Playing with Strips

July was my month to design our quilt for do. Good Stitches and I wanted to do something a little different so instead of asking for two 12.5" blocks as usual, I asked each of the lovely ladies in the Hope Circle to send me one red strip measuring 48" x 6.5" instead.

The strips have been trickling in. I'm still waiting for the last two which are on their way and should be here any day but I just couldn't resist getting the strips already in my possession up on my design wall for a sneak peek.

I put the strips up randomly. I haven't even started to think about layout yet and I won't until I get the two final strips and make my own. I always wait to make my blocks (or in this case strip) until I've collected all the pieces so I can determine if I need to balance anything out.

Can I just tell you how much I'm absolutely LOVING how this quilt is coming together?! Seriously I think it's glorious in all it's scrappiness! The wonderful women of the Hope Circle have outdone themselves. There are so many little lovely details in each strip.

Look at the gorgeous prints Rachel used... (And she was afraid it was too Christmas-y. No Way! It's beautiful!)

And I the hippo print Suzy used in her strip is one of my favorites!

Muriël made a gorgeous cross strip...

(and even added some special goodies in her package that I didn't find until I opened it up last night! Thank you!!)

Kat added some super cool blocks into her strip...

I love Janet's use of prints in the tiny squares she incorporated throughout...

And check out the block piecing that Nicole did for hers...

Lori's detailing really knocked my socks off!

I think I may be making more of these in my future!