, enjoy my crap basement photos.

For this block I decided to go with a simple pattern, so I could show off the border print design.  You could easily use narrower strips to showcase a larger number of fabrics.

I have a confession.  I left this block until the last minute this month.  I’m a terrible planner.  Also, my family and I decided to relocate to a new home in a very rapid fashion, and my studio schedule got a little shuffled.  During the move, I misplaced this fabric and the rulers I have been using.  My son was a super hero today, helping me move boxes and search like a crazy person, and we found the box with the fabric buried under a stack in the garage.  Seriously, it was like the movers were TRYING to hide it from me.

Alas, I have not located my quarter circle ruler set.  Luckily, I hoard rulers so I have another one that does the same job (and many others.)  This month I switched to the 12″ Clammy * ruler by Latifah Saafir.

Supplies Needed

12″ Clammy Ruler
8 1/2″ or larger square ruler
Strips of Red Violet Fabric.
White fabric for background arcs
Normal sewing supplies – sewing machine, iron, cutting mat, rotary cutter, pins

I was given four 1/2 yard cuts of fabric from RJR.  I cut the border strip out first, centering the print along the strip, so it would be symmetrical in the block.  It ended up measuring about 2 7/8″.  I then cut the two strips that fall towards the center of the block at 2″, then the outer strip at 2 1/2″.  I could tell you that I wanted to have the entire border print enclosed in the arc and I planned it to look that way, but I just got lucky.  When I cut all of the pieces at 2″ they were too small.

Two sets 18″ wide worked perfectly.  Stitch your strips together, pressing seams open.  Trim strip to 6 1/2″ wide.

Use your square ruler to cut a 45 degree angle into the fabric, keeping the diagonal line of the ruler parallel to the long edge.

Set the two corners aside.  I’m sure we can find something fun to do with those cast offs.

Using the Clammy 12″ ruler, line up your 1/4 circle arc.

Hooray for being a crazy ruler hoarder.  Cut a total of four arcs from your strip sets.

From your white fabrics, cut a stack of 4 – 6 1/2″ squares.  Line them up with your 12″ Clammy, and cut your background arcs.

I don’t know about you, but I am loving this ruler.  I might have to break down and make a Glam Clam quilt soon.

Take your four backgrounds and four arcs, and press a crease into the middles.

Pin thoroughly, then stitch together slowly, gently tugging the fabric into position as you advance.

Press towards the background.  Ordinarily I like to press open or towards the darker fabric, but when I work with circles, the circles get to go where they like.

Join your four sections together, pinning more carefully than I did.  I’ll be picking out that bit on the right and fixing it shortly.

I’d love to show you how all of the blocks look together, but I have no idea where the others have gotten off to.  Probably hiding with the rulers.

Thanks for joining the Color Challenge this month!  If you make a Circle Play block, tag me on social media!  I love seeing how everyone plays with my ideas. I am jenstrauser on Instagram, and Dizzy Quilter on Facebook.

Previous Color Challenge Blocks

January Color Challenge
February Color Challenge
March Color Challenge
April Color Challenge
May Color Challenge
June Color Challenge
July Color Challenge
August Color Challenge