My daughter (a grown up) really likes daisies and I picked the daisy fabrics thinking that this quilt might be next year's Christmas present. She and hubby have just painted their bedroom a very pale blue.. almost white but just a hint of color. I think the blue fabrics are gentle enough to be restful.

Of course I haven't promised it to her... yet. But she does come by often and always wants to claim "dibs" on whatever I am working on! lol

hugs, Jupiter

For anyone that hasn't ordered the book yet a brilliant site called The Book Depository is offering at discount - they ship worldwide for FREE

Yay! I received my book today from Amazon. Now to go look at it and decide on my fabric.

The fun begins!

Count me in. Found the book today at Joann's at 40% off. Have read through tonight and it sounds very interesting and challenging. Will watch video tomorrow.

I like that it is something totally different for me. I have made blocks and I have appliqued. Never appliqued to make a block.

Welcome to all the new comers! I stopped counting, but we do have a large crew here. I am so glad you are all getting the book and liking what you are seeing. This will be a special place for sure when we all start posting photos every week. I'll bet we get a very large variety of looks just because everyone's fabric choices are different. I can hardly wait!

hugs, Jupiter

I love JoAnn's and their coupons. :D If any of you are not signed up for JoAnn mailings, you really should. They shower you with coupons every month. You can sign up both on the internet for online coupons, and in the store for regular mail out ads with coupons. ... just a suggestion, didn't mean to sound like a spokesman...lol

hugs, Jup

There are some video tutes on youtube, search Penny Haren, and a website to download templates. http://www.landauercorp.com/aspx/general/Links.aspx
It's amazing how simple she makes it look. Gonna be fun for sure.

So, in the book she says to practice making foundation blocks *before* you start cutting your fabric for the project - meaning that we should make our first foundation blocks from scraps from our stash. Is that what you all are planning to do, or are you going to plan out a few of your blocks and make foundation blocks that you will use in your project?

It seems wasteful to make foundation blocks we aren't going to use - the foundation blocks themselves don't seem all that complicated. But then again, it's not like I'm an expert quilter who couldn't use the practice!

What will you do?

since I am a newbie, I did some practice blocks just to try to understand what was being written.

I will probably dive right into using the good fabric. The foundation blocks don't look hard and I bought a lot of fabric that I am anxious to cut into!

hugs, Jupiter

So which one did you do, was it hard, was it fun, did it turn out great??? Inquiring minds want to know!

hugs, Jup

That's how I feel too - that the foundation blocks don't look too hard - and I want to feel like I'm getting started on the real deal!

In other news... I'm having a fabric crisis and rethinking my choices... I **may** be posting new fabrics sometime soon. (Don't worry about my poor little batiks, I've already thought of a new use for them!)

Yes! Let us see!

Definitely.......would love to see!

I'm having a crisis of sorts as well. I now have 17 half yard cuts of fabrics I would like to use. They all are coordinating turquoise and brown. I'm anxious to get started but am wondering how we will determine which fabrics to use in which blocks, which colors to use for which foundation blocks etc. Lets get started already :)

Once I decide on some fabric.....I plan to look ahead and layout certain fabrics (and label them) for certain blocks. Of course, you can always change your mind on a few, but for the most part, the decision part will be done and I can move on to learning the applique part.

I'm having a hard time deciding on the fabric though. I guess that is why I plan to lay it all out before we start. Which fabrics to use for which pattern is always my little hiccup in quilting. LOL

Oh, I've already planned out each and every block using my batiks... that was my in-flight entertainment during my trip last week. (My husband thinks I'm insane and couldn't understand why I was sketching all the blocks in my notebook and labeling them when I 'could just use the pictures in the book when it's time.') It hasn't stopped me from having a fabric crisis though! Maybe I'll make the first few blocks in both sets of fabric and see which one I like better... :oops: :roll:

First let me say that this info/idea is 'on the run'. I may think better of it later on, but for now....

Looking through the book, Penny says it take 8 fabrics. I looked at the fabric list at the beginning of each block pattern, and she calls them by 8 different names:

Gold Print, Gold Fabric
Orange Print, Orange Fabric
Green Print, Green Fabric
Black Print, Black Fabric
(that makes 8)

I am planning to compare my fabrics to the ones she is using to determine which are darks, medium, and lights. Then I am going to name each of my fabrics by one of her names...(what she calls "orange print" may actually be blue daisy print for me, but I am going to call those daisys "orange print"). I only have to figure this out once, then pin a name tag to each of my fabrics, calling them by her names. When I make a block, I won't be trying then to figure out which fabric to use. Penny will have it all figured out for me.... I hope! lol

Gotta run. Grocery store is calling my name.

hugs, Jupiter

Excellent Idea!! I'm going to try that also..........when I find my fabric. ;-)

I just did the first few foundation blocks.

I did the first 3 foundation blocks but I am trying really hard to hold back. I want to do this with the group and not take off on my own. It is hard though....

I know how tempting it is to forge on ahead, but I am trying to wait and start with the group. Also, I still have some Christmas stitching to do, and that all has to be done in the next 2 weeks! Then I hope I 'de-clutter' my sewing studio before I dive into this project. It will sure be fun and a learning experience come January...

hugs, Jupiter

I was so excited about this, that I quickly ordered the book and forgot to post that I was going to join. I'm in! Can't wait to get the book. We are in Texas now and my local quilting guild at home is having a workshop this winter on one of Penny Haren's other books, I was disappointed that I was going to miss it. This will be even more fun as it will last all winter.

I have all the fabrics and book. Waiting to start come the new year.

mtngrl, is that your pooch in your avatar? I'm in love!!!

In other news, my fabric crisis is over (I know you were all holding your collective breath over that one :wink: ) and I am sticking with the batiks. I did order a cream color and an amber color to give myself a little more range in my tone and flexibility. I think I was feeling like my blocks were going to be neon-batik! They still may be, but oh well!

Looking forward to getting my Christmas projects done so that I can get started on my blocks in the new year!

The pooch is our baby:) He is one year old tomorrow. Peppi is a Maltipoo and an absolute sweetie.

mtngrl your avatar sure looks like a westie to me. I used to breed these wonderful dogs here in Alberta

sorry mtngrl - your baby sure looks like a westie - at least what we can see!!!

Glad to have you, mtngrl. This is going to be fun every week for a long time!

hugs, Jupiter

Hi, sent you a pm so I didn't hijack the thread. Peppi is one year old today.

I agree the pic looks westie-ish. I grew up with a westie - maybe that's why I find Peppi's face so appealling too.

AND, today is a great day for a birthday - it's mine too! That may be another reason I'm in love with Peppi! I'm looking forward to seeing his cute little face over the next few months as we work through the book...

Give him a birthday hug from me!

Happy Birthday Lara! I hope your day is special in every way.

hugs, Jupiter

Happy Belated Birthday, hope you had a great day:)

Thanks Jupiter and mtngrl!

This thread has been so quiet lately, but I guess we're all just patiently waiting until it's time to start our blocks! I need to hurry up and finish my Christmas projects so that I can clean up my space and start fresh in the new year.

I have 2 more pajama pants to make and then I am done with my Christmas present sewing.... I hope. Unless 'round 2' starts up in my swirling head! lol

I intend to, and want to, lay out my fabrics for this project and assign each of them a color name that co ordinates with the book. As much as I love Christmas, I am ready for it to be January!!!

I also have a lot of blocks from Boomerang 3 swap. It is about to end and I am expecting @ 12 more blocks to come my way. I mailed mine out weeks ago. I have started a king sized quilt with these.... I am finally going to have a quilt on my own bed!

Happy stitching to all,
hugs, Jupiter

Just two more pajama pants seems like heaven - I don't seem to be making any progress at all! I have two more stuffed animals, 2 and 1/2 doll quilts and at least 3 cosmetic bags left to go. I think I am letting go of the table runner ideas... And tonight I had to bring home work - which has me on the computer (and goofing off) instead of sewing (or working).... Grrrrrr......

I can't wait for Boomerang 4.0! I got on April's list already. You all seem to be having so much fun - I wanna play too!

This look interesting. :) I have some Jinney Beyer border fabric that I got years ago and didn't use. You know how her borders are very good for this type of thing. If I have enough fabrics to go with it, maybe I will do this. I don't want to buy more fabric right now.

Pittsburgpam: I love your avatar quilt. Everytime I see it I like it more.