The Madrona Challenge

I am a member of the IQG (Indianapolis Quilt Guild) and I joined them in a Modrona Road challenge. We were given some FQs of Madrona and told to make something from them. I loved these prints and was excited about using them. I thumbed through some books and found something I had to use. I opened up my Share Workshop for Quilters and there was the dream garden diamonds quilt. 

Isn't it pretty?? 

Here is the fabric I started with.  

I love how the burnt gold makes the colors POP and I got the cornflower blue (color as truck and barn) to use as the background. The piecing was outrageous. Final count was 314 squares and 142 rectangles!!

The plan for all of this was to take it home over the holidays to Ohio so that I had something to work on. 

Plan definitely worked and I was able to get the top completely done before we left!!

Good thing I have a tall husband! I had a ton of triangles left over so I sewed a few together and made a pillow top. 

And now a few words about the pattern and book. The book is very straight-forward and gives 60+ blocks focusing on different shapes. There are also a bunch of projects to go with the blocks. Not just quilts but table runners, a clock, and a body pillow. 

The pattern is only 2 pages long and has pictures for the steps. Very easy to follow, especially if you have worked with HSTs before. Would be a good project for an experienced beginner to try out. 

And now back to the quilt. 

I had all these neat ideas about quilting it. Then I realized that it was due at the end of January and I didn't want to do too much. I ended up stitching in the ditch around the squares and the diamond-like shape. I used a golden thread so that it showed up on the blue background. It came out awesome!!

I wash it and it is all comfy and warm!! I used 80/20 batting for it. 

I didn't actually have a pattern for the pillow so I just threw it together as I went. I used a 16-inch pillow form. I knew I wanted cording on it so I made some from the cornflower and used the envelope style for the background. I love it and might have to make a matching one!

Even if I don't get picked for this challenge, I love what I made and all the fabrics and colors I used!!

Have a great week and stay dry!!

~KIM