Splendid Sampler 2 It's My Day!

Hello everyone, I'm so happy to share with you my block for the Splendid Sampler 2. Today we are showing 4 blocks by 4 designers. 

I have lots to tell you and lots to show you and finally an opportunity to win a grab bag of some of the fabrics I'm using to make my blocks.

My block, Piece in Chaos pretty much exemplifies my quilting life, at it's best.  Like many of you, my love of quilting centers around my love of fabric. I'm constantly busy, working on deadlines  and then life interrupts, with a new idea, a new project and yes, new fabric and chaos ensues. 

I love the excitement of starting a new project, the variety of tasks and fabrics, but  then when things are due at the same time, it is just crazy. 

I've often times found my best ideas come when the clock is ticking.

Here is my block, Piece in Chaos on Page 49.

Imagine the beginning of a project as the center pinwheel, all the parts assembled, then framing it, and calm surrounds. Then, out of the blue, the 4 corner triangles represent 4 new ideas or deadlines.  LOL.  Are you a finisher, or would you run to start the new project.?

  Welcome to my world as an author and fabric designer. Add juggler and pattern designer. 

And I love it ALL!

All kidding aside, this block was super fun to make. So I made a few more...

and sewed them together.  I love the secondary design that is created!  Four blocks with different fabrics and you have a cute little 12" x 12" table topper.

For all the blocks I've made, I have selected a warm palette of rich reds, creams, tans, browns and dark blues from my different lines with Moda Fabrics.

Many of the fabrics are from my newest line with Moda, Harriet's Handwork.

For each line I design for Moda, I select a woman's name and give a little of her story to add to the fun. I select prints from my antique quilt collection to go along with the time period. Here is a little bit of Harriet's story....

Harriet Hanson, at age 10, began working in Boott Cotton Mills in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1835. To help her widowed mother and family, she took a position as a "doffer". As a "doffer", Harriet replaced full bobbins with empty ones. For 15 minutes each hour, Harriet raced back and forth along the loom alley carrying a bobbin box almost as big as she.  In her free time, she could read or play, passing time until needed.  She held this position, working 14 hour days at $2.00 a week for a number of years until she was promoted to "drawing - in" girl. This position was a desirable one which required steady hands and nimble fingers to draw-in the warp threads to prepare the beam for the loom.  With this position, Harriet worked at her own pace and was paid by the piece.  Harriet continued to work in the mill until she married at age 23. 

Below are a few photos of the blocks made so far.  I LOVE this palette.

I'm still trying to catch up and get the blocks done in a timely fashion.

I did not get to make the other 3 designer's blocks for to day, unfortunately.

Please go to their blogs or websites to see what they have made. Links below.

As a thank you for being with me today, I'd like to host a little giveaway.

If you will, please leave me a comment and using a random number generator, I'll select a winner for a grab bag of Betsy fabric and send to you.

Please click on the name to visit Jane Davidson, Patrina Jahnke, and Pat Sloan to see their blocks.

 In stores now, if you don't have a copy.

I'm so happy to be a part of The Splendid Sampler 2  design team!

Thank you Pat, Jane and Martingale!

Don't forget to leave me a comment before you go.

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time,

~ Betsy