Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
I couldn’t think of a good name for this, but Floorplan came to mind and it kind of fits. This has more pieces, but is still pretty straightforward and I am providing the Floorplan rotary cutting directions.
This block would look good with five fabrics, but you could also use four.
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.
I think that this would be a great corner block. I think it would frame or point to other blocks very well.
This block would be great with three fabrics. I have the Sashed Squares rotary cutting directions.
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.
This is my ‘F’ block for the A-B-C challenge. There were a number of blocks with names beginning with F that were appealing, so it was hard to choose. I might do another one.
I really like that blue. It comes out a little darker on my screen than in real life, but is a very calming color.
Kathleen did the same block, but in black and white. It it always fun for me to see the same blocks done in different colors and sizes. As I have said many, many times, that is one of my joys in making blocks.
I saw Kathleen’s Electric Fan at the last meeting. Even though ‘E’ blocks were due last month, I really liked this block, so I decided to make one. It gave me the opportunity to try and figure out how to use the triangle technique for a block from Around the Block. I didn’t make the Flower Pot that I posted, but am seriously tempted. You can just have one basket block in a sampler quilt!
I like to use fabrics at least three times in a quilt and preferably in odd numbers, if I use them more than three times. I looked at the total fabrics I had used in the previous blocks and used some I hadn’t yet used as much. I used the Empire Gold in another project so it was out, so I used that. I also had only used the yellow-green in the Basement Window block.
Heirloom Challenge
These are the log cabin blocks I made for the Heirloom challenge. I added the Empire yellow solid from the Pat Bravo Art Gallery line. I think it goes well with these fabrics. I think the one flower fabric with the pink and burgundy reminds me of the Flea Market Fancy line.
I meant not to do this challenge as I don’t like making log cabin blocks. They are a bit too…fiddly for me. I am not sure if fiddly is the right term, but not a lot of bang for my buck, I guess. Still, I signed up so I stepped up. I tried using the technique that TFQ uses, which is to cut the strips the width they need to be rather than cutting a longer strip and trimming later. That worked ok.
Zoom in to see the variety of log cabin blocks that people came up with within the log cabin format. Amazing!
There were a few blocks that I particularly liked. The wave one (far left) would look great in a quilt with a variety of its fellows. I wouldn’t make it, but I would admire a quilt made with such blocks quite a lot.
The block on the bottom left has lovely graphic quality. The block ont he right looks like a doorway and I really like the fussy cutting.
December Secret Swap
This is a small detail of one of the ribbons on one of the gifts. I love the idea, but would never make it-at least to put on a package. 😉
Above are the members who participated in the Secret Swap. I just couldn’t commit to the time to make a gift and boy am I glad I didn’t participate, because these ladies are a hard act to follow! Everyone really did their best work. I was impressed and pleased to see such care.
Kathleen received this gorgeous pillow. The thing I like about it was how full it is. No matter how many pillows I make, I feel like they aren’t very full.
Show and Tell
There was a lot to tell and many quilts and projects to show. Sewing Time, despite all the other business was quite productive as well.
Elections
The “new” officers are:
President: Adrianne
VP: Kathleen
Secretary: Amanda
Treasurer: Sara
Thank you very much to Ruth, founder and 2011 Secretary, who will be leaving the board and taking over the challenge coordinator position.
I really like this block. This block, along with last week’s block, are two of my very favorites. I am tempted to make a whole bunch of them. I think I just like the rectangles and the turquoise.
Rotary Cutting Directions for Many Rectangles.
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.
If I put the two blocks together to make a quilt, it would look like the quilt below.
It occurred to me sometime in the distant past that making 6″ LeMoyne Star blocks using stripes was a good idea. I started out using paper piecing. I decided that I don’t much like paper piecing and stopped working on the project. Lately, since I have continued to buy stripes, I have picked the project up again. Creating the tutorial for the LeMoyne Star for my sampler class got me back in the groove as well.
This 5.5″ unfinished red and black cutie is one of the new ones, which I just pieced normally using the method I discussed in the LeMoyne Star tutorial. It is a bit smaller than the blocks I made with paper piecing, so I will add some sashing to it. It is too cute to toss out.
I have some more diamonds cut for other blocks and need to cut the backgrounds and then sew.
So much to sew and not enough time….
Here is another four patch type block, so if you want to make a kind of four patch sampler, you have a few blocks to use.
This block is very similar to Squares and Rectangles. Actually, when I saw Squares and Rectangles again, I actually thought the design was the one I am posting today. The fabric in the upper right hand corner was a stripe that made that patch look split. When I looked closer, I realized it wasn’t but COULD be. And here we are. 😉
Again the directions for cutting are pretty easy. Here is arotary cutting worksheet for the One Squares & Rectangles block.
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.
The BAMQG blog does not seem to allow uploading of PDFs, so I am posting this here for members (and those of you that want to play along) who need a pattern for the A-B-C Challenge. This is one example of a block that starts with ‘F.’ There are multitudes.
PDF Rotary Cutting Directions for the Flower Pot.
Another in the series of Double Four Patches. This block may not be original. It looks familiar, but I wasn’t able to find it in EQ7. If I find it, I will correct the name.
I have been using my color wheel a little bit to choose colors for the blocks. I am gearing up to research the color section of the Design Principles and Elements podcast that I do with Sandy over at Quilting…for the Rest of Us, so I am trying to get into the habit of using it.
Again the directions for cutting are pretty easy. Here is a rotary cutting worksheet for the Double Split Four Patch block
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.
I want to make another Anna Maria Horner Multi-tasker tote.
“But, Jaye,” you say “you have so many works in progress, don’t you want to finish them before you start something new?”
I did finish something!!!!
The top for the Stars for San Bruno #3 is pieced, the back is pieced, the binding is made. All the parts are hung up and waiting to go to the quilter.
I feel like I have made a significant step in the Stars for San Bruno Project. it feels SOOOO good to say: All of the piecing for all of the quilts in this project is COMPLETE!! Yes, I finished the piecing for Stars for San Bruno #3 on Sunday. I also made the back and binding.
The back took a lot of time. I have mostly used up the value of blue fabric that I planned to use in all of these quilts, so I spent a lot of time piecing bits of fabric together. It was soothing in a way, but as you can see, some of the fabrics are not blue. They were in the blue bin, so I counted them as available to use.
Also, a note on the photos. My quilt hanger’s wingspan is smaller than the quilt, so the photos aren’t terrific. Hopefully, you get the idea and will come back and continue to read and not be horrified by my terrible photography skills.
So, everyone, do a happy dance. The end is near.
After last week’s block, I thought I had better post a regular Double Four Patch. I should have posted this one first, but wasn’t thinking and had in my mind that I already had. I know you can handle the out-of-orderness.
Looking at this block and last week’s block, it makes me want to do a sort of Double Four Patch Sampler. I think I might get bored, though, with just two small blocks, but it would make a good Leaders and Enders project. Alternatively, I can think up some other Double Four Patch variations and have a variety to work with.
Again the directions for cutting are pretty easy. Here is a Rotary cutting worksheet for the Double Four Patch block
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block. I would love to see what you have made.
Have fun!
Yes, a delay in posting today. I thought I had more time, but somehow this day off just slipped away and I only marked one thing off my to do list. I did make progress on others, but didn’t finish them.
Anyway, I saw this block and remembered how much I liked it. I am a sucker for Double Four Patches. This this block is related to the Double Four Patch and also related to the Four Patch, which I posted as the first block in this series. Multiples of Squares & Rectangles would make a lovely scrap quilt.The pinks and turquoises are really making me happy right now.
Again the directions for cutting are pretty easy. Here is a Rotary cutting worksheet for the Squares & Rectangles Block
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.
Enjoy!
I worked all Sunday and a couple of hours on Monday afternoon on the Stars for San Bruno #3. I am too small, so I asked the Young Man to hold it up to me, which, as you can see, didn’t work out very well.
The way I asked him to hold it is actually sideways. The plan was to make a row quilt with vertical rows of stars. If I would actually measure on occasion, I would have known that it would come out weirdly wide. Looking at it like this gives me a chance to see whether it will look ok with horizontal rows.
It definitely needs some kind of spacer on the [current] sides. I want something to separate the pieced stars from the embroidered stars I plan to use for the border.
Progress on one of the 26 Projects? Yes.
I must be in a furniture or house mode right now. Whenever I look at something lately I think of furniture. I would like to buy new furniture, but my checkbook says NO WAY!
Again the directions for cutting are pretty easy. Here is a rotary cutting worksheet for the Table Block
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.
I thought that with the last block I should quit, since you all could make a 5×5 quilt and I wouldn’t feel like I was leaving you hanging, but that is an awfully small quilt, so I decided to continue.
This could be made with only 3 fabrics, but it looks really good with 4 fabrics.
Take a look at the cutting sizes in the Headboard #27 Cutting Directions.
If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.
I finally started the Stars for San Bruno #3 quilt. The picture is lame, I know. It looks like nothing and you can’s see the squares I put on point or squared up. I wanted those of you who participated to know I am not being completely lame.
Stars for San Bruno #2 is almost ready. #2 and #3 go to the same family, so I need to finish #3 before I can get #2 out of the house. I plan to work on it soon so you can see some real progress.