Project Update: Starting the Ice Cream Soda Quilt Along

Hello Friends and Welcome Back!

Now that January has begun, so has the Ice Cream Soda quilt along!

Yesterday was the official start date, when Tales of Cloth sent out an introductory email to all participants including some tips for getting started! It included suggestions to help select fabric, establish your goals for the project, and decide how you will approach block creation, all of which help to set a realistic pace and expectation for yourself!

I'm excited to get started on Ice Cream Soda myself, but as per my Winter goals, I can't actually start sewing until I'm finished Hexie Harvest (I'm getting really close). So instead of starting my quilt this week, I'll be sharing my responses to the planning tips from the introductory email!

The Ice Cream Soda quilt pattern was designed by Jodi Godfrey of Tales of Cloth. The quilt along is scheduled to run January to July 2024.

Fabric Selection

Typically, for an English paper pieced project like Ice Cream Soda, you would want to use a mix of large, busy prints and subtle, blender prints to create contrast within your blocks.

Last year, I took a somewhat atypical approach by using only solids and blender prints, so this year, I'd like to take that more traditional approach and see how fussy cutting and print selection effects the final look of my blocks!

And, of course, we also need to think about colour!

As with all quilts, there's a wide range of approaches that can be taken with regards to colour. You could embrace a scrappy approach, using a variety of remnants from all manner of projects, or select a more cohesive colour scheme. If colour selection is not something you enjoy, you could pick fabrics following a theme, such as bird prints or florals, then select blender fabrics in corresponding colours, or simply use a range of prints and blenders from a single fabric line!

I usually pick a colour scheme, then use various prints that adhere to those colours, but that tends to lead to me using mostly small prints and I wanted to try working with some larger prints for this project.

I chose a bee themed fabric bundle from my stash called Queen Bee by Timeless Treasures. This has quite a few larger prints, a fun theme, and a well defined colour scheme of blacks, golds, and whites!

Then I chose some additional, corresponding prints from my stash to round out the bundle until I had enough fabric!

On top of the focus fabric used in the blocks, Ice Cream Soda requires a bit of background fabric that's featured as joining pieces.

I want my blocks to stand out against the background, so I don't want to use a matching black, white, or gold. Instead, I'd like to use this dark honey-amber solid! It matches the accent colours used in many of the prints, so it's cohesive but still contrasted.

I don't have quite as much of it as the pattern calls for, so this is the one thing I will have to visit the quilt store for. But matching solids is usually not too difficult, I'll just have to see if any of my local stores have something similar in stock!

Block Creation

With my fabric selected, I'm ready to think about the block creation process!

There are several different ways to approach block creation that were outlined in the introductory email from Tales of Cloth; working in rounds, block by block, or following a predetermined layout.

Working in rounds means that each layer of the block is pieced one at a time, with the next layer being cut after the previous one was pieced. The block used in Ice Cream Soda has three rounds; the central star made of diamonds, the larger star made of jewel shapes, and the outer ring of pentagons.

This method is best for those who like to cut and baste their pieces in bulk. It also allows for the most even distribution of prints across the quilt

Working block by block is the next method; pieces for one or a few blocks are cut and basted, then the full block is pieced. The process is repeated, alternating between small sessions of cutting, basting, and piecing until all blocks are complete!

Using this method allows for a lot of experimentation and creative freedom, with the lessons and preferences learned from one block being easily carried into the piecing of those made after.

The final method is the most static, piecing all blocks following a predetermined colour layout. For this method, all creative planning is done at the beginning, then pieces can be cut either all at once or slowly along the way.

This method is great for anyone who likes to have their whole project planned in advance, and can be great when you need some mental rest since it doesn't require creative thought or planning along the way.

Since working with larger prints is a new experience for me, and with the fun variety I have in my bundle, I'm planning to use the block by block method to experiment with as many different layouts as I can!

Setting Goals

The final points addressed in the Tales of Cloth introductory email were setting goals for yourself and understanding what you want this project to do for you.

Sometimes the purpose of a quilt is to try a new pattern or technique, sometimes it's there to let you sit back and relax, and sometimes the purpose is to be engaging and experimental!

Personally, I love creatively engaging with my quilts! Trying new fabrics and techniques, experimenting with different ways prints or colours can be used, and learning what I like and dislike will be my goals for this project!

Quilt Along Schedule

With all that preparation out of the way, there is one final adjustment that I'm planning for this quilt along, and that is to the schedule.

I plan to make the small block version of Ice Cream Soda, so according to Tales of Cloth, I will need to make 12 blocks each month, including January. But since I want to finish my Hexie Harvest top first, and we're already a good way into the month, I plan to redistribute my blocks piecing requirements.

Depending on how close to the end of this month I'm able to start, I'll either make 2 or 7 blocks in January, leaving 13 or 14 for each month that follows. That may sound like a lot of blocks, but if we think back to Hexie Harvest, I was making 9 blocks each of 2 different patterns, or 18 blocks total, each month, so 14 Ice Cream Soda blocks per month seems quite manageable!

Friends, I am so excited to get started on this new pattern! Every different version of Ice Cream Soda that I've seen has inspired my creativity and increased my excitement!

If you've made your own version of this quilt pattern before, I would love to hear about your experience and see your finished version of the quilt! You can share stories and photos in the comments below, by email, or by tagging me on Instagram!

Or perhaps my planning has inspired you to join the 2024 Ice Cream Soda quilt along! If so, please check out the Tales of Cloth website for more details about the pattern, schedule, planning process, and to buy the pattern!

I can't wait to get started, so I guess this afternoon I should get back to stitching together Hexie Harvest!

Until Next Time Friends, Happy Quilting!

~VA