City Sampler Quilt

My City Sampler quilt top is finally finished, and I'm so happy with it!  This quilt is going to be a gift for my husband's mom for her 70th Birthday, and so it is constructed of 70 blocks, 7 rows of 10.  It's a bit of an odd size -- long enough for a double bed, but not quite wide enough -- but I think it will be a lovely "cuddle quilt" for her living room.

The fabrics are Sugar Pop by Moda, the same fabrics I used for my Farmer's Wife Quilt.  In fact, most of the squares were made from leftovers and scraps!  I threw in a few pink, brown and turquoise solids, too, and the background is Kona Snow.  I used an alternating square/diamond setting again, just like for my Farmer's Wife and Granny Square quilts.  I just love this setting!

I love how this quilt looks out in the snow!

Linking up to the

City Sampler Sew Along Finale at Sew Sweetness!

Works in Progress (1/29/14)

I've had a busy week, with lots of projects in various stages of completion!

I finished up my blocks for my do. Good Stitches bee,

scrappy inverse stars (tutorial here).

(Before)

(After)

I'm trying out making fabric covers for these bins from Ikea.  I'm planning to post a tutorial once I'm happy with the measurements and the way the covers fit.  This is going to give my basement storage a much needed makeover!

 I've also been working hard at finishing up this quilt top:

 I completed the last few blocks yesterday, and now just need to get them all sashed and into a quilt top.  I'm hoping I can finish it by Friday, to enter it into the contest at Sew Sweetness.  The winner gets to have their quilt top quilted by Angela Walters -- what a treat that would be!

(Linking up to WIP Wed at Freshly Pieced)

Starburst Spools

 My quilt top for the DQS14 is finished!

I think this might be the most challenging quilt I've ever made.

The pattern is adorable (Starburst Spools by Charise Creates) -- but getting all of those seams to line up was quite a difficult task!!!  And since it's a quilt I'm sending to someone, I couldn't bear for it to not be perfect (or at least close to perfect)!

This little quilt measures 15 x 15 inches.

Now I just need to figure out how to quilt it. . . 

I'm thinking about hand quilting the center starburst, and then free motion quilting a small design in the white background, so that the spools really pop.  If you have other advice, though, please share!!!