2024 Temperature Quilt--Caught Up!

October row added

The last day I sewed was September 30 which was the day before my knee joint replacement surgery. Although I tried, I pain made it unable for me to sit at the machine until Monday, November 4! On that day, with many breaks, I stitched for about two hours in total. Gosh, it felt good to hear the hum of the machine and to construct pieces into blocks!

By November 16, I not only had pieced all of days for October and sewn them to the top; but, I had also stitched the blocks up to that date. What a feeling of accomplishment that was!

I've enjoyed having this project on my design wall. The way the colors interact with each other are totally due to Mother Nature. The subtle secondary designs are not something that I would have made on my own!

Swatch card of Superior Solids

Getting caught up with the Temperature quilt blocks was goal number three on my November list. I am planning a 2025 Temperature quilt. This time, I've had to figure out fabrics because the source where I purchased my hand dyed fabrics closed her business earlier this year. I made a list of different manufacturers that sold solid fabrics. 

I went on line to review what people thought of the fabrics. I looked at the availability of purchasing the fabrics. In the end, I decided to go with Superior Solids made by Benartex. 

Through Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle's Modern Quilt Studio, I purchased a swatch card. Over the years, I've purchased a lot of Benartex fabrics and liked the hand of the fabrics. Being able to see all the colors available at one time was helpful.

Legend for temperatures, sun, snow, rain

I photo copied each page of the swatch card. As I made my selections, I would cut the photo copy of the color and glue it on a piece of notebook paper. I wanted to

see how my selections interacted with each other. For the most part, I was happy with my choices. There were a few instances where I made a different selection. My goal was that there would be enough of a value change that no colors would blend together. You might think that there is a place or two that the colors blend; but, that is because the photo copy color isn't true to the fabric swatch.

Last summer, I picked a pattern that the Fat Quarter shop offered. Earlier this month, I decided that I wanted to make individual house blocks rather than twelve houses. Learning from my paper piecing temperature quilt, I determined the setting to be sure the quilt would be wide and long enough to cover someone. 

Legend for filler trees

This time, I'm using all Benartex fabrics. Snow, rain and sunshine will be represented with white, blue and light yellow fabrics. In determining the setting, I realized that I needed a block to differentiate the months as well as filler blocks. I decided I would make a simple pine tree.

I chose three different fabrics for the pine trees and three different fabrics for the trunks. Next month, I'll make a trial block
to see if my measurements are going to work. 

I'll also be ordering the fabric next month. I thought I would be able to order fat quarters; but, the online sources that I found only sold by the yard. Starting this project is going to not only bring in a bunch of yardage; but, I'll be spending some money too! I have not made such an investment in 
my stash. . .ever!

Sketch of possible design

Goal number four on my November list was to determine the fabrics for the 2025 Temperature quilt. Goal number five on my November list was to determine the pattern!

Linking to Alycia and Finished or Not Friday; Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.