Lots of fun in AZ - the results of a quilting retreat

In the last post, I mentioned that I had sewn a top at a quilting retreat.  I've been going to this retreat in Phoenix for 10 years now.  Frequently I put together kits to work on while I'm there.  The main point of the weekend is to see friends and get away, but I do like to gets some sewing done too.  The last couple of years I either worked on string quilt blocks or last year it was a bargello group class.  Since I hadn't done any novelty quilts in several months I decided to do kits again.  And as often happens (I've probably posted this before) I get started making kits and end up with more ideas than I have time to sew.  Including the top I sewed the weekend before I left (couldn't wait) and the blocks I sewed into rows after I returned, I completed 5 tops - though technically I only sewed 3 1/2 while I was there - still pretty good for a 3 day weekend.  Here are the remaining tops.

This one was an idea from a catalog.  It's half square triangles arranged in a swirling pattern.  The finished blocks are just over 5", started with 6.5" squares then trimmed - I always like to trim as I'm not great on my 1/4" seam. Since I started with whole squares cut in half, this has the advantage of not only being I spy, it's also a matching game.  The extra one will have to go on the back (odd number on the front). 

Since grouping fabrics by colors work so well, I had wanted to try this design for a while.  I love the colors and contrast.  Black does always look great with bright colors.  The idea came from the Corridors pattern by Marjorie Rhine.

This quilt was a fun exercise in using up some extra 2" squares.  And with the precut 4" squares, prep was very fast.  I have done this one before, previously using only kitty fabrics and TOT squares.  But it works great with novelty scraps too.

 

This one was fun, but I think it fall in the "probably won't do this one again" category.  I think I'm definitely favoring grouped colors or a more orderly arrangement of the novelties.

 

So now I've got a significant stack of I spy tops.  At some point soon I'll need to have a quilting binge.