Block Head

I decided I wanted to work on something with a low challenge threshhold tonight, so I figured I'd catch up on my . . . well, I'm not sure what to call them. You know where someone--like Moose on the Porch--does a sampler block quilt thing and invites different designers to design blocks? She calls them quilt-alongs, which seems like a good name for them. But then I'm doing this Waiting for Spring "block-a-palooza" thing too, which also seems like a good name. If you're quilting on crack, anyway. But I guess you know what I'm talking about now, right? So that's what I decided to do.

Sometimes I ask myself why I participate in these things, and I don't really have much of an answer. I guess they're just kind of fun. Do you like to play too?

One thing I've found is that not all designers are equal. I guess I knew that before, but I'm reminded of it every so often with these quilt-alongs. You can tell that some designers just throw something out there that's easy for them, and they don't put much thought or work into it. I don't really "get" that because this is their chance to attract new potential customers to their patterns and designs.

For instance, one block we were given in one of these things had been used for another quilt design, and when many of the same block were put together, it made for a cool pattern, but one block by itself--well, it just didn't seem to make sense. Still, there are plenty of good designers who take time to find or design some interesting blocks for us.

This is the first block of the Waiting for Spring thing, which was designed by Quilt Dad.

I like the design, but I'm concerned about the low contrast in fabrics. Maybe I should have just listened to my inner quilter and selected fabrics with more contrast, but since it was the first block, I thought I'd make it according to design and wait and see. By the way, I was amused that my foot ended up in the photo, so I left it there--a friend gave me these crazy socks for Christmas and I feel like I should be in a Dr. Seuss book when I wear them!

Here's the other block I made--this one is from the Layer Cake Quilt-Along--no foot in this one.

I really liked this design--it went together well and I like the way it looks. It was designed by Celine Perkins of Perkins Dry Goods.

One of the things I really appreciate with the designs we're given is a good PDF file of the block pattern that can be printed in one or two pages and taken into the Sweat Shop for cutting and sewing. This second block was perfect--two pages with some nice colored illustrations. The first block? The PDF version was 18 or 19 pages--much, much too long for me to want to print, so I spent time going back and forth from my sewing room to the computer--unfortunately, I don't have a lap top, darn it!

Every so often, I think of doing my own block-a-thon project here on my blog--with me as the designer, of course! What are the things that you like and that are important to you when you participate in something like this? And what are the things that drive you crazy? Any tips you can share would be appreciated!