I finished the skill builder sampler quilt!   YAY!!!  This quilt has been over one year in the making.   Did I learn anything by making this quilt?  YOU BET!   I was not very good at curves, or applique, but after this quilt, I feel adequate enough to venture on a quilt using these techniques.  The first few blocks of my skill builder sampler can be found in my Quilt of Valor quilt, but the rest, plus a few others, complete this marvelous quilt!

Quilt of Valor using some of my Skill Builder Sampler Blocks

 A long time ago, I had purchased A LOT of Holly Holderman’s Dolly Dresses fabric.  When Leila asked us to choose a fabric to work with for our skill builder sampler, I knew I wanted to do a few red, white, and blue ones first, but then switch over to the Dolly Dresses line.  Leila also used these fabrics, in addition to a few others, and so it was fun to watch how she made her blocks, and how similar or differently our blocks turned out.

Here are a few close ups of the quilt:

hexagon, wonky star, wonky square in square, butterfly blocks

drunkards path, nautical star, tumblers, improv house blocks

apple peel, curves, fan, circles, and paper piecing

equilateral triangles, circular flying geese, floral applique, curves, and crazy quilt techniques

I decided to do a “postage stamp” border to this quilt, but with also a white border around each block.  I am so excited about how the final quilt looks.  I used the yellow and periwinkle plaid fabric to bind the quilt.  and the back is made from left over blocks and left over fabric from the Dolly Dresses lines.

I also completed a pillow top with some left over fabrics from yet another dresden quilt that I am making.  These dresden wedges were placed inside an equilateral triangle, making this fun design.  Here is the original drawing of the triangles that I needed to put together for this 18 inch pillow top:

 I had to cut off a lot to make the actual pillow top, though.

This pillow case uses the dresden wedge shape within an equilateral triangle to make this wonderful design

I had to cut off the thickest portion of the dresden wedges, since the wedges were pre-cut before designing this pillow top, but I used the tumbler-like left overs to put together an envelope for the pillow back.

My neighbor won this pillow at a service auction I donated to.  I won family pictures, so I think it was a decent trade.  :)

This quilt ended up, after washing and drying, 74 inches by 88 inches.  Perfect for a twin bed, or a full size bed.

I am so happy to have completes these two projects.  Now I can start more new things, including Halloween costumes and MORE QUILTS!  Thanks for stopping by!