Skillbuilder BOM 2014

Last year I participated in the Skill Builder BOM by Alyssa Lichner of Pile O’ Fabric.  I learned so much, and had so much fun creating the quilt last year, that when I discovered Alyssa was doing another Skill Builder BOM for 2014 I signed up right away!

Alyssa is a great teacher, and started us off with lessons in color theory, and choosing our own color scheme (if we wanted to do something different than the colors she chose for the BOM).  I enjoyed this process a lot.  I am trying to stretch myself in this area, since I am not very good with colors. I took the time to select the colors I liked, and then I printed the coloring sheet and spent quite a bit of time painstakingly coloring it in.

I wanted to get my MQG Riley Blake challenge project finished before doing any of my January BOM’s.  I decided yesterday that I had some time to get the two January blocks done, and still finish my challenge project on time.  I started making the blocks yesterday and finished today.

The ruler block was a lot of fun to make.  The Kona Charcoal fabric was not in my original plan for the ruler markings, but I wanted the ruler to actually look like a ruler.  I think adding the Charcoal was a good choice.  Although Mister asked me if I was making piano keys… Hmmmm.

I have a feeling this block is going to be my very favorite of the whole quilt.  I LOVE Aurifil thread, and I was so excited that Alyssa included a block that looks like Aurifil thread spools!  I sew exclusively with Aurifil, and sewed these blocks up with #2021 in 50 wt.  I chose the Kona Glacier to mimic the look of the Aurifil 40 wt green spool. I know its not the same color of green, but those Aurifil spools are unmistakable and I’m sure this block of spools won’t be confused with any other brand!  I enjoyed trying to make the variegated thread look, and the freedom to not have to sew the lines perfectly straight in order to mimic the winding of the thread on the spool.

Well, now that I’m caught up on the Skill Builder blocks, all I have left to do is my Sugar Block Club for January (almost finished!), and then I’ll get back to work on the Challenge quilt.  I’ll make January’s Bag of the Month in February sometime.

If you’re interested in participating in the Skill Builder BOM 2014, just click the button in the sidebar or at the top of this post.  Once you have signed up for the class, the content is there for you forever and you can work at your own pace!  It’s still early enough that you can catch up in a jiffy too!