Second Entry to the Blogger's Quilt Festival

Welcome everyone to my second entry to the Blogger's Quilt Festival this time entering the ROYGBIV or Rainbow category!

I'm Nicky and a Scot living with my family, cat and dog in the south of England.  I have been sewing most of my life but only got into patchwork in the 90s and then only as a sometime hobby. My passion for patchwork coincided with my entry into the online community in the last few years - I'm sure it was the same for lots of you!

Last year I started collecting lots of solids ably assisted by Justine and her solid fabric club!  I started this project as a way of keeping track of all those gorgeous colours and my idea was to create a bigger than usual colour chart!

 I picked the school house block (using Marti Michell's templates) as my starting point and I decided to have some fun with appropriate school subject themed background.

I shelved my project after making just a few blocks on a dark text background...it was looking a little gloomy!

This year I picked it for a monthly challenge in the Lazy Bum flickr group - a support group for anyone who is a stranger to quilt finishing!   We had a global virtual retreat trying to complete lots of blocks!

I decided my dark background worked well as a border and went for a brighter feel with cream/white backgrounds in the centre - all with a school subject theme - here is the House of Chemistry!

I really got going during the retreat and in one day made more blocks than I had previously by chain cutting and piecing!  I became a school house block machine and ended up with 81 blocks for a 9 x 9 layout!   

My top was complete!

I found some Letterpress backing to compliment my quilt 

and machine quilted a grid round my blocks and hand stitched round each of my 81 houses in cotton perle...each house with a matching or toning thread!

And I have to say I'm really pleased with the result - my Konaville quilt!

I hope you enjoy looking at the feast of quilts in this festival.   There are wonderful quilts in each and every category!

Don't forget to vote and if you vote for mine then I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you - I do appreciate the compliment!