Tag: Blocks

HRT Donation Quilt

HRT Donation Quilt - March 24, 2018
HRT Donation Quilt – March 24, 2018

I made the blue and green donation blocks last year with the idea that I would add HRTs to the blocks to make something a little different.

I have been struggling along with the HRTs,despite all the different tutorials and information I found. I was about to put it away and try “later” when I got a new burst of energy for the project. I worked on it much of the day Saturday. The burst of energy came from watching the video on how to use the Split Recs ruler. DUH, I know. I did read the directions, but clearly didn’t understand them, because I was struggling mightily to use the ruler. I really needed to watch* the video, because there are certain steps and tips that come across a lot better via video. The biggest tip: both fabrics need to face the same way. This means wrong side to right side NOT right sides together.  HUGE tip. HUGE.

HRT Donation Quilt - March 31, 2018
HRT Donation Quilt – March 31, 2018

The picture (above left) is from my first struggles with the ruler and different ways of making the HRTs.

The image (right) is from today, after I trimmed the HRTs I had and started making new HRTs to fill in the gaps.

The quilt will be 4 blocks – it will be a small NICU quilt. I have 16 blocks and may make more of these spiky blocks. We will have to see. I am pleased I am finally making progress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*I don’t know why I am so resistant to watching quilting videos. I suppose I perceive that it takes my time away from the actual sewing. I found the Split Recs video to be invaluable and am sorry I didn’t watch it sooner.

Repurposing Units

I know it is late, but I have been wanting to make some donation blocks for the Ventura Modern Quilt Guild.

As I was rummaging through an old project bin, I found some HSTs that were the right size and decided to repurpose an old Stepping Stones project. I only had a block or two and knew I wasn’t ready to make another Stepping Stones project right at the moment.

These blocks, once the fabric is cut, are very quick to make – simple 9 patch construction. the deadline is approaching so I will send these off very quickly.

I also played around with some layouts:

Perkiomen Valley Blocks -Layout n.1
Perkiomen Valley Blocks -Layout n.1

 

Perkiomen Valley Blocks -Layout n.2
Perkiomen Valley Blocks -Layout n.2

Michael Miller Donation Blocks

As I may have mentioned in one of my QuiltCon posts, I got some charm squares that are to be used for donation blocks for Quilts for Cure. Quilts for Cure is led by HollyAnne Knight and it was a pleasure to meet her. I am always pleased to make donation blocks and this seemed like a good opportunity.

Michael Miller donation blocks
Michael Miller donation blocks

I started worrying about it this past week. I woke up in the middle of the night worrying about these blocks, which is not a good thing. Part of it was the charm squares. We had to make blocks from charm squares. I didn’t know what blocks to make! That is a weird feeling as I always have an idea.. I talked to Friend Julie, who was zooming along with her blocks, then I searched for “blocks with charm squares.” I found a tutorial for a block I could make and was willing to make.

Now I am zooming through these. I have made four, have two in progress and have another stack of charm squares to use.

I am looking forward to crossing another thing off my list!

March Donation Blocks

I am finally going to bring my giant pile of donation blocks to the meeting this week. Here is the latest group for your viewing pleasure.

I am so pleased with these blocks. While I think I made more, these are the only ones I can verify. A small, but mighty number! The pile grows exponentially and that is very exciting.

January Donation Blocks

January 2018 Donation Blocks
January 2018 Donation Blocks

Here are more blocks from January. I think my total for January was 25. I would have loved to get to one per day, but 25 is not shabby.

While I did cut a few new fabrics, this group represents blocks made from the last dregs of my donation bin.

After using up all that I could, I got out the Acuquilt and my new 2.5″ die (Christmas gift) and cut a bunch of new squares from scraps on my cutting table. There will be some duplicate blocks, but I am back in the business of making donation blocks.

One More Triple Star

Last Triple Star
Last Triple Star

I decided on a layout for the Triple Star quilt and needed one more block to make it look mostly balanced.

I made it mostly from the leftovers that I didn’t use in the other blocks. This makes it heavily made from warm colors. I decided not to worry about it as it wouldn’t stand out with all of the other blocks.

New Year Donation Blocks

I am making some donation blocks, but not as many as I had hoped so far this month. I am still working through the dregs of my box of 2.5″ squares and that is uninteresting. It will be good to get the dregs out of my life, though, so I am determined.

These are really different from those I made earlier in the month.

Planned Improv Block n.6

Planned Improv Block n.6
Planned Improv Block n.6

This is the last block before I put the quilt together. As with the others, I like the way it came out. I think I might like to consider making a whole quilt using Sarah’s technique, eg cutting much larger pieces, arranging them, calculating the background and then sewing the whole quilt together. I could possibly use this technique with the FOTY patches, though it might not be necessary.

2018 Donation Blocks

I started in on some new donation blocks for the guild.

I am still working through the dregs of my donation bin patches, so some of them are a little strange, but I am committed to using the fabrics I have cut before I cut more.

Not sure how many more I will make before the meeting, but I will try to make more.

Planned Improv Block n.2

I decided to start on a new Planned Improv (from the Sarah Goer class) block to work on in between the gifts and Christmas stuff I had to make. I put the first block on the design wall and started with the same idea.

Planned Improv block n.2 - 1st draft
Planned Improv block n.2 – 1st draft

My first iteration was ok.

As I worked on it, I looked at the balance of shape, size of blocks and color of red.

Some problems I am running into are:

  • not enough choices of squares. The solution is that I need to cut more squares in different sizes.
  • Impatience. I need to slow down and look at my piece and add squares until I get something good.
  • Running out of background options. I don’t mean I don’t have enough squares cut; i mean that I don’t have very much dark grey yardage. I don’t think I really want to buy more, but I also want some variety, so I may need to buy more.
Planned Improv block n.2 in process
Planned Improv block n.2 in process

I am sewing my final design together and I am pleased with it. The only thing that I need to worry about are partial seams. There are a lot of them in this block. I am not scared of partial seams and have a tutorial for those of you who haven’t done them, but they make me sigh. I just wasn’t thinking when I decided on the final layout. Oh well.

 

Even More Donation Blocks

You must be getting sick of my donation block craze. I really do want to add more blocks and quilt tops to my 2017 list, so I made 5 more blocks on Sunday.

I worked on them while I was piecing the last quarter of En Provence. The blocks seemed to fly out of my machine despite the fact that I was really struggling to find backgrounds.

I have been working through my  little bin of donation patches since I started on this binge. After 20 blocks, I have few backgrounds and a lot of fabrics that I am tired of using. Still, I was determined not to cut more backgrounds until I absolutely had to. I decided, after I made the Cal block (blue and yellow) that I needed to see if I had some charm packs.

The blue and yellow block as well as some of the others will be difficult to use with the standard blocks others make. There is some thing about using up as much as you can before you have to cut more background.

Eventually, I went to my tote of charm packs and found two of white fabric. I started cutting up one of them, so my next batch of donation blocks will be pretty standard.

All Donation Blocks All the Time

Although I had a lot of other projects to use as leaders and enders, I really made a lot of donation blocks throughout the weekend as well.

I have used a lot of 2.5″ squares this weekend and I am kind of scraping the bottom of the barrel. It is not a bad thing as I am using up pieces I might not normally use. I’ll have to cut some backgrounds soon, but I hope to work out some piecing so I can use some donation blocks from last year to make a new top.