Here is the cement brick block version one. I used some funny calico fabrics I got from an estate sale a while back - a quilter had lived there and I don't think she had bought any fabrics since 1972. There were loads of us scooping it up, but I got my fair share. I have some left after design camp and it is perfect for projects like this.

I plan to add sashing the same width around each block and I still need to figure out what I want to do for the orange doors. Maybe that will just go on the back. I am looking forward to going fabric shopping for the actual fabrics. I have also been designing a few more quilts and experimenting with some new techniques. Violet Craft showed me a great fusible interfacing project with 2" squares that I did with my after school middle school kids last week. I plan to do some paper piecing with them tomorrow. They have really been into the new techniques I've been introducing to them - and it helps me get more practice.

Tomorrow is also the Guild meeting. I think I'm going to put together an 'inspiration board' with all the research and experiments I've been doing. I am looking forward to their feedback.

I have surrounded myself with quilt books, quilt blogs, tutorials and inspiration. I have been working my way through Denise Schmidt's Quilt book - I started with her free hope bag tutorial and yesterday made a sample of the Big Zig quilt to see if I could figure it out. I wish I had a quilting fairy godmother to sit with me while I learn how to do these techniques. I will say I am more fond of piecing than I ever would have imagined.

So I set out to draw my block pattern using Adobe Illustrator. First I drew an outline of the finished block and then broke it apart using the divide filter. Then I figured out a fairly complicated way to add the 1/4" seam allowance to my shapes and proudly posted it. A very talented and wise friend told me there was a much easier way to do this, and it was a huge "DUH" moment for me. In the spirit of  the process pledge I took, I will share it:

I love the Parker Hotel in Palm Springs and wish I could have giant orange doors on my house. So I got to thinking, I can - I can make a quilt inspired by it! I put together an inspiration page with my first attempt at a design. I recently joined the Portland Modern Quilt Guild and I am on a quick study program (self enforced) I'm excited to plan this out. I started by getting about 25 books from the library and discovering that there wasn't a single block that existed like the one I drew. I was surprised, but that is typical of me to have something in my head and not be able to find it out there. So I drew it in Illustrator, printed it out and sewed it together. I discovered I had a quarter inch foot for my sewing machine and I discovered that it is the best thing ever! Perfect seam allowances every time. Here is my inspiration page: