I saw this block on Saturday at the guild meeting. The blocks is very appealing. I suspect it is all that pink, but it could also be the combination of pink and green.
I didn’t get the specs, but think the patches are 2.5 inches (cut), the pink sashing is probably .75 inches (cut) and the green sashing is probably 5/8 inches (cut). Once I get some of my other projects out of the way, I might try one of these blocks.
Claire is really doing a good job trying to inspire everyone to participate in the guild donation project. She always has something new to inspire us.
Although I don’t need more ideas for donation blocks, I can’t help thinking about them. After yesterday’s post about the new block Claire has put forward, I was somehow reminded that I have been thinking about the Patchwork Wheel blocks the guild collected in 2012.
As I said in a post back in the day, I just used the kits I was given to make the blocks. I could definitely make more of these blocks using some of the 2.5 inch squares I have collected. The blocks would be small and I would need a lot of them to make a whole quilt. I think I used 5 inch squares in the quilt I made before.
This is a different pattern and worth thinking about making again.
As mentioned I started this quilt at the retreat, but I just made blocks. I didn’t really have space to put them up on a design wall and look at them. Now that I can, I am pretty pleased. I like the variety of greens. I also like the contrast with the background.
I still have about 60 blocks to make, which is a lot, but doable if I sit down and do it.
I could use this as a leaders and enders project with the Retreat Organizer, but I have been using the green donations quilt blocks as leaders and enders. I’ll start making blocks again soon.
I haven’t actually worked on it since I put it up yesterday, but the opportunity it there. This will be the newest of the Niece-phews quilts.
I had to clear the Retreat Organizer off the design wall, which encouraged me to start working on it. I made small amounts of progress after work each night last week. I feel well into now and was sad not to be able to work on it yesterday.
Retreat Organizer exterior with buckles
Retreat Organizer exterior buckles
First, I was on the hardware step, so I added buckles and made straps. In the photo above (left) I have the female side of the buckles attached to the exterior. On the right you can see the male side of the buckles with the straps attached, but not attached to the exterior of the bag.
In this pattern, the straps are appliqued to the exterior not appliqued and sewn into a seam.
Retreat Organizer interior vinyl pocket
I also worked a little on the interior. This is one large pocket that has been divided into three.
This was originally supposed to be a fabric pocket. For me, out of sight is out of mind, so I made the pocket(s) out of vinyl. I put some fold over elastic** over the edge to avoid looking a raw edge.
On the picture you can see some tape and tissue paper, both of which I used to sew the dividing lines on the vinyl. These are pockets you could customize. I almost left one big pocket, but decided even a vinyl pocket might become a black hole of doom.
This project is off the design wall, which is great, but it is now spending most of its time on my ironing board. I really need a larger work table.
You can find this pattern with all of the videos on the Crafty Gemini website as the Retreat-in-a-Bag project.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
I finally took some time on Mother’s Day to finish this pouch. It has been laying around for a few weeks. It was the perfect project for Mother’s Day. I got to sew AND I finished something.
Palomino Pouch – end
This is the second one of this pattern I have made. It is a fairly easy project, though the turns on the curved end are tight. Again, I did some fussy cutting, which I think looks nice.
I know this isn’t exactly pink; it’s more peachy, but it does show the range of pinks. I am definitely in the “give me bright pink” like the Bluestem Pouch camp. Still, this is a nice soft look
I was also pleased that the gluing together part worked for me this time. I had a better idea of how to do it and I am sure that helped.
The other thing I did was to sew down the quarter marking areas. I did a few steps over the quarter marking to tack the various pieces in place, then I went around the whole pieces. That worked pretty well, though those curves are tight for my machine.
Palomino Pouch interior
The inside looks like an inside.
I used a leftover zipper and one of the zipper pulls from Sew Hungry Hippie. I also forgot to put a label inside. Oh well.
These three blocks are the last blocks I found from the batch with the Handbag Sampler.
Vintage block
I did not make this block. And, sadly, I don’t remember where I got it.
It is really interesting in a couple of ways. First the layout is quite unique and reminds me of some of the innovative designs that were NOT selected for the 1933 World’s Fair.
The fabrics in the circles are also interesting. they look like 1930s or 1940s fabrics. Not sure. I could ask TFQ.
Eye of God block
I am pretty sure this is a leftover block from the Eye of God quilt. The Eye of God was begun in a class in July 2004 with Virginia Schnalle through CQFA. It was one of the first improv type piecing classes I took and I think the quilt was really successful. This blocks has an interesting feeling of spirals because of the way I placed the fabric.
I suppose I could make this into a pillow. I don’t really need another pillow on my couch, but perhaps as a gift?
Passionate Purple block?
Finally, this block has a really subtle color scheme. Even though it is not a group I would normally use, it is very successful.
It has to be a leftover block from the Passionate Purple quilt, which means that some of the circles came from AJA and Julie.
As with the other blocks, I am not sure what to do with these.
DH is taking a class on Friday Nights now, so I have some time to do what I want. The other night I had plans with my niece, but had about 1.5 hours to do what I wanted. What I wanted to do was finish the Diagonal 9 Patch I had been working on. I had worked on it at lunch and it was very close, so I spent some time finishing it.
It looks very watercolor-y and parts of the foreground blend with the background. I think it is ok, but I don’t think I would make this pattern with that kind of background in the future.
The family is having a boy and this has a lot of pink in it, but it doesn’t scream GIRL to me.
I finished the Little Pyramid Pouches in the middle of last week.
I am pretty pleased with how they came out. The zipper instructions are exceptional and I am REALLY pleased with the zippers. Mary C did give me a little info, which helped me shorten the zipper
They are a little on the large side. I think I might try the small version even though Mary C said that size was hard to turn.
Little Pyramid pouches
This project was a good opportunity to use some of my shorter zippers.I don’t use 6 or 8″ very often, but I have a fair number.
I think I would choose a solid or a tone-on-tone for the accent strip (currently ladybugs) in the future. I think it would highlight the main/exterior fabric.
Still, all the Tula fabric do coordinate so they don’t look awful or anything.
Little Pyramid pouch – interior
I pulled out some older fat quarters of dot fabrics for the interior of all of these pouches. I was glad to use some of them that have been hanging around for awhile.
The lining is a little baggy. There were no directions for using a larger seam allowance (though I could have missed them). I’ll have to check to see and then adjust for future versions.
Little Pyramid pouch – back
This pattern also uses ribbon or sewn tabs and those came out really well also.
You can see the bit of ribbon at the top. I used the leftovers from another project.
This was a fun project. I am going to try the Petunia Pouch next.
Back in February, I offered to host a shower for my niece and this past weekend was the day. We played some games and ate some food. My niece has been living on her own for awhile so she didn’t want gifts. Instead I collected recipes into a binder from all of the guests. I added about 5 recipes and still want to add more. I really just want to transfer all of my knowledge to her.
Shower prize ribbons
For the guests, I made favors as shown a few days ago. I also made prize ribbons, which was fun. I had a ton of ribbon left from the spool I bought for the favors so I thought it was a good idea.
I had an outline of what a prize ribbon should look like and went from there with glue, ribbon and some of the printed ribbon Carrie gave me. These go with little packages of of soap and a handmade notebook as the prize. My niece was happy with them, which made me happy.
I have slowly been working on La Pass, but I need to lay it out again. I didn’t take good photos the last time I organized parts of the border so I don’t know where to put the weirdly shaped pieces I created.
Most people will be horrified to see this quilt laying casually like this. Don’t be. Fabric is sturdy and we don’t step on it. I often fold it up so I can work on one section, but it eventually becomes unfolded and drapes near where I sit on the couch while I am at work. It is usually ready to go when I sit down to watch TV.
I went to Sew Day the other day with only one quiltmaking project on which to work. My main project was to put together party favors for my niece’s bridal shower, which I am hosting today,
I bought hand cream**, shower steamers**, ribbon** and bags** and realized I didn’t have time during the week to put them together. I remembered that I had Sew Day coming up and decided that would be my project.
M’s party favors
It was great to lay out all the bags and then match up a hand cream with a shower steamer. I was able to see everything I had and work through putting everything together without being interrupted by having to move everything or go to work.
The brands were different so it wasn’t just matching up the colors of the packaging. I thought about the different scents and tried to match them up where I could.
Amy’s Cactus blocks
I did so some quiltmaking work. As I said the other day, I cut out some of the Sotak Handmade Little Pyramid Pouches. While doing that cutting, Amy was across from me working on her Cactus quilt**. This will be a gift for someone she works with.
It is a really complicated pattern with a lot of pieces. She was able to finish one of the blocks at the Retreat. I noticed today that she now has 3 blocks. You can see how large they are.
Amy’s Cactus block
Her colors are really subtle. I find it hard to tell the difference between the background and foreground on this block with the round leaves. I can definitely see the foreground on the background, but there isn’t a lot of contrast.
This is a Sew Kind of Wonderful pattern, which Amy enjoys. She is the one who led the class in making Metro Twist. Unlike Metro Twist, this pattern requires the Wonder Curve Ruler**. The Wonder Curve ruler creates different curves.
Amy’s Cactus block
Her final block so far looks like an Aloe plant to me. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the quilt looks like.
I spent a little time just talking with MaryC and Gerre after I was done with my cutting project and the party favors. That was OK. Pretty soon I am going to have to start sewing the various projects I have cut out. 😉
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
I am slowly chunking the Diagonal 9 Patch #3 together. I’d like to get on to the green Diagonal 9 Patch soon, or start one of the newest donation quilts from the green strip blocks. Unfortunately, the large piece I made for the Retreat Organizer is taking up most of the design wall. I really need to get back to that project, if for no other reason than to get it off the design wall. Life is in full swing, however, and May is busy, so I snatch time where I can.
I am sneakily, not maliciously, teaching people to chunk quilts together. I showed Anna how to chunk the other day at Sew Day.
These blocks are from that same batch I found a few weeks ago.
Moon over the Mountain
I don’t remember making this Moon over the Mountain block. It is times like these when I want to look through my journals and find out what I was thinking. I have a distant memory that this block was made in a class.
Sawtooth Star on point
I really like this star. It is another Sawtooth Star, which is one of my favorite blocks. The fussy cutting (did I fussy cut?) I did for the block center of the star is awesome! I wonder if I have more of that fabric?
I am also interested in the peachy pink I used for the star background. My fabric choices are much more interesting than they are now, I think. Maybe not. I’ll have to look for these fabrics to see what comes next.
Both blocks use a Benartex (or maybe Robert Kaufman?) Reflections fabric. You can see it in the peak of the mountain.
If I have more of that fabric, perhaps I will make another sampler, but with random blocks that take my fancy.
I took advantage of the Sotak Handmade 30% off sale last weekend to buy two patterns I thought were interesting, the Petunia Pouch and the Little Pyramid Pouch. I want to make some small gifts for people at the Retreat, so I cut some fabric for the Little Pyramid Pouch out at Sew Day. I would have bought more, but she has a lot of tote bags and I already have a lot of tote bag patterns.
I have a few of her patterns already. One is the Purse Organizer. I made one for Mom and one for Gerre. It is more of a tablet carrier than a purse organizer. I like the pattern, however. Her free pattern (tutorial?) for scissor cozies is a perennial favorite. I also have the Multi-Pocket Organizer, but I haven’t made that one yet. It is very similar to the Mustang Purse Organizer
It doesn’t look like much in the image above, but I have all of the pieces cut out to make the pouch. I didn’t bring my sewing machine or I would have gotten started.
