Black Color Strip Donation Blocks – in Process

28 Black Strip donation blocks
28 Black Strip donation blocks

I rearranged the blocks I have made and put them up on the design wall. I like this arrangement much better, but am wondering if I should add another row on top and another column on the side?

I have more scraps, so I think I will just keep making blocks for awhile and see. I can always make a second quilt where this size block has more chunks than strips. Or I can add more blocks to this quilt. We’ll see.

Progress on Black Strip Donation Top

30 Black Strip donation blocks
30 Black Strip donation blocks

I finished enough blocks since I last posted on Saturday to look at this top as a rectangle.

One thing I noticed when I was looking at the last donation top I made was that the blue top was a weird shape and I had to adjust it with a border. In this case, the number and arrangement of blocks I have made are the same as that blue strip top. I don’t want to end up with a weirdly shaped quilt, so I need to figure out if I have enough strips to make 5 more blocks of if I should put the top row on the side and save one block for another rainbow version?

Black Strip & Chunk Donation Blocks

First, I already know that black is not a color. Black “results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.” (Wikipedia) I chose a Wikipedia link, because I am lazy.

27 donation blocks
27 donation blocks

Next, I have made 27 of these blocks and my scrap drawer is still pretty full. Granted, the scrap drawer in which I keep the black also has brown (very little) and brown related fabrics, like taupe, as well as grey. I’ll have to make an improv version in black to use up more of my scraps.

Third, I was on the fence about making a black donation top. I thought it would be depressing. I am not finding this collection of blocks depressing. It isn’t primary color cheerful, but I think there is plenty of white, which is good. Someone will like it, right?

I thought 27 blocks would be the right amount, but I need at least 30 to make a rectangular quilt. I may add another column, as well. I still have strips sets in progress, so I know I can make at least 3 more blocks, then we’ll see. If I only have chunks and odd shaped scraps left, I’ll have to leave it at 6×5 and start the black improv version.

My last strip donation quilt was blue, so this is a change.

Finally, yes, you are going to see these blocks in the end of the month donation block post, but I bet you’ll forget by then.

November 2023 Donation Blocks

I am getting to the part of the year where I cannot show all of my progress on various projects. It simply means I need more time to sew! Here are some donation blocks for this month. I might make another QST 16 Patch quilt with some of these. On the other hand, I have an overflowing black scrap drawer that needs some attention, so I am back to making more color strip blocks in blacks and greys.

I am trying to organize the patches in the gallery above so they don’t look as random and weird.

Stay tuned

More Pantone Project

Before I started working on the Disco Double Zip Pouch last Sunday,  I decided I needed to select some fabrics for The Pantone Project. I felt like I had about 20 cards, but I could only find 8.

I think I brought down at least 20 fabric boxes, which is always the thing that keeps me from picking out fabrics as the postcards arrive. It always ends up being fun, however and I seem to have a hard time remembering that. I always find fabrics that I remember buying, but had forgotten about.

Pantone Project fabric selections - Oct 2023
Pantone Project fabric selections – Oct 2023

I was only able to choose the fabrics. I didn’t have a chance to make the blocks yet. I might be able to make them before the next Sew Day.

I am only a little sure about the Apple Green. The background is perfect, but I don’t know what the blue dots do to the overall effect.

 

October 2023 Donation Blocks

The big question is whether I will make another QST 16 patch donation quilt with these blocks? Of course, I can’t make much with so few blocks, but hope springs eternal.

Stay tuned for the answer!

Perhaps I subconsciously made Halloween themed blocks this month?

September 2023 Donation Blocks

I thought I wouldn’t make as many blocks this month as I was working on other projects. Also, I have had less time lately. I was pleasantly surprised at how many I was able to finish while working on the Metro Twist assembly.

QST 16 Patch Design

I saw some quarter square triangles (QST) somewhere and started to think about them in conjunction with the guild’s 16 patches. I looked up the dimensions for making QSTs in my trusty Around the Block** book. That simple block was not included. I was trying to avoid firing up EQ8, but had to as I couldn’t get the design out of my head.

QST 16 Patch - cut off
QST 16 Patch – cut off

The first design I made is ok. You can see the design and the secondary design. However, some of the motifs are incomplete. You know how I like my designs to be finished, so I decided to try and finish off the edges.

I wanted you to be able, at least, to see the full Ohio Star motif (block) even if I couldn’t finish off all of the secondary designs.

QST 16 patch, design 2
QST 16 patch, design 2

Honestly, I didn’t think through the whole process and wasn’t really prepared for a full-on EQ8 design sessions.

I took a stab. I immediately ran into problems. You can see that doing what I wanted wasn’t straightforward. I think I could have resolved the problem by adding another row of 16 patch blocks, but I didn’t want to make the quilt larger than it was. It will be a baby (ish) quilt for the BAM Community Quilts Project.

For the moment, I decided to leave it and go back to sewing. The second design is fairly asymmetrical, which means true Modern Quilters would probably like it. I don’t dislike it; it just doesn’t achieve my goal. I’ll work on it again another day

 

 

 

 

**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.

More Pantone

One reason I am making so much progress, aside from taking the time to select the fabrics, is that I don’t mind the (almost) paperless foundation piecing as much as I mind regular foundation piecing.

You can see also that the fabrics are relatively bright and cheerful.

More Scrappy Celebration

I am determined to make progress on this quilt, so I have been working on blocks, even when I only have a few minutes. The work adds up.

I plan to rearrange the blocks once they are all done. For the moment, I am putting them on the wall according to the plan in EQ8.

August 2023 Donation Blocks

More donation blocks for August.

Yes, you can see that I am starting to work on a new color strip quilt for the community project.

 

Slow Scrappy Celebration Progress

Scrappy Celebration, E4
Scrappy Celebration, E4

I set myself a goal during the past two weekends of making progress on this quilt. I didn’t make much progress, but progress is progress.

First, I made this orange block. There is a little too much orange in it and I may change the centers of the mini-9 patches to something else. Maybe blue like in G2. We’ll see how I feel.

 

Scrappy Celebration, E8
Scrappy Celebration, E8

I really like this block. I think I might have made all of them the pattern calls for, but I really like it. I may have to make more. I kept looking at D6 and wanting to make the same block with the center and corner fabrics reversed. I really like that violet and the emerald green. I don’t use a lot of green in my quilts, so that is odd. I might like this block, because I get to use big amounts of that Shaggy Chrysanthemum print.  That is definitely a favorite even thought those autumn colors aren’t my normal colors.

Yes, I am making the blocks that are the easiest to get as many of them done as possible. Then I get mad at myself for being ridiculous and make a block with a lot of pieces. None of these blocks are difficult; some of them just have a lot of pieces.

Scrappy Celebration - August 2023
Scrappy Celebration – August 2023

In total, I made 5 blocks. I am now up to 28/56 total. I have enough blocks completed to make a good sized lap quilt, which is what I will do if (when) I run out of background fabric.

 

 

Pantone Project August Progress

I took a break from making bags, Metro Twist and Scrappy Celebration to make some progress. Thus, I made some good progress over the weekend on making Pantone blocks. 

Pantone Mutt & Jeff Left
Pantone Mutt & Jeff Left

I had already chosen quite a few fabrics, which made the task easier. Foundation piecing, not my strength, gave me pains on the first block.

The background of this fabric, a Martha Negley fruit and floral print from a few years ago, was the right hue for Pantone 4545 (not all the colors have names. Some only have numbers, which is a little annoying). I only had a half yard of this fabric and these fruit and florals don’t always have a lot of background. In this case, I only had a few bits to work with.

Martha Negley Fruit & Floral for Pantone 4545
Martha Negley Fruit & Floral for Pantone 4545

Of course, I cut a piece that was the wrong shape (remember: foundation piecing needs backwards and upside down pieces), so I had to Swiss cheese cut the last bit of background. Sigh. Fortunately, I don’t have enough of this to use for a back or a bag, so it really shouldn’t matter. Still it is painful to see one of these prints with a hunk out of the middle. Fortunately, this project (and Friend Julie) are worth it.

As an aside, you know how Tula Pink is doing Deja Vu prints? I wish Free Spirit would do them for Martha Negley as well. Maybe I should start fan club for Martha? I love those fruit and veg prints.

I went to town making blocks. I got into a rhythm that was only interrupted by not having selected anymore fabric. I thought I made a wider variety, but, looking at them like this, apparently not.

Storm Corner in Pantone 3985
Storm Corner in Pantone 3985

I was planning to make Flying Geese for Pantone 3985, a kind of olive green, but ran out of fabric. When I selected the fabric, I didn’t realize I only had about half of a fat quarter, so mid-block, I pivoted and made another Storm Center, which would work with the size triangles I had already cut.

I needed a template, so I cut the Pirate Black Storm Corner so I could use the triangles as a template, thus I ended up with four of these. In the grand scheme of the whole quilt it will be ok. It just looks a little odd now.

 

Pantone colors left to make
Pantone colors left to make

I suppose I shouldn’t have called this “August Progress” as it assumes I won’t make any additional progress, though I hope I do. I still have a number of colors to match and turn into blocks. Note they are all kind of dull, though looking at them like this reminds me they are not all beige.

I am also happy I made some good progress as I was feeling quite guilty at my tardiness. The hardest part of this project is selecting the fabrics. Aside from hauling the fabric bins down from the top of the fabric closet, the inks on the postcards seem to be different from the dyes used in fabric. I know that is true, however the actual hues and shades seem to be really different.

July 2023 Donation Blocks

After seeing what Peggy did with a few of my coordinated donation blocks from last month, I decided to create some more for her to work with. Of course, that means going through my box and choosing the same colors. It doesn’t really matter to me which fabrics I use. It just matters that I use up the squares crammed in my little donation squares box. Black and grey blocks will be good for a boy.

I am also starting to work on more color strip blocks in black and grey. First, I’ll make some for the rainbow version I am planning and then for a grey version alone. I have a lot to do on those quilts.