Freaking Awesome "Retro Flowers" Quilt

I finished one petal on my new project, the Retro Flowers quilt from "The Sometimes Crafter" (http://sometimescrafter.blogspot.com/).  I decided to use the "Comma" collection that I have been obsessed with (Zen Chic Fabrics for Moda) to make this one with a creamy white colored background.  I am SOOO psyched!!

You can use the templates that come with the pattern to cut your pieces.  I sprung for the acrylic templates from Tabslot.  It made cutting my pieces a lot easier.

OOOOOOOOOOh!  Sewing curves-a new challenge!!

Ok - well here is my first FINISHED block.  And let me just say that I think I did as much "unsewing" as I did sewing on this block.  The upside to all of that is that I may have made every mistake possible on the piecing of this quilt - so the rest of the blocks should go more smoothly. 

But did the next block go more smoothly?

Let's see...

 Block #2 - aaaaaaaaaand GO!!

Next block - just keep pinning! (need to get some more quilt pins- only have enough to pin two at a time.

Petal blocks...Assemble!  (avengers humor..haha...hmmm)

Baby got back...a nice back-well pressed and starched (Sir Mix-a-Lot humor!  Haha...hmmm...these are the jokes folks!)

Finished petal Block

Almost done!! 

Finished block #2 - no unsewing required.

A note about squaring up the petal pieces....

1. Start with the block in this position           

                

 2.  align the 1/2 in marks on the ruler with the top and bottom of the colored curved piece.









3. Trim

4. Flip piece 180 degrees (so that it looks like this)

5. Align the solid sides with the 3 1/2 in. marks on your ruler

6. Trim

7. Taaa Daaa!! (repeat 255 times)

Here is the first row of blocks finished...this is slow going for me with a 5 year old and 2 year old at home.

Here is my finished layout (about 9 months later).

Here is the top sewn together sans borders... (changed some squares around from the original layout)

Here is the back of the quilt - it is almost as cool as the front

The 6 in borders are added around the outside - try to ignore the sippy cups, toys, and other child dandruff around the quilt - someday I will have a studio.

I sewed the backing together and took the quilt, backing, and batting to one of my new favorite places, "The Quilter's Studio" in Loveland, Ohio.  This was my first experience taking one of my quilts to be quilted by a machine.  It was much like the first time I dropped my child off at preschool, but less emotional.  I felt like I had left a little piece of myself at the studio.  But I knew that "retro flowers" was in good hands.  If you live in the Miami Valley or Cincinnati area, you should definitely check this place out.  I will definitely be returning with other quilts.

Laters!