Skill Builder Sampler Roundup!

October 16, 2012 Leila

Yea!!! I finally finished sewing my We Can Do It! Skill Builder Sampler blocks together!! I love how they look! I love all of the things that I have learned doing this sampler! I can't believe that just a year ago I had never tried paper piecing, or inset seams and that I was scared of templates and curved piecing! I still don't like tracing templates and cutting fabric without my rotary cutter but now I know it isn't impossible. :)

I decided to sew my blocks together into three different quilts for my three girls that share a room. (Got to have matching quilts, right?) Aleah really liked the star blocks, so I pulled all the blocks that had a star feel for her. Thankfully, Colleen was enamored with the flower and butterfly blocks, so she got them. Her quilt has a more cohesive/matchy feel, but I like them both.

I put my very favorite stars in the middle of Aleah's quilt. They aren't perfect but man do I like them and am quite proud of the learning and effort that went into making them.

I love the look of applique blocks on this quilt and am sure to be doing more of it in the future too! Practice makes perfect.

I pulled some of my favorite blocks from the group to make Kate's little quilt. I really like how this group looks together! We made so many fun blocks this year!

And now I proudly present the beautiful work of those who participated long term in the Skill Builder Sampler!!!

(Disclaimer: Not all of the pictures on flickr would let me copy them and I am brain dead from lack of regular sleep, so if your quilt or blocks are not in the mosaic, please forgive me and send me a link to where I can find them and I will add them to the post.)

1. It's Christmas time!, 2. Skill builder Sampler quilt, 3. Skill Builder Sampler, 4. Red and White quilt blocks, 5. skill builder front #2 (7 blocks on back), 6. Skill Builder Quilt Top in progress, 7. skill builder quilt, 8. Skill builder - all done, 9. so far, 10. Skill Builder Sampler 1-18, 11. SBS QAL, 12. DSCN3759, 13. Skill Builder Quilt #2, 14. Skill Builder Sampler Blocks - FINISHED!, 15. All 36 SBS Blocks!, 16. P1030340, 17. DSC_0117, 18. Blocks 1-36, 19. we can do it - skill builder sampler, 20. Skill Builder Quilt #1

I cannot say enough about the beauty and skill represented by these quilts and blocks! All of the color combos, sashing options and quilting just blow me away. Please follow the links or pop over to the Skill Builder Sampler Flickr Group and give these ladies some love! They deserve it!!! Here are some close ups of finished full sized tops:

Tanya's - Whenever I saw her blocks I would think, "I really like those colors and fabric...oh wait, we are using the same line of fabric that's why!" Great minds think alike! Look at the tiny pieced sashing! I can't even imagine piecing all of that! The girl's got skills!

Cassie's- I love this color combo too! Consistently beautiful blocks - I love how the quilting makes it all crinkly and ready to cuddle up with.

Vanessa's was finished and hand quilted before anyone had even sewn all of their blocks together! Bee-you-ti-ful!! It looks like spring!

Marlene ran with the We Can Do It! theme for her beautiful quilt. I love the center panel and We-Can-Do-It colors! The rivets around the edge are awesome. What a great reminder of this year of sewing and learning!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Sampler! I would never have kept it up and learned all that I did if you weren't following along. If you are just discovering the We Can Do It! Skill Builder Sampler, please keep making the blocks and posting them to the flickr page! I will keep checking in and will highlight Skill Builder progress here.

For those who made all (or almost all) of the blocks but who haven't put them together into a quilt -- get going! ;) It makes me feel guilty, knowing that I am leaving you with a stack of blocks cluttering up your sewing area. Sew it up and show it off to friends and family this holiday season!

Again, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! for your support!

And remember, WE CAN DO IT!