Fellow Quilters,
The latest issue of one of my favorite quilting magazines is just hitting newsstands – Quiltmaker’s ever-popular 100 Blocks’ 12th volume – and I am participating in the blog tour today. Northcott is one of the sponsors, and is providing some prizes, so for your chance to win one of the packs, please visit Quiltmaker’s blog at http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/ and leave a comment. Web editor Diane Harris has added a couple of interesting features to this volume’s tour, including a daily tip and a complimentary itty bitty block pattern – how fun!
Fluctuations throw – grey version
I have participated in several 100 blocks blog tours, and I must say that I just love the feedback that I get from my visitors. I usually take some of the blocks, either made using Northcott fabrics or designed by a pattern designer who also designs patterns for Northcott, and I recreate them in the fabric collection that is featured in Northcott’s ad in the issue.
The featured collection is Artisan Spirit – Ambience, and the quilt featured in the ad is my Fluctuations pattern – woohoo! This is one of my favorite patterns, because it is deceptively easy – I use the STRIP-R pre-printed 2” strip fabric from the Ambience collection for the chevrons in this quilt. Each chevron is made of only 2 pieces of fabric. How cool is that?!? I have also used the No-Sew Circles in the border for a quick appliqued look without the challenge. (You can purchase the pattern here: http://www.quiltwoman.com/patterns/fluctuations-quilt-pattern-pc-176/ )
The Ambience collection includes a range of 8 values in 6 eye-popping fresh color palettes, plus a STRIP-R and No-Sew Circle fabric for each palette. To recreate the blocks from Volume 12, I worked with the 8 values in the twilight palette and added a few fabrics from the other palettes for contrast.
Scanning the issue, I selected the following blocks:
Carolyn’s
#1115 editor Carolyn Beam’s Tulip Patch block, originally made with Artisan Spirit – Panache. Here is my version in Ambience.
Karen’s block
#1130 Karen Bialik’s Townhouses block, originally made with Artisan Spirit – Shimmer. Here is my Ambience version.
Chris’s block
#1145 Chris Hoover’s Easy Breezy block. My appliqués are slightly different, since I have not yet mastered appliqués in Electric Quilt. I chose pinks for the flowers.
Celine’s block
#1193 Celine Perkin’s Rock Candy block, recolored here with Ambience.
I found it interesting that 2 of the 4 blocks feature flowers. I tried combining the 2 flower blocks, however the results were less than stellar. Instead, I used Celine’s block as my alternate block. I was chatting with Celine at Quilt Market 2 weeks ago, and commented to her that I have used her blocks several times as alternate blocks in previous blog tour posts – they have turned average quilts into “I want to make that” quilts. Let’s take a look at some of the options:
1) Celine’s & Carolyn’s
Celine’s & Carolyn’s
2) Celine’s & Chris’
Celine’s & Chris’
3) Celine’s & Karen’s
Celine’s & Karen’s
I also thought that these blocks would make terrific table runners:
Carolyn’s runner
4) Carolyn’s
Celine & Karen’s runner
5) Celine’s & Karen’s
Chris’ runner
6) Chris’
Celine’s runner
7) Celine’s
Notice how Celine’s and Karen’s blocks work well together – the side triangles on Karen’s block extend the edges of Celine’s blocks to create an illusion.
Now, I have 3 prize packets of fabric to give away as well, but I would like your opinion. For a chance to win a packet, please leave a comment telling me which block above is your favorite, AND which quilt or runner (#1 to 7) is your favorite. It’s always so interesting to see what you have to say, so please don’t be shy.
Don’t forget to visit Quiltmaker’s blog at the link above for a chance to win one of their packets, and also to see what the other bloggers in the tour have for you as well. Most of all, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the latest issue of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks.
Cheers,
Patti
pattispatchwork-blog.com 
I love the mixof 3) Celine’s & Karen’s quilt! My favorite block is Karen’s #1130! The townhouses remind me of community! Thank you
Celine1190 is my favorite and i really like the way it plays with Karen’s 1130 they both add a lot to the combined design.
My favorite block is Tulip Patch and my favorite quilt or runner is Carolyn’s Runner #4
I like the Chris’s block best and the runner with Celine and Chris.
Celine’s block is my favorite, and design #5 is absolute stunning!
The townhouse block is really unusual but I’m also a sucker for tulips so I pick that as the runner.
I like Karen’s block best, there’s something about houses. I like #4 Carolyn’s runner, it would be beautiful for spring.
I love Celine’s block very much! And Carolyn’s runner 4) just won my heart!
I like Celine’s block. My favorite quilt is 2. And I like the runner 6.
patsystitch@gvtc.com
Tulip patch is my favorite block. I really like the early signs of spring with tulips in the yard. But I also like this block because it is different from the flowers that I usually add to my quilts so it sets it apart for me. I like #6, Chris’ block. The flying geese over the flowers is really great.
Carolyn’s pink tulips speak to me and so does her runner. Love the grey block combo.
My favorite block is Carolyn’s tulips but I like #3, Celine’s and Karen’s blocks as they look sharp together. Thanks for a chance to win.
I so love Karen’s Townhouse block as I’m kind of stuff on house blocks right now. It looks amazing in runner #5 when combined with Celine’s block which I almost picked as my favorite block. The runner combines my two favorites all in one.
I think Celine’s block and the table runner made from that #7 love your fabric and thanks for sponsoring this… drhodes9@cox.net
I like the Chris block the best, and the Celine and Chris quilt. They are all really nice blocks, that blend well together.
I love Karen’s block and the runner #5 using that block – very nice!!! mumbird3atgmaildotcom
I like Celine’s #1193 block and Carolyn’s #4 runner.
Wow – I love your quilt Patti! Just stunning! I would have to say that Celine’s block is my favourite. As for the quilts and runners, its a toss between #3 and #7… But I think #3 edges ahead of the #7 runner. I love the play of the colour against the black and white. So that is my 2 cents worth. Can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
I like the Rock Candy block and runner. It’s fun to see so many possibilities!
I love the 3-D effect of Celine’s block the best, and my favorite quilt is #3 that combines her block with the block by Chris.
Carolyn’s block is my favourite block and her runner #4 is also my favourite. The runner really does look like a tulip garden. Thanks for sharing and for offering a giveaway.
My favorite block is Celine’s since piecing is my favorite type of design.
I like Celine’s block because you were able to utilize it in all of the quilts. Also like the table runner with her blocks.
My favorite block is Carolyn’s Tulips, and I love the runner (#4) made with it.
For the quilt, I liked #2 – Celine and Chris’ blocks. It wasn’t busy, annd was quite engaging.
For the able runner, I liked #5, Celine and Karen’s runner. It’s the same in each direction and I like that!
Chris’ runner looks like birds flying over a spring garden. Celene’s and Karen’s quilt is the best. The more you look the more you see
I love quilt 1 and runner 7. That Rock Candy block is beautiful!
I like Celine’s and Carolyn’s quilt best: it makes more sense to the eye for me, and reminds me of pretty mosaic stepping stones in a spring garden. Lovely!
I also like Celine’s block by itself as the table runner. just a fantastic block!
reillyr2(at)hotmail(dot)com
Celine’s block is my favorite, and design #5 isI love love love.
I love the tulip block and runner!
I love Carolyn’s tulip block and then I saw the combination of #3 and must say that is my favorite as the lines are so pleasing to the eye. Although I just might have to make a table runner of that tulip block come spring. How’s that for being wishy washy?
Tulip Patch by Carolyn is my favorite block and Quilt # 3 is also my favorite. I like how the little houses make Xs of vibrant color through the quilt!
Tough decision! I’ll pick #1130 Karen Bialik’s Townhouses as my favorite block, and #3 as my favorite quilt/runner. Thanks for showing all the options, so inspiring!
Carolyn’s tulips block is my favorite because that happens to be my favorite flower. My favorite quilt though is Celine’s and Karen’s.
Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I’ hang a hard time choosing between Celine and Karen’s block because they go together so well. So their quilt, #3, is my favorite.
I am really drawn to the strong graphics in Celine’s block, and I love it by itself as a table runner. (#7) I also love the way that the Townhouse block looks when set with Celine’s block (#3)
I love Karen’s block, so I also was drawn to quilt #3 with Celine & Karen’s blocks working together!
I really like Celine’s block and the way it plays with others. Celine & Chris’ quilt is right up my alley. All the blocks are great and they made it hard to pick just one.
I really like Celine’s Rock Candy block. Likewise, runner #7 is my favorite.
Celine’s block is my favorite and quilt #3 is my favorite. I love the way the two blocks work together and especially the colors you used.
Celine’s Rock Candy is my favorite block and I love her table runner #7. Thanks for the fantastic giveaway!
My favorite block is Rocky Candy by Celine. And my favorite quilt is #2 where you combined Rock Candy with Easy Breezy. Thanks.
chris’ block and runner are my favs … love applique!
I love the Celine aNd Carolyn combo and Chris’ runner
Like Chris’ #6 block and also like it as the table runner. Enjoyed the concept of adding two blocks together.
Celine and Chris’ combo is my favorite quilt and Chris’ is my favorite block.
Carolyn’s block and runner 4 are my taste
Celine’s block is very unique, so that is my favorite block, and I love how that block and Karen’s house block play together, so #5 is my favorite runner.
Celine and Karen’s quilt is my favorite and Carolyn’s table runner is my favorite. All of them are fabulous though.
Tough choice- I do love Celine’s block but it’s hard to choose what I like it paired with best… I think Karen’s!
I like Chris’s block the best – I love the look of piecing and applique together. But I also love Celine’s block and would love to play with the setting and value to see what patterns pop up.
My favourite block is Carolyn’s Tulip block for the simple reason that tulips are my favourite flower. I love the spiky leaves! My favourite quilt is the combination of the Tulip block and Rock Candy. I love the contrast between the bright colours of the tulips and the drama of the black and white Rock Candy block.
lin.web.28 at gmail dot com
I love the combination of piecing and applique so my favorite is Chris’s
Difficult to choose, but I think I’d pick the block Rock Candy and the #1 Quilt. It’s just so different.
I like Carolyn’s tulip block the best, but I like quilt with Celine and Karen blocks together. Don’t know if it is the gray with bright colors or the secondary grid Karen’s blocks make.
I really like quilt #3. I would have never thought of putting those together.
I like the block by Celine and the quilt that combines blocks by Celine and Karen.
I love Chris and Carolyn’s designs. So sweet! My favorite quilt is Celine and Chris.
Celine’s block is my favorite of the four. #7 is my favorite runner as the design is bold and not busy.
I like Celine’s block and Carolyn’s runner #4! Such lovely blocks, quilts and runners to pick from.
I like Tulip Patch and Karen’s runner 4 but really they are all great.
My Favourite table runner is Celine’s #7 and so is her block
I like Chris’ block and Chris’ runner #6. kathleendotlutzatcomcastdotnet
I love Celine’s block and Chris’s runner. I find I’m moving towards piecework with applique. They both add their own level of interest to a quilt.
I too like Celine’s block and I really like #7 Carolyn’s runner. Thinking ahead to spring, this would be so appropriate. Not too crazy about Karen’s block, as I like houses in a more traditional fashion.
I like Carolyn’s block and Celine’s & Carolyn’s quilt.
My favorite block is Carolyn’s Tulip Patch and favorite pattern is #1. Thanks Diane O
I love Carolyn’s Tulip block. the tulip table runner and Celine’s and Carolyn’s quilt. WOW!
My favorite is Carolyn’s tulip block, pattern #1
and the tulip table runner. Thanks for the chance to win.
3
My favorite is Carolyn’s Tulip block. the tulip table runner and quilt #1.
Thanks for the chance to win.
#3 and #7… they just kinda get me …right here…. you know? Double love your pattern!! Beautiful…thank you, Patti!!
My favorite is #4 Carolyn’s runner. I want to make that for my dear friend, Helen, who us from The Netherlands. She loves tulips. Thank you so much for the inspiration.
I like Celine’s Rock Candy block and runner 7. I like the angles and repetition.
I love the 1130 block of little houses. Although I think all of the combinations are lovely, #3 really spoke to me – quite modern!
I like Chris’s block and #6 tablerunner. I like the flow of the flying geese with the row of flowers: it draws the eye. However, there is a lot to be said for the house block, too, because I like houses
Chris’s block and runner are my favorite.
Liked the delicate look of runner 4 with the tulips, but the strong graphic of Celine’s was very showy; however I am not comfortable combining the 2 together. Keep up the good work, Kathy in Colo
wow this is difficult. LOL I really love blocks from Carolyn and Celine and runners #4 and #7
I can see these two blocks together. That would be cool
Tough, tough. I think my favorite block is Karen’s, just because I am so enamoured of houses lately. It plays well Celine’s block as far as the angles and shapes go. However, I also like the subtlety of Celine’s block with Chris’s. The grey geese flow between Celine’s blocks and almost seem to be part of them, while the flowers provide a gentle wash of color amongst the greys. So, either quilt 2 or 3, and the more I look at them, the more I lean toward 2, as 3 begins to look a little “blocky” as far as color goes. (bad pun)