Modern Sampler Quilt – in progress

A couple of weeks back I mentioned how I was busy working on new classes for the Autumn, well this here quilt top was what took up most of my time.
It’s not quite finished but I thought there was enough done to share with you.

I have doing my 2 intermediate patchwork evening classes, Modern Patchwork Techniques 1 and 2, for a year or so now. These are 5 week courses where we tackle a new technique every week. But at the end of the course you basically have 5 different quilts started with only a block or 2 completed. So I thought we would move on to a longer, 8 week class where all the blocks fit together to make a quilt.
But I didn’t want to do a traditional sampler quilt where all the blocks are the same size and they’re all sashed together as I find those sort of quilts very dull.
So I designed this to be different and modern.

Here is the star of the show IMHO, it’s a crazy Dresden plate made using the EZ Dresden Ruler (which I’d bought a year ago but never used!). The ruler worked like a dream and I have to say that I am totally in love with this block and want to make a whole quilt of just these!

Next up are 2 Japanese x and + blocks. I had always loved these but never got around to trying them before. They are so quick and easy! I think my students can manage 3 of these little darlings.

I found this block in an old Amish Quilt book. It’s called Botch Handle, I’m not totally sure what a ‘botch’ is so I may need to rename it! Any ideas folks? Or can anyone illuminate me on botches?
I updated the block to work with flying geese as the original was very fiddly.
And to the side here are 2 scrappy fan blocks. These are paper pieced and then curve pieced, but I still think we can get 2 done in a class!

Next up is a Pineapple Log Cabin. I made this entirely with strips rather than triangles (apart from the centre block). This ones a bit of a brain ache to work out but I love the effect.

A couple of baskets. I love the tall skinny baskets that I’ve seen on modern quilts but I decided to make mine a bit more realistic (and useful if it was an actual basket!) and to echo the shape of the traditional basket block that is usually made up of HSTs. I will increase the block size when we do the class so we don’t need that filler strip (pretty thought it is).

I got this cross block from a Japanese book, but worked out a different way to make it with strips. I love it’s simplicity. There are lots of blocks here that I would like to spend time exploring in more depth. I really can’t imagine running out of quilts that I want to make ever!

I’ve just realised I forgot to take a photo of the appliqued block. This is my take on the traditional ‘wreath of roses’ block that I have in so many old books. Scroll up to the top photo for a quick look. Since I took these photos I have added a small flower to the leaves in the middle and a couple of mini EPP hexagon flowers to the typewriter key block in the right hand corner.
Now I have 3 borders to add before I baste and quilt.
I will post the finished quilt in a few weeks time (hopefully!).
Meanwhile I just listed the class on our website so it’s ready for booking. But don’t book just yet as you’ll miss out on our 10% off early bird Autumn class offer which starts tomorrow (when I have got hubby to set up the discout code on the website!). If you are interested then email me or sign up for our newsletter.
I would love to know what you think of this quilt. It was actually really hard work to get it this far! I just hope I am on the right track and students feel it will be worth an 8 week class to make a similar one.