NQM - BOM blocks 9-12

Though I finished the quilt back in April, I didn't follow up on posting it.  So, today I am catching up.  The designers that National Quilt Museum has chosen to do the BOM has been amazing.  The last 3 blocks are no exception.  Block #9 was a Japanese design by Robin Gausebeck.  This is my finished block.

Adding the sashiko stitching really brought this block to life.  I used a chalk pencil to draw the flowers and the cube shapes, then stitched with Japanese cotton by hand.  Three of the colored squares are hand ice dyed fabrics that I did earlier. 

Block #10 is Hawaiian applique.  The designer chosen was Nancy Ann Sobel.  Her sample was a dogwood, but I wanted to put in the turtle as a reminder of the turtles we had seen while there some years ago.  The turtle fabric is also ice dyed.

Block #11 is the pinecone inspired by Betty Ford-Smith.  This one was very challenging as all the folded triangles are layered making it very heavy and bulky.  Not my favorite block, but it was fun to learn about it.

Block #12 was the Courthouse steps pattern inspired by Kim Niedzwiecki or Go Go Kim.  I enjoyed this paper pieced design.  Each of the logs are super narrow. 

The dark gray shadow really shows off each block giving them a lot of contrast.  

I added a gray outer border and quilted each block with a different design.  The gray outer border is quilted with a feather design.  I finished it by the deadline and received the special label.