EZ Dresden Challenge Quilt

I am so excited to be participating in the EZ Dresden Challenge!  The blog hop in June was so much fun, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the projects that everyone posts.

My entry is an original design that I call "The Dresden Wave."  I started with width of fabric strips in varying widths, and sewed them all together to equal sections 8" wide, because that is the width of the EZ Dresden ruler.  I used the ruler to cut wedges, and also cut 2 1/2" wide parallelograms, then rearranged the order to get this wave pattern.  I've got a tutorial posted here on how to do it if you'd like to check it out.

Once I had all of the blocks pieced I "squared" them up into rectangles, added white sashing to two sides to make them squares, and arranged them in a weave layout.

Here is the finished quilt, and I LOVE it.  Finished measurements are 52x70. This is a good throw-size quilt for a tall person like me, which is perfect, because this one is all mine. =)

Here's a little closer shot in some dappled shade:

I quilted it with allover leaves, which was inspired by Angela Walters' new book.

When making the blocks, I could cut pieces for three blocks out of each strip set, with a chunk left at the end.  I thought about what I could do with these leftover pieces, and came up with a tumbler idea for the back of the quilt.  I had purchased only two yards of fabric for the back, knowing it wouldn't be wide enough for my quilt, so I had planned on piecing it somehow, and the tumbler idea fit.  

I cut the tumblers using the width of the EZ Dresden Ruler, plus 2 3/4".    I added white strips in between.

And here's the back!  I LOVE how it turned out.  The section of tumblers was a little bit too short, but I had one complete set of strips left, and was able to cut some more tumblers for the ends, as well as some straight sections for some horizontal interest on the back as well. 

                         

This is only my second back that I've pieced, I usually just use one fabric.  I enjoyed the challenge of using my leftover pieces and my ruler to make this happen, and I'm really happy with the result I got.  I used up almost every inch of fabric that I had, there are very few scraps left at all.

The fabric I used in this quilt is Heirloom by Joel Dewberry in the Sapphire colorway.  The white I used is a white-on-white print with just a tinge of ivory, which works well because the white in Heirloom is really not white at all if you look at it closely.

I couldn't be happier with how this turned out.  I think this will be my favorite quilt for a long time!

I'm so glad that the Salt Lake Modern Quilt Guild has spearheaded this whole event, and that I've had the opportunity to participate.  It has been so fun to come up with a unique idea that is completely my own and make it into something beautiful.

If you haven't already, head on over to the Salt Lake Modern Quilt Guild to see what other people are posting!  Entries are open from September 1-6.

Happy Anniversary Darlene Zimmerman!  Thank you for designing such wonderful rulers!

I'm also linking this up as my "End of the Hallway" project for August at From the Blue Chair.  Thanks, Kati for hosting!