Playing with Kona Solids

Later this month I am teaching a class at a social media conference called SNAP. I am so thankful to Robert Kaufman for sponsoring the fabric for this class. So you can imagine my excitement when a heavy box arrived at my door last week with this gorgeous visual feast inside.

This is a class geared toward newbie quilters, so I've been working on a simple project that we could sew all together in class. Obviously Charm Squares are the perfect basic to start with - no cutting involved and we can just sit right down and sew.

The Kona Solids Classic Colors charm squares give a great variety of color with lots of options to choose from, so I figured that would give everyone a place to express their own identity. I divided one collection of charm squares into five different color ways to create five different blocks. I'm excited to put each one to work.

I decided to teach 16" blocks made from good old half-square triangles. Hard to beat the options available there - and with the variety of color choices, combined with the myriad of HST layout options, I think it's going to be a fun class. I'll also teach the option of turning it into a quilted pillow cover. I need to finish making my samples quick. These are the ones I got done yesterday. (And you can bet I used my new favorite method to square them up!) I'm excited to play with the other colors as well.

Definitely one of my favorite parts of the whole quilting thing, is playing with colors. I'm kind of enamored with solids, I think ever since my classic solids Farmer's Wife Mini quilt and then the Virtual Quilting Bee version made with solids. Also evidenced by two other solids quilts in the works right now. I guess I'm a little infatuated.

P.S. If you are looking for a special new dress just for the First day of April, you may be interested in this Vintage Sheet Dress tutorial. ;)